Dian Jiuzhi followed Yun Che into the Primordial Death Abyss. At first, he could still sense Yun Che's presence, but the deeper he went, the more Yun Che's figure faded into the murky gloom. Silence loomed oppressively around him, and the faint light that remained was gradually smothered by the drifting Abyss Dust.
Hidden beneath the swirling dust, Yun Che had already transformed into the guise of the Mist Emperor. His grey eyes flickered in the darkness, observing Dian Jiuzhi's every movement. The key to turning Dian Jiuzhi into an Abyss Ghost lay in one vital move—destroying his teleportation star ring to sever any chance of escape.
The Abyssal Kirin God knelt respectfully at Yun Che's feet. This was Yun Che's final trump card. To contend with the Abyssal Emperor, he had wagered nearly everything he had accumulated in the Sea of Mist over the years.
Countless Abyssal Beasts under his control—even one at the Divine Extreme Realm—were all sacrificed in an instant to buy a fleeting moment of advantage. But the gamble paid off. Yun Che outmaneuvered the Abyssal Emperor, severed his connection to the Mist Emperor, and used Mo Su's fatal weakness to escape unscathed.
"Five days," Yun Che murmured to himself. "Every single one like treading on thin ice... And now, it's finally over. From today on, I will bear only one identity—the Emperor of the Sea of Mist."
As he recalled the brutal battle within the Sea of Mist, his mind lingered on each treacherous step—especially when facing Mo Su.
The terror of Yuanhuang Mo Su had become unmistakably real upon his arrival. Had it not been for his fatal flaw, Yun Che would have perished without a doubt.
This time, Yun Che had successfully provoked Dian Jiuzhi into pursuit with the help of Hua Caili, and now he remained composed. Though their cultivation levels differed greatly, Yun Che's profound heritage had allowed him to defuse danger time and again.
"You really don't care about your life, do you?" Li Suo's voice rang softly in his mind. She had felt the tension straining Yun Che's spirit over the past few days, especially in their final stretch.
"I don't have a choice," Yun Che replied with a faint smile. "Time's not on my side. If I don't fight and gamble everything, I'll have no chance at all. At least now, I still have twelve years left."
He sounded genuinely content with the outcome. "Little Li Suo, from now on, it's just the two of us."
Yun Che was already mapping out the future. As the hidden Mist Emperor, he would remain cloaked in shadow. The battle within the Sea of Mist wasn't enough to spark all-out war across the God Realm, but the deaths of the Son of God and the Goddess would sow seeds of hatred—seeds that would soon take root in the hearts of the divine.
"Don't worry," Li Suo said gently. "I'll always be by your side. You won't be alone."
"Now then," Yun Che's eyes glinted. "Time to create another Abyss Ghost Godson. I wonder what kind of power the Abyss's First Son will wield once he's transformed…"
Controlling the Abyssal Kirin God, Yun Che silently directed it toward Dian Jiuzhi.
The Abyss Dust in the Primordial Death Abyss was far denser than outside, greatly limiting spiritual sense and divine perception. Even with the Abyssal Kirin God now dangerously close, Dian Jiuzhi had yet to detect it.
Only when the beast emerged clearly before his eyes did the realization strike him like lightning. Alarmed, Dian Jiuzhi reached for his teleportation star ring—only to discover that it had already been corroded into dust, stripped of all function by the Abyss Dust… and he hadn't even noticed.
"How… How could this happen?" he murmured, stunned. The ring had crumbled into nothingness.
He had been alert the entire time, scanning for danger. How could the ring collapse without warning?
But now was not the time to ponder. Facing the Abyssal Kirin God—an apex beast of the Divine Extreme Realm—Dian Jiuzhi had only one thought:
Escape!
More decisively than Yun Che, he turned and fled along the path he remembered. But after some distance, he realized something was wrong. The Abyss Dust around him didn't match his previous route.
He had ventured deep into the abyss, where the dust thickened with every step until it completely swallowed the light. It felt as if he were trapped in a dark cage. In such darkness, even divine perception was no better than mortal instinct.
Even Dian Jiuzhi, an exalted God Son, found himself utterly disoriented. His profound sense couldn't pierce the gloom, and his divine consciousness was sealed. Here in the heart of the abyss, he was no different from an ordinary man.
A shadow of death loomed over his heart. For a moment, he regretted chasing Yun Che this far. Still, a flicker of satisfaction surfaced in his mind: At least Yun Che must be dead too… crushed by this endless dust, with not even a bone left behind.
And in his final moment, his thoughts returned to Yun Che.
Suddenly, without warning, the Abyssal Kirin God's claws struck from the darkness, grievously wounding him and knocking him unconscious.
Yun Che stepped from the shadows, eyes gleaming with anticipation, admiring the scene like a work of art. In his mind, he was already imagining the ripple effect this masterpiece would cause once unleashed upon the world.
Yuan Chen energy spiraled along his fingers before he pressed it into Dian Jiuzhi's forehead. Like the transformation of the previous Yuan Ghost into a Killing Star, the moment Yuan Chen condensed into a Yuan Core inside Dian Jiuzhi, the transformation would be complete.
But something unexpected occurred.
Dian Jiuzhi's Great Wilderness Divine Veins released a soft, purifying light that cleansed the invading Yuan Dust. This was the original, untainted power of the Great Wilderness. Every trace of Yuan Dust that entered his body was instantly purified and obliterated.
Yun Che sensed the resistance from within Dian Jiuzhi and frowned. Still, he didn't give up. He pushed more Yuan Chen into his soul, determined to subjugate the First Son of God.
But it was futile.
The Great Wilderness Divine Veins, one of the most ancient and powerful bloodlines, generated an unending, self-sustaining divine force. Yuan Chen had no way to take root in his soul.
"Damn it!" Yun Che cursed. "This kind of heaven-defying divine vein is practically cheating. The heavens are clearly on his side. Yuan Chen can't even breach the surface… Looks like this plan has to be shelved, for now."
Li Suo nearly retorted, "You have the Heretic God's Profound Veins, which are far stronger than the Great Wilderness Divine Veins," but wisely held her tongue. No need to pour salt on his frustration.
Time passed.
Eventually, Dian Jiuzhi awoke. The surrounding Yuan Chen retreated as if commanded, parting to form a luminous path before him.
I'm not… dead?
Darkness still loomed on all sides. The Abyss Dust was thick as ever, unmistakably the Primordial Death Abyss.
I encountered the Abyssal Kirin God. It attacked me… how am I still alive?
Before he could gather his thoughts, a low, ethereal voice rose from the grey mist.
"You're awake? Then leave. This place is not meant for mortals."
"That voice…" Dian Jiuzhi's heart trembled. "You… You're the Mist Emperor!?"
He had never expected to encounter the legendary Mist Emperor here.
"Thank you, Mist Emperor, for saving my life! Jiuzhi is eternally grateful. If ever I have the means, I swear I will repay this kindness!"
He quickly recalled the rumors that the Abyssal Kirin God belonged to the Mist Emperor. The pieces fell into place.
"Hmph," the voice snorted. "I don't need your gratitude. Mortals like you shouldn't be deceived by those who fool the world. That's all. Leave."
Grey eyes glinted through the fog.
"Excuse me, Mist Emperor… there was another human who entered with me. Do you know where he is now?" Dian Jiuzhi forced himself to ask. Despite brushing death, the killing intent inside him hadn't lessened—it had only grown stronger.
"Hmph. He left before you," the Mist Emperor said coldly. "If you hurry, you might catch him. But if I hadn't arrived in time, you'd both be dead already. Now scram!"
Dian Jiuzhi bowed deeply, then sped off at full speed, using the Senluo Wuzong Step. He was determined to kill Yun Che.
The abyss parted, and a bright passage opened. Yun Che's silhouette was approaching the exit.
"YUN!!! CHE!!!" Dian Jiuzhi roared, his killing intent boiling over. Having stared death in the face, he now wanted nothing more than to end Yun Che's life.
Yun Che did not look back. Without a word, he accelerated, vanishing from the bounds of the Primordial Death Abyss and returning to the Sea of Mist.
"I'll never let you escape alive again!" Dian Jiuzhi bellowed.
As Yun Che's figure began to fade from sight, Dian Jiuzhi summoned all his strength, unleashing the most devastating power of his life.
"The End of Jue Luo!"
A blinding silver beam erupted from the abyss, roaring like a dragon and tearing through the sky. It illuminated half the heavens, and even the Mist Emperor's abyssal passage was swallowed by the silver radiance.
This strike exceeded the limits of the eighth level of the God-Destroying Realm. Even ninth-level cultivators might fail to release such power. It had already brushed against the threshold of godhood.
Far from the abyss, a divine ship hurtled forward. Inside was Meng Kongchan, his expression dark as he sensed Yun Che's presence near the Primordial Death Abyss.
He had already lost Meng Jianyuan once. He would not—could not—lose him again!
Just as he neared Yun Che's location, a blinding silver light streaked across the sky, passing close to the Dreamweaving Divine Ship.
He recognized it instantly—Senluo Divine Kingdom's ultimate skill: Absolute End.
The silver light engulfed Yun Che completely. Cruel and unforgiving, it painted a brutal masterpiece upon the canvas of the Sea of Mist.
It happened right before Meng Kongchan's eyes…
And also in front of Hua Caili's.
"Yuan'er!!!"
"Brother Yun!!!"