Chapter 2092: Different Path

Cloud Che strolled leisurely for another half an hour, then changed direction and headed towards Dreamless Valley.

Although Dreamless Valley was named "Valley," it was actually located within a colossal hall. From the outside, the hall appeared to span only a few miles, but it contained an inner space stretching for hundreds of miles. Within it, a misty haze created an illusory realm.

As Cloud Che approached, a Dreamless Valley disciple stepped forward. His expression stiff, he said, "If you do not seek a dream-sleep, please leave this place."

Those who wished to enter Dreamless Valley either had dark expressions or were mentally agitated. Cloud Che, however, clearly did not appear to be someone seeking a dream-sleep.

Cloud Che said calmly, "Please inform Valley Master Naihe that Cloud Che is here."

"Cloud Che?" The Dreamless disciple frowned slightly, then his expression abruptly changed, "Abyssal... Abyssal Godchild!"

He quickly knelt on one knee, saying, "This humble one was blind and did not realize the Abyssal Godchild had arrived. Please forgive me."

"Is Valley Master Naihe present?" Cloud Che asked.

The Dreamless disciple respectfully replied, "The Valley Master just personally received a rather special guest and is currently within the valley. I will go and inform him right away."

Cloud Che did not have to wait long. Soon, Meng Naihe's figure swiftly emerged, his aged face already beaming with smiles from a distance. "For the Abyssal Godchild to find time to visit here truly fills this old man with unexpected joy."

Cloud Che, possessing a perfect divine core and exuding an aura of a sovereign in his dealings, had refused the title of Godchild. Yet, in Meng Naihe's eyes, he was already equivalent to the future Dream Weaver Divine Master.

Not long after the ceremony, Meng Naihe was still in a state of unceasing excitement. Cloud Che's unexpected initiative to visit made this old man, who had seen much of life's vicissitudes, feel somewhat overwhelmed.

Cloud Che bowed slightly, his tone humble, saying, "This junior's visit was unannounced, which is truly presumptuous. I hope I haven't disturbed you."

Meng Naihe quickly avoided the bow, saying, "No, no, you mustn't! You are the esteemed Abyssal Godchild; how can you bow to an old man like me, who already has one foot in the grave? If the Abyssal Godchild has any instructions, please speak freely."

Cloud Che wasted no more words and went straight to the point. "Then, this junior will not be so humble as to refuse. Just now, did Pan Buwang, the former Godchild of the Skywing Divine Kingdom, enter Dreamless Valley?"

"Indeed." Thinking of Pan Buwang, Meng Naihe sighed. "Ah, fate plays tricks on people. The former Godchild, whose heart is now like a dead abyss, all hopes shattered—it's truly lamentable. Uh... Abyssal Godchild, is your visit related to Pan Buwang? Could it be that you two have some acquaintance?"

Cloud Che shook his head. "No acquaintance at all. Has Pan Buwang already entered 'dream-sleep'?"

Meng Naihe, with a lingering sigh, said, "After all, he was the former Godchild of the Skywing Divine Kingdom. This old man tried to persuade him for a long time, but his heart was like dead ash; he had no lingering attachments to the mortal world, only wishing to fall into eternal illusion. He even handed over all his Abyssal Crystals and profound artifacts in one go, only asking for the dream-sleep to last as long as possible."

"So, this old man could only comply. He is already in a deep sleep now. This old man was just about to guide him into the dream when I heard the news of the Abyssal Godchild's arrival, so I put him aside and hurried over."

Cloud Che seemed to let out a sigh of relief. "That's good then. It almost caused a disaster."

"Caused a disaster?" Meng Naihe's expression changed in surprise. "What do you mean?"

"Valley Master Naihe," Cloud Che's expression became somewhat solemn. "You have been the Valley Master for many years and must know the history of Dreamless Valley. Have there ever been any Godchildren or Goddesses who entered dream-sleep here?"

"Never." Meng Naihe answered without hesitation. "Those who can become Godchildren or Goddesses are all extraordinary individuals; why would they need illusory dreams to escape the sorrows of the mortal world? Furthermore, once one enters dream-sleep, their physical body becomes half-crippled, making it even less likely for Godchildren or Goddesses to come here."

He seemed to understand Cloud Che's meaning and immediately added, "Although Pan Buwang was once a Godchild, he has now been deposed, and his current status in the Skywing Divine Kingdom is not even as high as that of an ordinary Imperial Prince. And his experiences..."

Meng Naihe shook his head and sighed again. "Dream-sleep is also fine; after all, it can be considered a beautiful release."

Cloud Che frowned slightly. "Even if he has been deposed, he is still a divine inheritor with an eight-tenths divine core. And... Valley Master Naihe, how can you be sure that he won't become the Skywing Godchild again in the future?"

Meng Naihe was stunned. "Abyssal Godchild... what do you mean by that?"

"Valley Master Naihe, do you still remember what proportion of divine core Meng Jianyuan had back then?" Cloud Che asked a question known to everyone in the Dream Weaver Divine Kingdom.

"Eight-tenths." Meng Naihe replied, puzzled.

"And now?" Cloud Che asked again.

"Ten... tenths."

Cloud Che's gaze intensified, making Meng Naihe inexplicably feel an invisible pressure. "If Meng Jianyuan, who had an innate eight-tenths divine core, could awaken a perfect divine core later on, why couldn't Pan Buwang?"

"This..." Meng Naihe said, "A miracle like the Abyssal Godchild's is rarely seen even in a hundred thousand years. How could it be so easily replicated?"

"True, it's rarely seen in a hundred thousand years, but it's not absolutely impossible." Cloud Che's voice softened slightly. "So, what if it happens? What if Pan Buwang, like me, awakens a divine core later on, and his overall talent surpasses the current Skywing Godchild? Have you considered the consequences?"

Meng Naihe's breath hitched.

Cloud Che continued, "Once someone falls into dream-sleep and enjoys everything that is unattainable in reality, they will no longer be able to accept the cruel and hopeless present, and both their body and mind will be completely wasted. If such a Pan Buwang were to awaken a divine core later on but become a cripple due to 'dream-sleep,' then can you imagine the fury of the Skywing Divine Kingdom? And on whom would all the blame be placed?"

Without waiting for Meng Naihe to respond, Cloud Che's words pressed on, step by step. "Valley Master Naihe, are you certain this 'what if' will absolutely not happen? Or... you could have clearly refused, so why would you introduce such a potentially huge risk into Dreamless Valley?"

Cloud Che's last few sentences extinguished all the refutations Meng Naihe was about to utter. They were replaced by a sudden drenching of cold sweat.

He took a deep breath, as if waking from a dream, and said, "The Abyssal Godchild is absolutely right! Even if there's only a one-in-ten-thousand chance of it happening, if that 'what if' occurs, it will certainly cause a great disaster."

"Fortunately, the Abyssal Godchild arrived in time; the dream-sleep has not yet begun. This old man will take him out immediately."

"No." Cloud Che stopped him. "Pan Buwang is already in Dreamless Valley. You just said his heart is like a dead abyss, and all his hopes are shattered. If you wake him and tell him he cannot enter dream-sleep, it would be equivalent to cutting off his last trace of desire in this world."

"Valley Master Naihe, you have seen many people whose hearts have died in your life, and there must have been many among them who were denied dream-sleep for various reasons. How many of them chose to end their own lives?"

Meng Naihe's expression changed slightly.

"Given Pan Buwang's current state, if you take away his last thought, isn't it possible he might choose to end his own life? He might, right?" He looked at Meng Naihe and continued, "If that were to happen, the former Godchild of the Skywing Divine Kingdom taking his own life in the Dream Weaver Divine Kingdom..."

Cloud Che shook his head slightly. "This matter could be significant or minor. But regardless of its scale, it is directly related to Dreamless Valley. This is also a risk that should not be taken."

Meng Naihe, who had already taken a step, turned back. Facing Cloud Che now, his aged figure seemed to subtly shrink a few inches. "Please, Abyssal Godchild, enlighten me."

As the Valley Master of Dreamless Valley, he had met countless people in his life. But truly, he had never received a figure like a former Godchild.

Because it was extremely difficult for divine inheritors with sufficient divine cores to be born, they almost always appeared singularly in each era throughout history. However, in this current era, multiple Godchildren or Goddesses had appeared consecutively in several divine kingdoms. This was undoubtedly a miracle of the age, giving rise to theories about their emergence in response to a calamity.

Therefore, Meng Naihe was truly encountering such a situation for the first time. Only after Cloud Che's repeated "reminders" did he realize he had almost personally sown a massive hidden danger.

Cloud Che assumed a thoughtful posture, and after a moment, asked, "You just said he's fallen asleep. So, Valley Master Naihe, do you have a way to guide his consciousness so that he obediently follows me?"

Meng Naihe hastily replied, "That's simple. Those who enter dream-sleep voluntarily lower their soul defenses to enter the dream. In his current unconscious state, it's very easy to implant a suggestion. However, this might be a violation of..."

"In urgent matters, special measures are allowed." Cloud Che directly instructed, "Valley Master Naihe, have someone immediately prepare a small profound ark, and set its course towards the Misty Sea. At the same time, implant a suggestion in Pan Buwang to make him follow me within half an hour."

"I will personally escort him out of the Dream Weaver Divine Kingdom, and I will have many people witness this scene. This way, when Pan Buwang awakens elsewhere, he will know that he was rejected by Dreamless Valley. Whatever choice he makes then will have nothing to do with Dreamless Valley or my Dream Weaver Divine Kingdom."

Meng Naihe nodded heavily. "Indeed, this eliminates all possible risks. The Abyssal Godchild is only a little over two cycles of sixty years old, yet his thoughts are so meticulous and far-reaching. This old man is deeply impressed. With the Abyssal Godchild in our Dream Weaver Divine Kingdom, we are sure to usher in an era of boundless glory."

Soon, a profound ark was prepared. Cloud Che stood upon it, with the unfocused Pan Buwang beside him.

"Shouyuan, stay in the Godchild Hall. Do not follow," Cloud Che transmitted his voice into the darkness.

Meng Shouyuan's voice quickly came, "The Divine Master strictly ordered me not to stray from Young Master."

Cloud Che narrowed his eyes slightly, his voice suddenly cold. "I don't need people who disobey orders by my side!"

After a long pause, Meng Shouyuan's voice came again, "Shouyuan will quietly await Young Master's safe return."

"Don't worry, I'm just escorting someone. I'll be back soon."

As the profound ark activated, many in the Dream Weaver Divine Kingdom personally witnessed Cloud Che escort Pan Buwang, the former Skywing Godchild who had intended to enter Dreamless Valley, out of the Dream Weaver Divine Kingdom.

The profound ark flew out of the national border, heading straight towards the Misty Sea.

Cloud Che stood at the front of the profound ark, his divine sense extending straight ahead.

"What... are you going to do?" Lisha asked.

Cloud Che narrowed his eyes slightly. "People whose hearts are dead are the easiest to use... As long as you give them what they need most, they will stop at nothing."

He was absolutely certain of this, as he himself had once been like that.

"Where are you taking him?" Lisha asked again.

"Nowhere in particular." Cloud Che smiled faintly. "Just a pretense."

As his words fell, he suddenly grabbed Pan Buwang and dropped straight down into the desolate mountains below. The profound ark continued to fly in its designated direction until its energy was depleted and it crashed into the Misty Sea.

The two landed. Cloud Che quickly picked up the Heaven-Earth Divine Stone. Red light flashed, and a profound formation instantly formed. Cloud Che, along with Pan Buwang, disappeared from the spot.

Deep within the Misty Sea, Cloud Che threw Pan Buwang onto the ground. As his thoughts shifted, the silent Abyssal Qilin God opened its eyes. A terrifying and unparalleled aura directly enveloped the unconscious Pan Buwang, pressing him firmly to the ground, ensuring he wouldn't be able to move an inch even if he woke up.

Cloud Che had already stepped back into the formation, teleporting back to his previous location.

Putting away the Heaven-Earth Divine Stone, Cloud Che soared into the air. He flew back to the Dream Weaver Divine Kingdom at a leisurely pace.

Everyone saw Cloud Che escort Pan Buwang away with the profound ark, and soon returned alone. It was evident that he had completed the distant escort. Thus, whatever Pan Buwang did outside afterward would certainly have no relation to Cloud Che.

Upon returning to the Dream Weaver Divine Kingdom, Cloud Che went straight back to the Godchild Hall. As he neared, Meng Kongdu, the Master of the First Dream Hall, approached him.

By his side was a young man who, judging by his appearance, seemed to be one of Meng Kongdu's sons.

Cloud Che slowed his steps and greeted, "Dream Master Du."

Meng Kongdu's expression sank. He glanced away and let out a cold snort.

The young man behind him had a conflicted expression but did not dare to speak, only giving Cloud Che a slight nod.

Cloud Che showed no reaction to this. As he passed by, he let out a low, cold scoff. "Fool."

Meng Kongdu abruptly stopped and turned back, his voice deep. "Meng Jianyuan! What did you say?"

Cloud Che also paused and turned back, but compared to Meng Kongdu's face full of sullen anger, he had a faint smile. "It seems Dream Master Du is getting old, and his ears are almost useless. Since that's the case, I might as well let Dream Master Du hear clearly what I said..."

"Fool!"

"Hmph!" Meng Kongdu sneered, enraged. "Meng Jianyuan, do you think that just because you have the protection of Sword Immortal and a perfect divine core, I wouldn't dare teach you a lesson?"

*Boom*—

As he spread his fingers, a storm roared around him, and space trembled terrifyingly.

"Hah, hahahaha!" Cloud Che sneered, then burst into unrestrained laughter. "Since you know I have Sword Immortal's protection, you should know that if my aunt wants to kill someone, she never cares about their identity! Since you know I possess a perfect divine core, you should know who will be revered in the Dream Weaver Divine Kingdom in the future!"

Meng Kongdu's body stiffened, and his aura abruptly weakened.

Facing Meng Kongdu's extremely terrifying aura, Cloud Che merely raised his eyes scornfully. "Anyone with a bit of sense should know how to assess the situation. Even if you still don't want to leave Meng Jianxi's faction, you should know how to play both sides and secure a fallback. Unfortunately, there are always self-righteous fools in this world... Wouldn't you agree, Dream Master Du?"

"You!!" Meng Kongdu's face twisted into a ferocious grimace, but his aura clearly weakened further and further.

A hand was placed on Meng Kongdu's arm. The young man hurriedly stepped forward and bowed respectfully. "Abyssal Godchild, my father has always been stubborn and inflexible, but he absolutely meant no disrespect to you. Please be magnanimous. Another day, I will personally visit on my father's behalf to apologize to the Abyssal Godchild."

Meng Kongdu's mouth twitched, but he offered no rebuttal.

Cloud Che took a deep look at the young man, said nothing more, and turned to leave.

His aura retracted, Meng Kongdu's arm fell to his side, and he seemed momentarily lost in thought.

Upon returning to the Godchild Hall, Cloud Che immediately entered the cultivation space.

Deep within the Misty Sea.

Pan Buwang struggled to wake up.

He didn't know how long he had been unconscious. As his consciousness returned, he felt as if his entire body was crushed by countless mountains. He struggled to lift his head, and what met his gaze was a profound darkness, along with an even denser abyssal dust.

Where... am I...?

Wasn't I... supposed to have entered the dream?

Why is it still so painful? Why haven't I seen Wuqing yet?

"You're finally awake, pathetic boy."

A voice, seemingly near yet far, incredibly deep and chilling, entered his ears.

Pan Buwang's gaze struggled to shift. He saw a twisted grey mist, and above it, a pair of eyes that flickered like ghostly lights in the dark night.

"Who... are you?"

What one entered in Dreamless Valley should have been the most perfect beautiful dream. Yet this time, it was like the darkest nightmare.

The twisted grey figure answered him, "I am the Mist Emperor who rules the Misty Sea."

"Mist... Emperor?" He muttered softly, then laughed mockingly. "Heh... hehe hahaha... ridiculous... to use such ridiculous means to humiliate me! I don't care who you are, if you have the guts... kill me!"

"Hehehe," the Mist Emperor smiled faintly. "A mere boneless worm like you is worthy of this Emperor's humiliation?"

"Pan Buwang," the Mist Emperor called his name. "A pathetic wretch like you has stained the very title of 'Godchild' with an eternal blemish."

"Hahahahaha..." Pan Buwang continued to laugh miserably, completely ignoring how the other party knew who he was. "Yes, I am a pathetic piece of trash. I can't do anything... I wanted to protect my mother, but I watched her die tragically. The one who harmed her was right there, yet I was powerless..."

"I promised Wuqing I'd help her get away from that madwoman, but... she died too... she died too... And I don't even have the right to avenge her... Hahahahaha... hahahahahaha..."

He was laughing loudly, but tears streamed down his face.

The Mist Emperor spoke, "So, what was the manner of Goddess Wuqing's death? Did you witness her death with your own eyes?"

Pan Buwang's miserable laugh continued. "No... I didn't even... get to see her one last time..."

"In other words, you didn't personally witness her death..." The Mist Emperor's voice abruptly sharpened. "Then on what basis do you believe she is dead?!"

Pan Buwang's miserable laugh suddenly stopped, then he roared, losing control, "She... died! God Wuyanye killed her, everyone knows she's dead!"

The Mist Emperor sneered, "So, the one you call your beloved, you can conclude her death merely by the words of others? Instead of believing she would cling to life for you, endure humiliation for you, and struggle for a chance to live for you... Or perhaps... she, like you, is a piece of trash who loses all hope the moment she encounters a setback?!"

Pan Buwang's eyes suddenly became savage. "She's not trash! I forbid you to speak of her like that!!"

"You are the one who thinks she's trash!" The Mist Emperor's voice completely swallowed his roar. "You are the one who arbitrarily decided she was dead! You, who didn't even have the courage to go to the Evernight Divine Kingdom and confirm it with your own eyes!"

"How can a pathetic wretch like you be worthy of the former Evernight Goddess?!"