Chapter 2097: The Cold Eternal Night

“She won’t find it.” The Dragon Lord’s aged voice was resolute: “I once overheard that the Spirit Immortal Divine Official of the Pure Lands, due to an ailing divine body, dispatched his Abyssal Knights to search for Primordial Flame Crystals for tens of thousands of years without success, eventually having to seek other methods.”

“Such a fleeting item should have long since become extinct. Even the Spirit Immortal Divine Official couldn’t obtain it, let alone Long Xi...”

He thought of the Kylin Bone Spirit Orchid Long Xi had recently found, and how she had miraculously located four of the so-called Five Spirit Treasures. Still, he cautioned: “We must guard against the unexpected. Crimson Heart, keep a very close watch on her. If a Primordial Flame Crystal truly comes into existence...”

“Rest assured, Dragon Lord, I understand.”

Boom! A sudden surge of air currents swept across the Ancestral Dragon Mountain Range, and space trembled slightly.

The Dragon Lord and Dragon Crimson Heart looked up simultaneously. Dragon Crimson Heart exclaimed in surprise: “This is... a breakthrough to the Half-God Realm! Wait... this aura...”

“It’s Long Xi.” The Dragon Lord stared blankly at the distant sky, his expression indescribably complex.

The surprise on Dragon Crimson Heart’s face vanished, replaced by an expression as complex as the Dragon Lord’s.

The Dragon Lord asked, somewhat lost in thought: “Crimson Heart, throughout the history of our Ancestral Dragon lineage, has anyone ever achieved the God Extinction Realm before the age of one hundred?”

“Never,” Dragon Crimson Heart shook her head without hesitation.

In any realm, the cultivation advancement of dragons is far more difficult than that of humans. Yet, with bodies, souls, and lifespans far surpassing other races, they become revered among all races.

However, in this Abyssal World, the existence of Abyssal Dust has made them, as the sole surviving beast race, significantly weaker than humanity, which is led by the Pure Lands and the Six Divine Nations.

The Dragon Lord sighed deeply and murmured: “Long Xi has been solitary and reclusive since childhood, always alone, never willing to accept even the slightest bit of resources. And for decades, she has had to sacrifice her essence blood monthly to supply Wang Chu. Most of her energy has also been spent searching for the ‘Five Spirit Treasures’ I fabricated.”

“Even so... even so... she has actually managed to break through to the God Extinction Realm at just thirty years old...”

This was a miraculous Dragoness that their Ancestral Dragon lineage had never dared to dream of... yet she was an outsider of unknown origin.

He couldn’t help but be amazed, couldn’t help but feel sorrow, and even more so, couldn’t help but panic.

Dragon Crimson Heart knew what he was lamenting. Over the years, the Dragon Lord’s most frequent sighs were nothing more than: “If Long Xi were my descendant, I would die without regret,” and “If Wang Chu could achieve even a tenth of what Long Xi has, I would willingly sacrifice my life for it...”

Dragon Crimson Heart said: “Dragon Lord, regardless, this is a great fortune. With Long Xi completing this major breakthrough, her dragon blood will naturally undergo a transformation. The assistance she can provide to Wang Chu will undoubtedly be much greater than before.”

The Dragon Lord remained silent for a long time, then nodded slightly: “These words are not wrong. For Wang Chu, and for the future of our Ancestral Dragon lineage, we must use every means necessary to keep Long Xi here for as long as possible. At the very least, until Wang Chu achieves the Half-God Dragon realm.”

Rumble, rumble, rumble... The profound energy storm swept with immense intensity, like countless roaring thunderclaps exploding wildly.

The breakthrough had only just begun, yet its momentum was already immense. Even in the Dragon Lord’s incredibly long memory, no Ancestral Dragon’s breakthrough could compare to this.

A great unease suddenly rose in his heart. Such a terrifying, almost aberrant half-human, half-dragon body... who could her parents possibly be...?

This unease, as soon as it appeared, was quickly suppressed by him. If she truly had powerful parents to rely on, why would she sacrifice her own essence blood just to gain a place of peace?

“Perhaps there is another option,” the Dragon Lord said slowly, feeling the increasingly exaggerated anomaly in the distance.

“The Pure Land audience three years from now will certainly be a very special one.”

A strange glint of hope reflected in his ancient dragon eyes: “The Abyssal Emperor has already found a spatial passage leading to the ‘Eternal Pure Lands’. In fifty years, when the powers of the Four Divine Officials and Seven Divine Venerables are fully restored, they can once again activate the Divine Mirror to reopen the passage to the ‘Eternal Pure Lands’.”

“The number of people the Divine Mirror can transport each time is extremely limited, and the Pure Land audience three years from now will likely determine the first group eligible to travel to the Eternal Pure Lands.”

“Though our Dragon Race is modest, we must secure a place. If we can send Wang Chu to the ‘Eternal Pure Lands’... in a world without Abyssal Dust, the growth of our Dragon Race will no longer face such cruel obstacles. Perhaps, in that world called the ‘Eternal Pure Lands’, with generations of procreation and the changing of eras, our Ancestral Dragon lineage will once again soar above all races and reclaim its position at the pinnacle of all spirits.”

Dragon Crimson Heart nodded heavily: “The Dragon Lord’s aspirations will surely be realized.”

“Go to Wang Chu’s side,” the Dragon Lord said. “Long Xi’s breakthrough this time will surely greatly provoke him.”

His words were somewhat powerless. He knew better than anyone the character of this descendant of his... yet, he was the sole direct junior of the Ancestral Dragon lineage.

“Especially... warn him again, no matter what, he must not expose the matter of Long Xi’s essence blood, *sigh*.”

Even without the lie, he knew how ugly his actions were. Moreover, Long Xi had given genuine essence blood, while he had always held her with fabricated lies... Even if his original intention was for the future of the Ancestral Dragon lineage, he clearly knew what a devastating blow it would be to his Dragon Race’s reputation if this matter were exposed.

“Crimson Heart understands,” Dragon Crimson Heart acknowledged.

***

Deep within the Mist Sea. Darkness permeated, with no trace of light.

The Mist Sovereign grabbed with his hand, and instantly, the darkness dispersed like a material curtain.

With the Calamity Devil Scourge Heaven lifted, the flow of dark energy around Pan Buwang immediately slowed. The erosion and suppression of Abyssal Dust simultaneously surged, causing him, already exhausted, to instantly drop to one knee, desperately gasping for air.

“Ma... master...” He barely managed to call out, but then a suction force pulled him abruptly towards the Mist Sovereign.

Pan Buwang dared not resist, watching helplessly as a hand, enveloped in thick Abyssal Dust, seized his head.

Buzz— Darkness erupted before his eyes and in his soul sea. His entire body felt as if it had suddenly plunged into an endless abyssal darkness.

He fell and drowned in the extreme darkness... until a sharp pain surged, and he was flung far away by the Mist Sovereign.

“Ah...” He shook his head, struggling to stand, then suddenly froze, staring blankly at his hands.

His perception of dark energy was clearly one degree clearer. Especially the dark profound light swirling around his ten fingers, it was so docile that for a moment he couldn’t believe his own spiritual senses.

The “Dark Abyssal Demon” he had just plunged into had transformed him once again.

His body, which had been struggling to stand, knelt back down. He said in a hoarse voice, “Thank you for your master’s grace.”

“You thank too soon.” An abyssal beast radiating God Extinction aura appeared beside the Mist Sovereign.

A rather large Abyssal Crystal was thrown before Pan Buwang. The Mist Sovereign’s cold and deep voice followed: “You have half an hour to recover. After half an hour, this abyssal beast, which is at the same realm as you, will launch a relentless attack against you. In this depth of the Mist Sea, your battle with it will be at an absolute disadvantage.”

The Mist Sovereign turned away, moving off without mercy: “At this time tomorrow, if you are dead, then you are merely an untrainable piece of trash. If you are still alive, I will begin to mutate your Dark Profound Arts, so that in this Abyssal World, no other dark profound practitioner of the same realm will be your match.”

“Don’t disappoint me!”

Staring at the receding grey figure of the Mist Sovereign, Pan Buwang gritted his teeth and whispered: “Ten days ago, I would have preferred death. But now... no one will stop me from my path of revenge!”

Despair annihilates the will to live, while hope awakens the beast within the soul... The Mist Sovereign understood this deeply.

***

Dreamweaving Divine Nation, Divine Son Palace.

As Yun Che stepped out of his cultivation space, Liu Zhanyi eagerly came to greet him: “Young Master, Divine Son Xi has come to visit... ah, no, Divine Son Xi requested an audience, and has been waiting for three hours now.”

“Understood, I’ll go now.”

Upon seeing Yun Che, Meng Jianxi immediately stood up, a clear uneasiness on his face.

“Divine Son Yuan...”

“Hm?” Yun Che raised a hand: “You, Meng Jianxi, are the only Divine Son of the Dreamweaving Divine Nation. Others calling me Divine Son Yuan is out of flattery; you don’t need to.”

Meng Jianxi didn’t insist: “Alright, if that’s the case, I’ll still call you Brother Yuan, how about that?”

“At least it’s more pleasant than Divine Son Yuan.” Yun Che didn’t force him to address him as Yun Che, and sat down opposite him, asking casually: “What brings you here today?”

Meng Jianxi calmly composed himself slightly, then said: “The matter of the Heavenly Revelation Divine Jade has been completely settled. The blame has been pushed onto Jian Ze as much as possible, and I have publicly confessed to my failure in managing my subordinates. However...”

He closed his eyes, as if afraid to look at Yun Che’s expression: “My mother... she is my mother after all... I...”

“Is the matter of Meng Jian Yuan’s misfortune a century ago related to your mother?” Yun Che suddenly interjected.

In truth, he knew better than anyone that it was Meng Jingzhe and Meng Jianzhou who had personally killed Meng Jian Yuan. Even if Meng Xuanjue was involved, it was at most through subtle instigation... such as inducement or providing the means.

“Yes.” To Yun Che’s slight surprise, Meng Jianxi admitted it directly, with almost no hesitation.

Presumably, before coming here, he had already made his choice and prepared himself.

“However, my mother only provided assistance in secret. The one who actually acted was Meng Jingzhe, my elder brother Jianzhou’s guardian. And Meng Jingzhe and Jianzhou met their end in the Mist Sea half a year ago, which can be considered their due punishment. Although my mother is guilty... she never directly laid hands on him, and Brother Yuan has also returned safely... so at least it shouldn’t be a capital offense.”

Yun Che pondered for a moment, then asked: “Have you told these things to your Divine Father?”

“No,” Meng Jianxi shook his head.

Yun Che’s eyes narrowed slightly, his gaze scrutinizing: “Regarding what happened back then, let alone evidence, even traces have long since vanished. Even if suspicion falls upon her, as long as she steadfastly denies it, no one can condemn your mother.”

“I believe the Divine Venerable has long suspected your mother as well. But the Divine Venerable never voices suspicions without conclusive evidence, nor does he act on them. Given that, why would you personally admit this to me?”

Meng Jianxi looked up, meeting Yun Che’s gaze directly: “Because I believe the value I can bring you is enough to offset... even surpass the crimes my mother committed against you!”

Yun Che smiled: “A very good answer. It’s no wonder you were able to bring six of the nine Great Dream Halls into your faction so early, in just a century.”

Meng Jianxi’s heart suddenly relaxed: “So, Brother Yuan is willing to spare my mother?”

“That depends on you, not me.” Yun Che hadn’t truly realized before that Meng Jianxi would protect his mother to such an extent.

Yun Che’s ambiguous answer did not dissatisfy Meng Jianxi. Instead, a hint of emotion appeared on his face: “As expected of... Brother Yuan. To be honest, whether Brother Yuan had said he would spare her or not, I would have been somewhat disappointed. It seems I’ve been so utterly demoralized in this short time that I have no drive left, and it’s truly no injustice.”

“Hm?” Yun Che glanced at him sideways, chuckling: “You don’t need to say such nonsense. That day, I asked you to organize your intelligence network, you haven’t forgotten, have you?”

Meng Jianxi straightened his expression: “The hall responsible for intelligence is Xuanji Hall, which is the Seventh Dream Hall managed by my maternal uncle, Meng Xuanji. All intelligence from Xuanji Hall is immediately synchronized with me, and will naturally be synchronized with the Divine Son Palace from now on.”

“How much do you know about the current Divine Daughter of the Evernight Divine Nation?” Yun Che asked.

He had some knowledge of the Divine Sons and Daughters of other divine nations. However, regarding the current Divine Daughter of the Evernight Divine Nation, aside from knowing her name was Shen Wuyi, he knew almost nothing else.

Hua Caili had provided extremely detailed information about other divine nations, but she had never been to the Evernight Divine Nation and had never met the Evernight Divine Daughter, Shen Wuyi.

“Very little,” Meng Jianxi gave a simple and unsatisfactory answer.

“How little?” Yun Che frowned.

Meng Jianxi thought for a moment, then said: “It has been over ten years since the Evernight Divine Nation abolished Shen Wuqing and established Shen Wuyi as the Evernight Divine Daughter. However, to this day, it seems no one outside the Evernight Divine Nation has ever seen Shen Wuyi.”

Yun Che looked surprised: “Hidden so deeply?”

“Yes,” Meng Jianxi nodded. “However, it’s not that the Evernight Divine Nation deliberately wants to hide this new Divine Daughter. Rather, the Evernight Divine Nation has been in a state of ‘self-imposed isolation’ for these past years.”

He organized his thoughts and slowly explained: “The previous era of the Evernight Divine Nation was not named ‘Evernight’ and had very good relations with all the other divine nations. But ever since Divine Venerable Wuyan Ye became the Divine Venerable, the atmosphere of the Evernight Divine Nation has been completely overturned, as if it has truly plunged into a gloomy ‘Evernight’.”

“Putting other things aside, purely in terms of intelligence, it’s not difficult to plant informants in other divine nations. But the Evernight Divine Nation... even if one manages to plant informants through various means, they can never get close to its core.”

“Because...” Meng Jianxi paused, as if with a momentary tremor in his heart: “Divine Venerable Wuming never trusts anyone. All core profound practitioners of the Evernight Divine Nation have the ‘Extreme Night Death-Seeking Seal’ planted on them by her.”

At the mention of “Death-Seeking Seal,” Yun Che’s soul still trembled uncontrollably.

The Brahma Soul Death-Seeking Seal that Qianye Ying’er had planted on him back then was truly terrifying, and even now, he hadn’t fully escaped its shadow.

And this ‘Extreme Night Death-Seeking Seal’ was clearly something of the same nature.

“‘Extreme Night Death-Seeking Seal’ is an extremely cruel blood-bone seal. When activated, it causes unbearable pain, making one wish for death but unable to die.” Meng Jianxi’s voice involuntarily dropped a few octaves: “Divine Venerable Wuming never believes in the existence of loyalty in this world, so she exchanges ‘loyalty’ for absolute control and fear.”

A blood-bone seal? Not a soul seal like the Brahma Soul Death-Seeking Seal.