Chapter 2111: Close Pure Land

Yuan Chen, carrying Yun Che's soul imprint, plunged directly into the depths of Sha Xing's soul sea.

As Yun Che had previously stated, no one in this world, apart from him, could perceive Yuan Chen's presence through spiritual sense; its existence could only be inferred through obstructed auras or the feedback of corrosion.

Therefore, Yuan Chen could conceal his aura and his soul presence. Unless someone directly probed the depths of Sha Xing's soul sea, it would be impossible to detect Yuan Chen's existence through perception... let alone Sha Xing himself.

Although the news of the Star God Son's disappearance was quickly suppressed, it was still detected by the Xuanji Hall and then passed to Yun Che as a relatively insignificant and uncertain piece of information.

Consequently, Yun Che began his waiting game at the opportune moment... Driven by human psychology, he predicted that Sha Xing, upon returning to the Mist Sea this time, would most likely revisit the nightmare place where he had previously encountered the Abyssal Corrosion.

As he wished, after only a few days of waiting, Sha Xing appeared within the area enveloped by his divine sense.

Transforming him into a concealed "Abyssal Ghoul" was much simpler than it had been with Wei Chi Nanxing.

When Sha Xing awoke, he felt an intense pain throughout his body.

He opened his eyes and saw the grey, silent Mist Sea.

"I... I'm not dead?"

He sat up and instinctively circulated his profound energy to suppress his injuries... Suddenly, his heart trembled violently, and his eyes widened.

As his profound energy surged, there was no longer that intense, numbing sting in his profound veins.

He quickly examined his profound veins, and as his profound energy fully circulated through all fifty-four profound apertures and then through all his divine cores, there was no longer any pain or obstruction.

The Abyssal Corrosion that had invaded his profound veins had completely vanished! It had left behind only minor wounds that would quickly heal.

He was stunned, unable to regain his composure for a long time amidst the overwhelming excitement and sense of unreality... Though it had only been half a year, no one could truly comprehend the spiritual torment he had endured.

This half-year had been the longest and most agonizing period of his life.

Yet, the intense pain throughout his body reminded him that this was no dream.

At that moment, he finally sensed something and suddenly looked up at the dim sky.

There, a pair of eyes, hidden within the abyssal mist, silently gazed down at him.

He opened his mouth, but it was a long time before he managed to utter a difficult sound: "Mist... Emperor..."

"The Abyssal Corrosion is gone. You should leave."

He received the Mist Emperor's reply, but the words were beyond his belief.

Memories from before he fell unconscious rushed back. He shook his head, wanting to stand, but his broken leg bones made him stumble and fall to his knees again. However, such injuries and pain were utterly insignificant compared to being rid of the Abyssal Corrosion in his profound veins. He immediately looked up and said, "What... what should I pay?"

"Pay? What? You wish to repay this Emperor's grace?"

His imposing words contained no praise, only mockery: "That you living beings can live in peace in this world is all thanks to this Emperor! When have you ever repaid? And with what could you repay?"

Sha Xing's lips moved, but he was at a loss for words. Who in this world didn't know of the Mist Emperor's furious words to the Abyssal Knights back then?

"This world inherently belongs to the Abyssal World. This Emperor granted you a place to live, and furthermore, restrained the Abyss's subjects to reside within the Mist Sea. Yet you, despite having your own dwelling places, repeatedly invaded the Mist Sea for so-called trials and resources, hunting this Emperor's subjects... The Abyssal Corrosion you suffered is the retribution you deserve!"

"..." Sha Xing still had nothing to say, and confusion gradually appeared in his eyes.

"Alas, this Emperor ultimately cannot be as heartless as you humans. And if you truly harbor even a shred of gratitude, get out of the Mist Sea immediately and never set foot here again."

Sha Xing opened his mouth and blurted out an untimely question: "Just... just that?"

"Begone!"

A single word, roared in anger, exploded within his soul. Then, the grey eyes vanished with the abyssal mist, disappearing without a trace in an instant.

In his sight, there was only endless abyssal dust, and no longer any sign of the Mist Emperor.

Sha Xing was completely dumbfounded, unable to recover his senses for a long time.

Before coming here, he had prepared himself mentally for the worst and had come with the resolve to cut off all his retreats... If he could truly meet the Mist Emperor, if the Abyssal Corrosion could truly be removed, he would not hesitate even if it meant sacrificing half his lifespan.

He had indeed met the Mist Emperor, and so easily. The Mist Emperor had indeed removed the Abyssal Corrosion for him, and... without any cost.

If there had to be a cost, it was merely being told to get out of the Mist Sea.

At this moment, what occupied his heart most was not the joy of having his wish fulfilled, but rather a prolonged bewilderment and a strong upheaval in his understanding and beliefs.

He floated into the air and, dragging his heavily injured body, flew out of the Mist Sea... He did not encounter a single abyssal beast until he was completely out of the Mist Sea's range.

Stopping himself, he looked back at the Mist Sea, his emotions more complex than ever before.

Beyond the great kindness of birth, upbringing, and mentorship in life, there are none greater than the kindness of saving a life and of rebirth.

The seemingly terrifying Mist Emperor had bestowed upon him such immense grace, without forcing him to pay any price, and seemingly departed in disgust, yet had escorted his heavily injured self safely out of the Mist Sea.

At this moment, the Mist Emperor's astonishing words in that projection... He created dwelling places for living beings, gathered the Mist Sea for them, and restrained the abyssal beasts for them...

The sense of reality so genuinely outweighed the sense of absurdity.

"Star... Star God Son!"

Shouts filled with surprise and excitement came from afar, revealing a group of Star God disciples.

Soon, a group of people, exuding Star God aura, had firmly surrounded him. They had been ordered to search for Sha Xing in the Mist Sea, and had originally come with the realization that it would be like searching for a needle in a haystack, but unexpectedly, they had found him before even truly entering the Mist Sea.

Taking one last deep look at the Mist Sea, Sha Xing released his aura and his tense nerves, and let out a long breath: "Let's go."

At the Star-Moon Divine Hall, the atmosphere was chilling, and the space was so frigid it felt almost frozen solid.

"Sha Xing, do you even know... what you have done!"

In the center of the divine hall were two divine thrones, connected side by side. On the right throne sat a figure radiating divine light.

His face was as pale as porcelain, his long hair reached his waist; his features had the sharp angles of a man, yet possessed the delicate beauty of a woman, and even his voice, while stern, carried a graceful lilt, making it hard to distinguish his gender.

One of the Twin Divine Venerables of the Star-Moon Divine Kingdom—Heavenly Star Divine Venerable Wu Shenxing.

He rarely grew angry, for anger would distort his beautiful features, which were as radiant as a heavenly star.

But Sha Xing had escaped Star-Moon and sought out the Mist Emperor alone... Facing this rebellious act, his first major act of defiance in his life, Wu Shenxing's fury was unstoppable.

Sha Xing knelt, lowering his head: "This disciple could not break free from his own thoughts and acted willfully, causing Divine Venerable anxiety and anger... This disciple knows his grave mistake is unforgivable and is willing to accept any punishment."

He felt deep remorse, but no regret.

Wu Shenxing stared at him... He couldn't deny that upon realizing Sha Xing's Abyssal Corrosion had indeed vanished completely, he felt joy, followed by a growing unease.

"Tell this Venerable," he suppressed his anger, trying to keep his voice as calm as possible: "How did you find the Mist Emperor? And what price did you pay to remove the Abyssal Corrosion from your profound veins?"

Sha Xing recounted in detail the process of his encounter with the Mist Emperor and the removal of the Abyssal Corrosion to Heavenly Star Divine Venerable.

His account was so brief that Heavenly Star Divine Venerable remained silent for a long time.

"Just... that?"

Heavenly Star Divine Venerable asked the exact same four words Sha Xing had uttered to the Mist Emperor.

"Yes, just that." Sha Xing looked up, meeting Wu Shenxing's gaze: "Although this disciple has made a grave mistake, I would never dare to utter a single lie before Divine Venerable."

Heavenly Star Divine Venerable fell silent once more, and when he spoke again, his voice was as cold as a distant star: "Tell this Venerable, what price were you originally prepared to pay?"

Sha Xing replied: "According to the rumors about the Mist Emperor, he has cured many people of the Abyssal Corrosion, which is normally a death sentence, yet he has never demanded any recompense from anyone, simply bestowing pure benevolence. This disciple also held this thought in his heart... However, if the Mist Emperor had required a price, this disciple would have sacrificed anything, as long as it did not harm the Star-Moon Divine Kingdom!"

"Nonsense!" Heavenly Star Divine Venerable said coldly: "In this current era, who doesn't know of the Mist Emperor's slander and hostility towards the Abyssal Emperor! The Six Divine Kingdoms exist because of the Abyssal Emperor, and their legacies endure because of him. You, as the Star God Son of my Star-Moon Divine Kingdom, actually went to beg the Mist Emperor for salvation! Do you know how the world will view you, and how the Pure Land will look down upon my Star-Moon Divine Kingdom, once this matter gets out!"

"This disciple knows..." Sha Xing lowered his head: "But during the time this disciple's profound veins were corroded, both his body and mind suffered immense torment. Although this corrosion was in my body, it threatened the future of Xianyue, the Star God lineage, and even the Divine Kingdom itself, and Divine Venerable also worried himself sick for this disciple... All these things weighed heavily on this disciple's heart, and the rumored Mist Emperor was the only one who..."

"Enough!" Wu Shenxing slammed the table in anger: "This Venerable is well aware of the torment you endured. This Venerable also knows that the rumors of the Mist Emperor being able to cure Abyssal Corrosion are true. However, this Venerable never for a single moment considered seeking the Mist Emperor's salvation for you. Do you truly not understand the reasons, the depth of what is involved!"

Sha Xing looked up and said: "This disciple understands. This disciple's defiant action was merely to alleviate the unwillingness in his heart, and in truth, he held no hope. Yet, he never expected... Moreover, from what this disciple saw and experienced, the Mist Emperor is certainly not an evil person. On the contrary, the Mist Emperor..."

"Silence!" Wu Shenxing roared, and the sudden oppressive aura that descended silenced Sha Xing's words.

His brows furrowed like swords: "Sha Xing, listen. In this world, there is no absolute good or evil, right or wrong; with different stances, good and evil, right and wrong can become diametrically opposed."

"For you, your primary identity is the Star God Son of the Star-Moon Divine Kingdom! Your immediate stance aligns with the Star-Moon Divine Kingdom, and your higher stance aligns with the Pure Land!"

"Xing, there's no need to be so angry."

A gentle voice slowly drifted over. Then, a figure draped in moon-robes slowly walked in.

He had a face identical to Wu Shenxing's, but his eyes and brows held a more graceful, flowing charm than Wu Shenxing's. His steps were leisurely and elegant, and as his body swayed naturally, he clearly exuded a graceful and harmonious bearing without any hint of awkwardness.

His voice was like the breeze sweeping through willows, silently dispersing the frigid stillness of the hall and Heavenly Star Divine Venerable's indignation.

One of the Twin Divine Venerables of the Star-Moon Divine Kingdom—Heavenly Moon Divine Venerable Wu Shenyue.

The Star God lineage all bore the surname 'Star', and the Moon God lineage bore the surname 'Moon'. However, at the dawn of the Star-Moon Divine Kingdom, when the Abyssal Emperor granted them Star-Moon divine power, he also bestowed upon their successors the surname 'Wu', symbolizing and admonishing both the Star and Moon lineages to stand side by side, unite their strength and hearts, jointly govern the nation, and never be separated.

The original 'Star' and 'Moon' surnames were thus incorporated into their divine titles.

The names of the God Sons were no exception.

Behind Wu Shenyue, Xianyue followed closely. He hurried forward and knelt beside Sha Xing, but secretly gave him a smile of relief and comfort.

"Yue, did you hear what he just said?"

Wu Shenxing's anger hadn't subsided: "The hardest thing to let go of in this world is a great kindness that requires no repayment! And it is precisely this great kindness that made Sha Xing... just now, speak up for the Mist Emperor!"

"I heard," Wu Shenyue said softly: "No one knows what the future holds. But at least, the current outcome is excellent."

"..." Wu Shenxing did not deny it.

Wu Shenyue raised a hand, and a wisp of moonlight enveloped Sha Xing, withdrawing moments later.

He smiled faintly: "Not only has Sha Xing's Abyssal Corrosion completely vanished, but there are also no abnormal auras or marks left on him. In all the rumors about the Mist Emperor, he has never asked for any return from those he bestowed grace upon, nor has he shown any visible ulterior motives. Therefore, we only need to keep this matter concealed, and there will be no need for concern; on the contrary... it can be considered an immense stroke of luck."

Wu Shenxing still frowned slightly: "How can the Star God Son of my Star-Moon Divine Kingdom be compared to those insignificant individuals?"

"But in the Mist Emperor's eyes, perhaps there truly is no difference," Wu Shenyue said slowly: "His rescue of Sha Xing was likely just because Sha Xing, like those he saved before, was a fated encounter."

Wu Shenyue continued: "I have ordered the dissemination of news that Sha Xing's Abyssal Corrosion was jointly eradicated by the two of us, at the cost of half a percent of his profound veins. However, the Star-Moon lineage originates from the Abyssal Emperor's teachings and grace, and is the very foundation our Star-Moon Divine Kingdom has always upheld. Therefore, Xianyue will slow his pace slightly and continue to maintain his compatibility with Sha Xing. Regardless of now or the future, even greater setbacks will absolutely not affect the Star-Moon lineage."

Wu Shenxing's expression gradually softened. He pondered for a moment, then said with a touch of helplessness: "Let it be so then... I hope my worries are all unnecessary."

"Sha Xing, you are not to mention anything about the Mist Emperor! You must find a way to explain your disappearance yourself! You should understand the implications!"

"Yes, please rest assured, Divine Venerables." Sha Xing immediately bowed his head in assurance.

Walking out of the Star-Moon Divine Hall, Xianyue immediately asked eagerly: "Sha Xing, what does the Mist Emperor look like? Is he really just a mass of mist, as the legends say? And how did you meet him?"

Sha Xing repeated what he had told Heavenly Star Divine Venerable. That overly brief account also left Xianyue stunned and incredulous for a long time.

"Xianyue," Sha Xing said, looking ahead with a somewhat distracted expression: "From what I've seen and felt of the Mist Emperor, I suddenly feel that what he said to the Abyssal Knights in that projection is very likely true. And if the Mist Emperor's words are true, then the Abyssal Emperor's creation of this world at the beginning of the Abyss becomes a lie..."

"Sha Xing!!"

Xianyue suddenly stopped, uttering a low reprimand.

"..." Sha Xing closed his mouth and said nothing more.

Xianyue lowered his voice, his brows tightly furrowed: "Never speak such words again... no matter to whom!"

"I understand," Sha Xing's expression unchanged: "What I just said, I would only say to you; I haven't even mentioned it to the Divine Venerables."

Xianyue continued to lower his voice: "For us... in fact, for almost everyone, one's stance often outweighs truth and falsehood, right and wrong. You and I are both God Sons of the Star-Moon Divine Kingdom; you must... you absolutely must not let gratitude sway your beliefs."

"Yes, rest assured," Sha Xing nodded, his expression firm: "Only when I'm with you do I never hide my true thoughts. But beyond those thoughts, I am still capable of distinguishing what is important."

However, while one can control their words and actions, they cannot truly control the direction of their innermost thoughts.

When a long-held belief, one that had never been doubted or shaken, suddenly develops a void, this void will not disappear on its own; instead, it will continuously crack open, forming more and more fissures... Even the most ordinary past events, and words once considered undeniably correct, will gradually erode this void.

Time flowed on, gradually approaching the third year of Yun Che's "return" to the Dream Weaving Divine Kingdom.

During this period, the Six Divine Kingdoms were quite peaceful.

This was because the Pure Land Audience was drawing near.

This was the first Pure Land gathering since the Abyssal Passage successfully connected to the "Eternal Pure Land," and its significance far surpassed any previous ones.

Perhaps it would directly reveal the future destiny of the Abyssal World.

Mo Luo Divine Son Jiu Zhi completed his seclusion, with rumors hinting he had successfully broken through to the eighth level of the Divine Extinction Realm, but the Xuanji Hall expressed great skepticism about this.

Both Twin God Sons of the Star-Moon Divine Kingdom completed their breakthrough to the fourth level of the Divine Extinction Realm. After completing their final trial in the Star-Moon Thousand Mechanism Pagoda, they both entered a period of recuperation. Clearly, they intended to be in their best state to welcome the upcoming Pure Land Audience.

The Eternal Night Divine Kingdom remained as eerily silent and unfathomable as ever.

Owl Butterfly Divine Son Pan Buzhuo had long ago completed his breakthrough to the fourth level of the Divine Extinction Realm. For the past two years, he had been fully dedicated to solidifying his foundation. Now, he had firmly established himself at the fourth level of the Divine Extinction Realm, and his Dark Demonic Arts had also made a huge breakthrough.

Since entering the Seven Stars Heaven-Folding Array three years ago, Heaven-Folding Divine Maiden Hua Caili had not reappeared. This left people worried whether she would emerge from the array before the Pure Land Audience.

On the Dream Weaving Divine Kingdom's side, Meng Jianxi finally completed his breakthrough to the fourth level of the Divine Extinction Realm recently, but he knew that the world's attention on the Dream Weaving Divine Kingdom was no longer focused on him, but on "Meng Jianyuan," who possessed a perfect divine core... even though the current "Meng Jianyuan" was only at the Divine Master Realm.

Since the Mist Emperor's appearance, everyone had been quietly observing the Pure Land's movements.

Yet, the Pure Land had never explicitly acknowledged the Mist Emperor's existence, seemingly ignoring it completely, or perhaps disdaining its presence... at least overtly.

However, the Pure Land's willingness to dispatch Knight Commanders to lure and ambush the Mist Emperor back then, showed that the Pure Land's attitude towards the Mist Emperor was far from the indifference it displayed on the surface.

Yet, what the Pure Land had done in secret regarding the Mist Emperor since then... no one knew, and it had never caused any noticeable stir.

And the Abyssal Emperor... as always, had never appeared before others throughout these years, never seen by anyone. He was like a sky-supporting deity from myth, silently gazing down from the highest point of this world upon the vast realms and countless beings.

The wheel of time under the black tide of time continued to roll uneasily forward, pulling the Pure Land Audience ever closer...

Until less than a month remained.