"Divine Empress Qingyue... I will never forget your grace and the boundless kindness you've shown us."Even as a Perfect True God, Pan Buwang did not hesitate to lower his head with the utmost respect, bowing deeply before Shen Wuyi—whose true name, he now knew, was Xia Qingyue. His voice carried sincerity, and the solemn weight of heartfelt gratitude.
After the long-awaited reunion with Shenwu Qing—after the dreamlike moments they had shared, and the joy that overwhelmed them both—Pan Buwang had finally come to understand the full truth behind her survival. And that truth was one that left him shaken with awe and reverence.
It all began on that fateful day, long ago, when Xia Qingyue, still the Divine Daughter of the Eternal Night Divine Kingdom, had been ordered to eliminate Shenwu Qing. Obediently, she followed the order—or so it seemed. The world believed Shenwu Qing had perished, her life extinguished under Xia Qingyue's hand.
But in truth, only her physical body had been destroyed.
In a feat of unimaginable mastery and daring, Xia Qingyue had used her unparalleled control over the Abyssal Dust to cloak Shenwu Qing's soul, concealing it within the very essence of death and obscurity. So perfect was her deception, so seamless her execution, that even Shenwu Yanye—the Lightless Divine Regent—had failed to detect anything amiss.
To orchestrate such a plan under the ever-watchful eyes of the Divine Kingdoms was nothing short of a miracle. Had she been discovered, the consequences would have been catastrophic—punishment not just for her, but likely for all those she had ever cared for.
And yet, she did it.
Some time ago—after countless upheavals and turning points—Xia Qingyue had quietly brought out Wu Qing's hidden soul. Given that Wu Qing's cultivation had only reached the Half-Step Divine Extinction Realm before her demise, and that her original body was still that of a mortal, it proved comparatively simple for Xia Qingyue to reconstruct a new vessel for her using the rare treasures and resources she possessed.
It was an act that required no recognition, no reward—only an unspoken promise kept.
To Pan Buwang, the weight of this grace was immeasurable. From the very depths of his soul, he felt a profound and eternal gratitude for what Xia Qingyue had done. For him, it was not merely an act of kindness, but a divine salvation that resurrected not only Wu Qing... but himself.
After Yun Che's identity was exposed, Pan Buwang had chosen to remain loyal—not just because Yun Che had aided him in exacting long-awaited revenge, but because, truthfully, he had lost the will to continue living. Cast out by the world, with no purpose, no destination, no warmth to cling to, he had simply followed Yun Che because there was nothing else left for him. His life had become a wandering shadow without shape or form.
But now, with the revelation that the one person who had once given him light in his darkest moments—the one who had quietly crept into his heart when he was abandoned by all—was alive… suddenly, everything had changed. His heart, long silent and numb, began to beat again. And with that beat came direction, purpose, and the quiet but undeniable awakening of hope.
Pan Buwang—known to the world as the Eclipse Sovereign Divine Regent—had chosen that name long ago because it reflected who he was: a man who had risen from the shadows, fell to disgrace, only to rise again into glory. But now, the meaning behind that title held something far deeper.
Just like an eclipse, which momentarily casts the world into shadow and conceals the light from view, he too had been shrouded in despair and loss. But an eclipse does not last forever. Eventually, the light returns—brighter, warmer, and more precious than ever.
And now, that light had returned to him… and he would never let it go again.
Beside Pan Buwang, Shenwu Qing gracefully knelt as well, her delicate form lowered in sincere reverence before Xia Qingyue. Though her heart was still swirling with the emotions from her earlier reunion with Pan Buwang, she, too, now understood the true identity of Yun Che, and by extension, the title and presence of the woman before her. With her eyes slightly lowered, her voice soft and full of respectful gratitude, she addressed her with the title now etched into her soul—"Divine Empress Qingyue."
Her words were not uttered out of formality alone. Like Pan Buwang, she felt a deep, indescribable thankfulness that reached to the very roots of her being. Without Xia Qingyue's daring gamble—the impossible act of hiding her soul from even the eternal gaze of Shenwu Yanye—there would have been no tomorrow for her. No second chance. No Pan Buwang.
But as she quietly glanced to her side, her heart stirred with something more than just solemn gratitude. There, kneeling beside her, was the man she loved… though his current appearance nearly made her burst into tears and laughter at the same time.
Gone was the cold, stoic aura he had always carried, the pride and isolation that once cloaked him like armor. What remained now was a bloodied, bruised face—so swollen and beaten that his formerly sharp, handsome features were almost unrecognizable. And yet, even with blood trickling down his cheek and one eye nearly swollen shut, she could still see it... the wide, utterly contented smile on his face.
Earlier, after the storm of emotions had begun to calm, and it was finally time for them to approach Yun Che together, Pan Buwang had confidently taken her hand and walked with her. But the moment they reached Yun Che, he was quickly and politely pulled aside by the man himself—without a word of explanation.
Moments later, a powerful barrier had risen in the distance. It was completely sealed, yet even through its shimmering veil, certain unmistakable sounds echoed faintly—like thunderclaps of confusion and pain.
"TWIST IT, HUH?!!! HARDER?!! IS THAT RIGHT?!!"
Shenwu Qing had frozen in place, unsure of what was unfolding within, but by the time the barrier dissolved and the two figures returned, the truth had made itself abundantly clear.
Pan Buwang, barely able to stand upright, had emerged like a battered warrior from a battle fought with honor… or perhaps, like a pig who had mistakenly charged into a lion's den. His face was nearly a pulp, blood stained his robes, and yet, without hesitation, he turned toward her, eyes glittering behind swollen lids, and lifted a trembling thumb high into the air.
"I'm okay," his smile seemed to say—an absurdly cheerful message from a man whose face now looked as though it had been used as a training dummy by the Yun Che himself.
And somehow, Shenwu Qing could only shake her head helplessly, holding back her laughter as her eyes softened.
This man... was hers.
As for Yun Che, he sat quietly upon a large, smooth boulder, his back straight yet slightly tense, his face a picture of calm only thinly veiled over what he truly felt. From time to time, his hand would subconsciously move to the side of his abdomen, gripping the spot just beneath his ribs. If one looked closely, they would see the faint greenish hue of skin still swollen and inflamed—evidence of Xia Qingyue's earlier wrath, a wound he had refused to heal with his profound energy. Whether it was out of guilt, respect, or simply accepting it as something he deserved, Yun Che endured the pain in silence.
Soon, the group gathered around him, the air turning solemn as all eyes fixed on him. It was finally time to speak of what lay ahead.
With a quiet breath, Yun Che stood and addressed them all, his voice steady, resonating with firm resolve. He began to outline the plan, a path that none of them had dared imagine in full until this moment. The first step—he would descend alone into the deepest reaches of the Endless Fog Sea, to the very core where the Well of Samsara was said to reside. There, he intended to retrieve the Life Essence of Yun Xi's mother—Shen Xi—and if fate allowed, perhaps even awaken someone else… someone whose might be tied to the very heart of the Abyss: a person connected to the Abyssal Monarch himself.
Once that task was completed, Yun Che planned to return and bring all of them together—his companions, his family—to stand once again before the Abyssal Monarch. It would not be merely a reunion but the beginning of something greater. Together, they would face the unspeakable: they would attempt to resolve the ancient calamities that plagued the Abyss. Whether it was the ever-spreading Abyssal Dust that devoured everything, or the fractured, decaying Time Wheel that threatened to collapse the very flow of existence in this realm, none of it would be left unchecked.
And beyond that, if they succeeded, they would turn their eyes toward what was once known as the God Realm—called the Eternal Pure Land by those of the Abyss. They would seek to restore it Heavenly Laws, to breathe life back into its dying lands, to rebuild it into a realm capable of sustaining higher beings once more. Only then would they confront and overcome the unknown force—whatever ominous storm now approached from beyond—threatening to break into the Eternal Pure Land and shatter everything once again.
The words Yun Che spoke were calm, unshaken, as if he were merely stating a logical sequence of steps. Yet to everyone listening, each word landed like a thunderclap in the heart.
Every single goal he listed was monumental, bordering on impossible.
Reaching the deepest depths of the Endless Fog Sea? Finding and entering the legendary Well of Samsara? Just what kind of dangers lay in wait for him in that unfathomable place—no one truly knew. And then, after surviving such an ordeal, returning to stand once more before the Abyssal Monarch? That alone was a notion so reckless it bordered on madness. After all, it was nothing short of a miracle that Yun Che had escaped with his life the first time. Considering all that he had done—defying the Monarch, opposing fate, rewriting destinies—who could say for certain that the moment he stepped foot in the Abyssal Monarch's presence again, he wouldn't be annihilated on the spot without a single word spoken?
Certainly, with Yun Che's unparalleled affinity for the Abyssal Dust—his control over it surpassing that of even ancient monsters—there was no doubt that he held the key to purging the world of that corrosive plague. That alone would have made him a savior in the eyes of many. But when he began to speak of restoring the Time Wheel of the Abyss—of stabilizing the shattered laws of time itself—and even more so, of reviving the long-lost Heavenly Laws of the God Realm to their former brilliance… the hearts of those listening couldn't help but tremble with disbelief.
Fixing the Divine Time Wheel? Repairing the crumbled Heavenly Dao of the Eternal Pure Land? These weren't problems that even Ancient True Gods dared to speak of lightly—let alone resolve! These were cosmic wounds, etched into the foundation of existence itself. If such feats could truly be accomplished by one man, then wouldn't that person already stand as a second coming of the Ancestral Goddess?
They didn't dare voice such thoughts aloud, for the one standing before them wasn't someone they could simply question. But that didn't mean the doubts weren't there. They swirled beneath the surface of their minds like quiet storms—turbulent, fearful, filled with dread of what might come next.
And yet, even as they wrestled with such terrifying uncertainties, there was something even more frightening:
Yun Che wasn't joking.He wasn't boasting.He meant every word.
And that… was what shook them the most.
In the quiet that settled after all turbulence had passed, Yun Che began a task only he could perform—one that would further alter the course of those closest to him.
First, his daughter Yun Xi was brought from afar by Xia Qingyue, her soft presence shimmering like starlight in the dreamlike world of the Primordial Profound Ark. Without delay, Yun Che reached out with his divine power and slowly guided the power into resonance with Yun Xi's body. Soon, Yun Xi too was compatible with the Abyssal Dust.
Next came Shenwu Qing.
Having been reborn into a new body not long ago, her cultivation had not yet caught up to her former peak. But Yun Che saw no reason to delay. With careful control, he imbued her form with the compatibility she needed. The Abyssal Dust no longer posed a threat to her existence—it became her ally. Like Yun Xi, she could now absorb it, transform it, and rise beyond her current limits. To her, who once faced death, this was a rebirth beyond the physical.
Finally, Yun Che turned to Xia Qingyue.
Though her mastery of Abyssal Dust already surpassed most except Yun Che himself, it was not complete. Her compatibility, forged through hardship and the trial of years, was admirable—but still imperfect. Yun Che stepped forward, his palm glowing with profound light, and with a gentle motion, extended his power to her. Their souls resonated for a moment as the Dust that once danced around her now flowed through her as naturally as breath. Her control became absolute. She did not need words to thank him. In her eyes alone, Yun Che saw the depth of everything they had endured together.
And so, as day passed once more into the soft hues of artificial night inside the Primordial Profound Ark, a rare calm blanketed the world. Over the next few days, Yun Che lingered. He cherished the time with the women who had stood by his side through suffering and peace, and from afar, he often watched his daughter as she moved through the land, cultivating in silence. Occasionally, he'd summon Pan Buwang to discipline him—both to temper his rash behavior and to instill a deeper sense of respect for the future they were all fighting to build.
Though brief, these days were filled with warmth—warmth Yun Che hadn't felt in what seemed like a lifetime.
But on the dawn of the fourth day, he stood alone upon a stone outcropping, the wind of this created world brushing past his face, and he knew—his time here had come to an end.
The threat looming in the God Realm was no longer a whisper—it had become a roar.
Without disturbing the stillness around him, and after setting a few final protective arrangements in place, Yun Che silently departed. He said nothing aloud. Instead, he whispered his farewells into his heart, sealing them away with care.
Then, one final breath—and his figure vanished into the gray abyss, heading alone into the ever-deepening void.
Yet, just as Yun Che had traveled millions of miles away from the location of the Primordial Profound Ark, his divine sense suddenly brushed against a familiar aura lingering a short distance ahead—one he had expected, even if he dared not say it aloud. His voice was calm, but there was a softness in his gaze as he spoke into the silence.
"I figured you'd be here."
Without hesitation, he shifted his direction toward the source of that aura. Perhaps it was because she had always known him better than anyone else, or perhaps it was simply because the expression on his face had made his intent too easy to read—but Yun Che had long guessed that she wouldn't remain behind while he slipped away.
From the shadows of the gray, dust-laden world, her voice called out to him, steady yet aching."You were really going to leave without saying goodbye?"
Her figure emerged from the mist, radiant even in the lifeless shade of the Abyss. Without waiting for words, without needing to check who else might be watching, she moved forward, crossed the void between them, and threw herself into Yun Che's arms. Their eyes met—no masks, no titles, no barriers—and for a moment, it felt like time itself ceased to flow.
Yun Che wrapped his arms tightly around her and gently whispered as he leaned in, "I'll be back soon… there's no need for goodbyes, right?"
Their lips met. A gentle, desperate kiss laced with longing and unspoken fear. As barriers bloomed around them, shielding them from the world, their bodies entwined as their hearts beat in perfect rhythm. In that moment, their souls were one—no separation, no doubt, only love that transcended power and destiny.
She held him as if she never wanted to let go, her arms trembling with everything she wished to say but couldn't, as Yun Che's warm voice finally broke through the silence. It was time.
Afterward, she slowly dressed, her face still flushed with warmth, but her eyes—filled with unrelenting love and rising worry—never left his. Yun Che caressed her cheek one last time, his lips pressed gently to her forehead as he turned to leave.
Then, like a shadow vanishing into the dusk, his figure disappeared into the gray expanse, moving deeper into the Endless Fog Sea—so far that even her divine sense could no longer trace him.
"Come back safe, Yun Che… my husband…" she whispered into the emptiness he left behind, her voice echoing faintly. "Everyone is waiting for you… I… am waiting for you."
Xia Qingyue turned and began her quiet journey back toward the Primordial Profound Ark. And as she crossed the boundary of its sealed world, her divine sense swept through the space within. She saw them all.
Each one seated in silence, each one veiled in their own thoughts, each one clasping their hands, their hearts, their hopes—praying, waiting… believing in his return.
Even Yun Xi was silently praying inside her heart as she waits for her father return and for him, to keep his promises and she will keep her.