Chapter 2192 - Jade Carving
Chapter 2192 - Jade Carving
UNedited Chapter - Rubble
The Pure Land, atop the Eden’s Crown.
High Priest Wandao was treading upon the mist and clouds leisurely with one hand clasped behind his back, and his white robe flowing in the breeze.
His name was Wandao, cultivator and judge of all Ways. In his world, there was no high or low, no good or evil, no delusion or anger, no sorrow or joy—only what he deemed desirable and undesirable.
Up ahead, a towering figure approached slowly.
The figure was nearly three meters tall, yet the pressure he carried surpassed even the mightiest, tallest mountain by a thousandfold, causing even High Priest Wandao to halt in his tracks.
As the two stood facing each other, the clouds and breezes of Eden’s Crown froze completely, as if time and space themselves had been sealed.
“Wandao,” the Chief Priest said in a flat tone, his emotionless voice striking like a divine hammer that shattered souls and causing even the deathly still space to tremble almost to the point of shattering, “what brings you here?”
“I am here to meet with the Abyssal Monarch, of course.” Wandao narrowed his aged eyes and retorted, “And what brings you here, Chief Priest?”
The Chief Priest did not answer his question. Instead, he declared in a voice as deep as a world-shaking bell of heavens, “Then depart. The Abyssal Monarch has entered the Nameless Tower.”
“......!?” HighPriest Wandao, who rarely revealed his emotions, actually wore a look of deep astonishment and confusion upon hearing this.
“The gateway he has searched for three million years is now within reach—why would he enter the Nameless Tower at this very moment?”
The Nameless Tower was the colossal tower that supported the Pure Land. It was also the existence Yun Che understood least when he first arrived in the Pure Land.
All four High Priests knew that, once the Abyssal Monarch set foot within the Nameless Tower, no one could ever find him of their own accord.
It was because it was a forbidden realm reserved solely for him. Not even the Chief Priest, his closest aide, had ever accompanied him inside the Nameless Tower. They did not even know what lay within the tower, nor was there any way to enter it of their own accord—spiritual perception, aura, or sound, none of it worked.
It was like another world that existed in an entirely separate space from the Abyss.
In other words, if the Abyssal Monarch was inside the Nameless Tower, not even the collapse of heaven and earth could disturb him. Thus, he had only ever entered it for matters of the utmost importance.
“I do not know.” The Chief Priest answered expressionlessly. In truth, he too was surprised by the Abyssal Monarch’s action, but he would not—and should not—pry into them.
High Priest Wandao said no more and turned to leave.
“Wandao.”
This time, it was the Chief Priest who called out to him. “You have yet to answer my question: why have you come here?”
Wandao glanced sideways and said slowly, “The day looms ever closer, and there can be no room for error. Therefore, I have come to alert the Abyss Emperor to a potential source of unease.”
The Chief Priest remained impassive as he slowly uttered a name, “Shenwu Yi.”
High Priest Wandao smiled faintly. “As I expected, you are well aware of this. It seems that my visit would have been in vain even if the Abyssal Monarch had not entered the Nameless Tower.”
“The Exquisite Profound World, the Glazed Glass Ice,” he murmured softly. Despite being a High Priest, his face betrayed a look of astonishment and admiration. “Even back in our time, the Exquisite Profound World was an exceedingly rare phenomenon, while the Glazed Glass Ice was outright extinct.”
“For both to manifest within a single body... is literally unprecedented.”
“Setting aside the question of how this girl—this heretic—had entered our world, if she inherited the Eternal Night Kingdom of God’s divine origin before the great matter is accomplished... you must agree that a Divine Regent bearing both the Exquisite Profound World and the Glazed Glass Ice likely has a significant chance of breaking free from our ‘control’, right?”
The Chief Priest remained utterly impassive, though. He countered, “And what are the odds that Shenwu Yanye would pass on the divine origin to Shenwu Yi before ‘that’ happens?”
“Zero.”
Wandao’s answer came without even a moment’s hesitation.
“Out of the current seven Divine Regents, Shenwu Yanye is the least likely to relinquish the divine origin. It is unlikely she would ever voluntarily pass it on, even until the very end of her life. After all, her current dignity rests entirely upon the title ‘Lightless Divine Regent.’ Given her extremely selfish and twisted nature, how could she possibly relinquish her divine origin while she is still alive?”
The Chief Priest said, “Therefore, your concerns are unfounded. To forcibly erase Shenwu Yi and drive Shen Wuyan into madness would only create new uncertainties.”
High Priest Wandao, though, disagreed. “In my opinion, a hidden threat that lays dormant is still a hidden threat. It’s best to eliminate it outright.”
The Chief Priest remained silent.
“Oh well.” High Priest Wandao turned away and said indifferently, “The Abyssal Monarch is absent, so there is no one to adjudicate our dispute. Let it be as though I never came.”
Without another word, High Priest Wandao walked away with an air of nonchalance.
Just as he was about to leap from the summit of Eden’s Crown, he suddenly halted his steps and asked, seemingly offhandedly, “Tell me, what are the odds that we will both ascend to the Eternal Pure Land?”
The Chief Priest’s gaze grew abruptly colder, and the surrounding space instantly transformed into a frigid, icy prison: “That is not a matter for us to ponder.”
“Hahahaha!”
High Priest Wandao burst into laughter. It was a laugh that seemed utterly unrestrained, yet strangely devoid of any emotion or warmth.
“You’re right.”
He leaned forward and fell off the summit of Eden’s Crown just like that, vanishing into the vast sea of clouds below.
————
When Yun Che emerged from the cultivation chamber, his face was slightly pale, and his steps were unsteady.
“Young Master!” Meng Zhiyuan, who had been waiting outside, hurried forward and carefully supported him. “Are... you all right?”
It was just a few words, yet the usually lively and carefree young girl’s eyes were already misted with tears. She looked like she might burst into tears at any moment.
“Of course I’m fine,” Yun Che said nonchalantly. “It’s just the separation of some dragon marrow and dragon soul. It’ll take some time for me to adjust, but I’ll be fine soon.”
“But...” Meng Zhiyuan lowered her head and forced herself to suppress the terrible urge to curse that dragon heir... After all, it was all the young master’s own choice.
“I’m going to need a few days to rest...” Yun Che smiled faintly, the curve of his lips gentle, soft, and warm. “And what do you know, I have something to pass the time with. This is the perfect time to finish the jade carving.”
“Got it!” Meng Zhiyuan nodded quickly. “I’ll go make the preparations right away.”
The library was a place Yun Che rarely set foot in. At the moment, its tranquility was broken by the clear, rhythmic sounds of carving.
Yun Che was sitting before a large writing desk. In one hand, he was holding a palm-sized silver jade tablet. In the other, he was channeling his profound energy into his fingertips and using them to carve the tablet slowly and carefully.
Meng Zhiyuan tiptoed into the room and set down the tea and pastries she was carrying. She was just about to turn and leave when she stole a glance at Yun Che... She had only intended to catch a quick glimpse, but when her gaze met his focused eyes and the faint curve of his lips, she found herself transfixed, unable to look away for a long time.
Yun Che raised his eyes, their gazes meeting: “Zhiyuan, is there something you need?”
“Ah...” Meng Zhiyuan let out a startled gasp, her heart pounding like a frightened deer’s, but she did not look away. Instead, she asked in a sweet yet audacious voice: “Young Master, may this servant take a look at your jade carving? Helu, Zhanyi, and I have been guessing non-stop these past few days... only the Heaven Breaker Divine Daughter could make you put so much effort into it, right?”
Yun Che smiled: “If you want to see it, just look.”
“Hehe. This servant shan’t hold back then!”
Meng Zhiyuan practically skipped over to Yun Che’s side. As she leaned in, her fragrant-smelling hair—scented with a delicate fragrance—brushed against Yun Che’s shoulder seemingly by accident.
But the moment she saw the jade tablet in Yun Che’s hand, a surprised “Eh?” escaped her lips.
“It’s for... the Divine Regent?”
Yun Che stopped working temporarily and teased her, , “You sound disappointed.”
“Of course I’m—Er, I mean to say, of course not.” Meng Zhiyuan hurriedly denied it: “I just thought... ah, I get it!!”
A thought suddenly struck her, and she realized with a start: “You’re preparing a gift for the Divine Regent’s birthday!”
Yun Che didn’t deny it: “Senior Divine Regent is a man of noble status and vast knowledge and experience. I’ve considered many luxurious items, but in the end, I felt that only something crafted with my heart and soul could adequately express my gratitude and respect for him.”
“The Divine Regent dotes on you like no other, Young Master. I’m sure he’ll love whatever you give him.”
Meng Zhiyuan examined the jade carving closely, her gaze shifting to the other unfinished figure. “This person... is this you, Young Master?”
Yun Che lowered his eyes slightly, though his gentle smile didn’t fade: “It is Meng Jianyuan.”
“Yes? That’s you, isn’t—oh!” Meng Zhiyuan suddenly realized something and blinked. “I understand now. You’ve always felt guilty because you couldn’t recover your memories; couldn’t accept the name or identity of Meng Jianyuan, and couldn’t bring yourself to call the Divine Regent ‘Father’ from the bottom of your heart.”
“In other words, this jade carving you’ve made is a gift on behalf of ‘Meng Jianyuan’, the identity you couldn’t recall. It is also an expression of your true feelings and your sense of guilt. Am I right, Young Master?”
Yun Che turned his head and gave the young woman beside him a deep, long look. Finally, he sighed softly and said, “Zhiyuan, your intelligence is truly unequaled. You have somehow voiced my thoughts perfectly.”
The girl’s lively eyes were like a pool of still water illuminated by moonlight, clearly reflecting his face... and revealing every nuance of the gloominess hidden within his heart.
“Thank you for your praise, Young Master.” Meng Zhiyuan smiled joyfully, her jade-like face silently flushed with a rosy glow. She then softly recited the two freshly engraved lines of text beneath the jade tablet:
“Witnessed (Jian) in a dream, born to soar beyond the Abyss (Yuan).”
These ten words were, in fact, well-known among those in the know in the Dreamweaver Kingdom of God. It embodied the reason Meng Kongchan had chosen the name Meng Jianyuan for his Dreamweaver Divine Son.
“Gazing into the Abyss, I pray that Father will always be at peace.”
Meng Zhiyuan’s smile blossomed after uttering these words. “The Divine Regent will surely be overjoyed when he sees the word ‘Father’—his laughter might even reach beyond the realm.”
“But ‘Gazing into the Abyss’... what does that mean? Why ‘Gazing into the Abyss’?”
Meng Jianyuan was gazing into the Abyss... because he was long dead, of course, his body and soul forever trapped in the lifeless Abyss of Death.
This jade carving was the birthday gift he had prepared for Meng Kongchan, on behalf of the departed Meng Jianyuan.
Yun Che concealed the strange glint in his eyes and explained with a smile, “We live in the world of the Abyss. Thus, ‘Gazing into the Abyss’ means looking out upon all things in heaven and earth and praying for Father’s happiness and safety.”
“I see!”
To Meng Zhiyuan, whatever the Young Master said was naturally correct. Her beautiful eyes sparkled with a brilliant radiance: “I believe that all things in the Abyss can clearly sense your heartfelt prayer, Young Master.”
Yun Che smiled wordlessly, his finger unconsciously brushing against the jade carving and resting on the character for “Father”—such a simple word, yet the one that had taken him the longest to carve.
“Zhiyuan...” he said suddenly, “Tell Zhanyi, Helu, and the others that you have all been granted three months of leave. You may return to visit your parents and relatives and spend time with them, or go wherever else your hearts desire. You need not serve here any longer.” ”
The young girl’s breath caught in her throat. Her usually radiant face suddenly turned ghastly pale, as if she had just suffered some unbearable, immense fright.
Yun Che sighed inwardly as he added in a helpless tone, “Because I will likely be in the Heaven Breaker Kingdom of God for the next few months.”
The look of shock and terror vanished instantly, and Meng Zhiyuan patted her chest repeatedly while letting out a long sigh of relief. Then, she firmly refused, “We understand that you are just offering us kindness, but that is absolutely out of the question. We would much rather stick to our old routine and return to our clans only during the regular holidays and leave. If we actually returned to the clan for three whole months, I guarantee that our parents and relatives will be scared to death.”
“Hmm? Why’s that?”
Meng Zhiyuan explained seriously, “You are far too noble to notice certain things, Young Master, but for example, Zhanyi is a royal princess from the northern Flowing Light Realm. She was originally sent to the Kingdom of God as an offering. Normally, just becoming the servant of an ordinary imperial prince would already be a tremendous stroke of luck for her.”
“But after she became your personal attendant, the entire Flowing Light Realm was shaken. Her mother, who was originally just a low-ranking concubine, now held a status that almost overshadowed the Empress herself.”
“Later, rumors spread that you favor all three of us and have us ‘attend’ to you day and night, and that we are highly likely to bear children for you in the future... Hehe, the annual tribute we are required to provide to the Flowing Light Realm has since been reduced by thirty percent, and the factions that once harbored ill will toward us are now actively seeking to curry favor, no longer daring to offend us.”
The corners of her lips curved upward into a smile with neither bashfulness nor vanity—only the ethereal grace unique to a young woman, and a natural pride in her young master.
“He Lu’s maternal clan was a mid-tier power in the Nine Chiefs Region, and did not possess the standing to offer an attendant to the Kingdom of God originally. However, an exception was made for Helu due to her beauty, and it so happened that she was chosen to serve by the Young Master’s side. Now, Helu’s maternal clan is practically the uncrowned king of the Nine Chiefs Region. Even the Region Lord has to bow and exchange courtesies with her parents when meeting with them.”
“And as for me, well, I needn’t even mention it. I was already renowned within the East City lineage, and since coming to serve the young master, my fame has grown even greater... I’ve even heard that my great-grandfather set aside a separate page just for me in the family genealogy, hehe...”
As she spoke, she couldn’t help but cover her mouth and giggle, her sweet, girlish laughter silently dissolving into the quiet air of the study.
“All things considered, if we were to suddenly return to our families and stay for too long a period, word would surely spread that the Young Master has taken a dislike to us. Our parents wouldn’t even wait until the next day—they’d be frantic to rush us back to you, Young Master.”
Yun Che shook his head and smiled, seeming resigned. “Fine. You may do as you please.”
He hadn’t asked them to leave for three months without reason.
But... for them, for anyone, no one could be certain which choice would ultimately lead to the best—or most desired—outcome.
He lowered his gaze, gathering profound energy at his fingertips once more, and continued carving the jade in his hand.
Since Meng Zhiyuan hadn’t been “chased away,” she remained quietly by his side and followed the slow, intricate lines of his carving with her beautiful eyes. But before she knew it, her gaze had drifted to his profile and found that it could not look away.
............
The Dreamweaver Kingdom of God, the Divine Regent’s Pavilion.
“Yuan’er.”
Even from a great distance, Meng Kongchan could already sense the wavering aura emanating from Yun Che. Setting aside his work without hesitation, he watched as his son drew closer with respect. He did not inquire about the matter regarding the dragons, nor did he lament over whether it was worth it. Instead, he smiled and said, “It seems you’ve fulfilled a long-held wish. I’m glad.”
After bowing in greeting, Yun Che got straight to the point, “After parting ways with Caili in the Pure Land, I promised her I would visit her in Heaven Breaker in three months. Now that three months are nearly up, I was thinking....”
“Oh! Hahahaha!” Meng Kongchan laughed heartily, understanding at once. “I see! Indeed, you made that promise three months ago! You should definitely go! I’ll have the gifts prepared at once. Nothing can be left out for Caili, Hua Fuchen or Qing—er, I mean your aunt.”
Yun Che raised his eyes and said respectfully, “I have not come merely to report my itinerary. I... want to ask you if you would like to accompany me on this journey.”
With the matter regarding Eternal Pure Land drawing near, Meng Kongchan was naturally swamped with work and found it difficult to leave. He was just about to decline with a sigh of resignation when he suddenly caught a fleeing, silent flicker of hope in Yun Che’s eyes—one that had been concealed just as quickly.
Suddenly, the words on the tip of his tongue could no longer be spoken. It had been several years since his Yuan’er returned, but the boy had never once taken the initiative to ask him for anything... Moreover, this was the first time he had ever seen such hope directed at him in his son’s eyes.
Meng Kongchan laughed and casually tossed the object in his hand aside. He then stood up with an exceptionally bright smile on his face, saying, “Of course I’ll go! It so happens that your father has quite a few matters to discuss with Caii’s father, so this timing is perfect.”
Yun Che’s face lit up with gratitude, and he bowed once more. “Thank you for granting me this favor, Senior Divine Regent. With you by my side, I no longer have any anxiety for this journey.”
“There’s no need for such formalities between father and son.” Meng Kongchan waved his hand dismissively. “Come to think of it, the only thing in this world that could make you ‘anxious’ is probably anything involving that girl, Caili. Hahahaha!”
As he spoke, he burst into loud laughter. Maybe it was because he was so happy that he forgot to restrain himself; but his voice carried far into the Nine Dream Halls and caused the Nine Dream Lords to turn and look at one another, wondering what earth-shattering joy could have caused the Divine Regent to lose his composure so thoroughly.
Little did they know that the laughter contained nothing more than a father’s joy at finally being needed by his son.
Stepping out of the Dreamless Divine Regent’s hall, Yun Che walked slowly and he lifted his gaze toward the distant horizon.
The kingdom-protecting barrier cast a seemingly everlasting silver glow upon the gray clouds in the sky, and everything was quiet as usual.
No one could see the dark, surging currents beneath that calm—the nightmarish clouds that had been quietly gathering for so long.
He stopped in his tracks, slowly closed his eyes, and felt a thousand emotions churning chaotically within his heart.
Heaven Breaker...
You gave me my “greatest love” in the Abyss.
Dreamweaver...
You gave me the “greatest family” in the Abyss.
Yet all I have to offer you...
Is the darkest and most harrowing dirge....
There is no reincarnation in this world, nor is there an afterlife.
For this sin and karma, once my homeland is at peace, I shall quietly await heavenly retribution to fall upon me a millionfold.
His eyes opened, shrouded in darkness.
He resumed his footsteps, walking toward the horizon.
No regrets, no sorrow, no way forward... and no way back.
Author’s Note:
[↑Don’t let the text above scare you—what follows is pure fluff, the kind that’s sickly sweet.]
[But what comes after the fluff, I have no idea...]