It's all dark here, with only a few points of black jade emitting dim light.
Not only the light, but everything here is isolated from the outside world, including sound and even breath.
Even though this is an important place among the important places in the Eternal Sky Divine Realm, no one is allowed to enter without the personal permission of the Eternal Sky Divine Emperor. However, there are still layers of barriers laid out.
In the center of the dim space, Zhou Qingchen sat quietly. This was his 229th day here.
He remembered it very clearly, because every day here was longer than his past thousand years of life.
In the past, several years of seclusion were spent in meditation. But in these short months, he felt that the passage of time was so terrifying.
Buzz.
With a sound, the door that had been closed for a long time was carefully and slowly pushed open, and the initial sound was immediately completely eliminated.
As the door opened, a ray of bright light came in. It was not strong, but it made Zhou Qingchen subconsciously raise his hand to block it in front of him.
Being imprisoned here, he should obviously long for light. However, these faint lights make him feel dazzling.
Because now he is a demon.
"Father." Zhou Qingchen stood up and saluted politely.
Zhou Xuzi slowed down and walked over. In just a few months, he seemed to be a little older, but he still had a gentle and windy smile on his face: "Qingchen, how are you doing lately?"
Zhou Qingchen said: "Back to my father, in the past half month, the dark profound energy has shown no sign of movement or chaos, and the child's heart has become much calmer."
"That's good." Zhou Xuzi smiled and nodded: "The situation is much better than imagined. This also shows that the ancestors have always been secretly blessing you. Therefore, you must firmly believe that the darkness in your body will one day be purified."
This time, Zhou Qingchen did not respond as before, but suddenly said: "Father, my child has been meditating for a while, and there are some thoughts in my heart... maybe I shouldn't have them, I don't know if I should.
Ask your father."
"Haha, if you have anything to say, just ask." Zhou Xuzi said. The root cause of Zhou Qingchen's current experience lies with him. Under the pain and deep guilt in his heart, his attitude towards Zhou Qingchen was much gentler than before.
.
"My child wants to ask..." When he was about to speak, Zhou Qingchen still hesitated. Facing his father's gentle gaze, he finally asked: "Dark profound power, is it really that unforgivable crime?"
"Oh?" Zhou Xuzi frowned slightly, but still remained gentle and said with a smile: "Dark profound power is a symbol of negative power. When there is no dark profound power in the world, there will be no power of evil. Especially inheritance
We, the leftover power of God, get rid of the dark mysterious power in the world. This is a mission that needs no words but has been carried out from generation to generation."
"Why do you suddenly ask this?"
When Zhou Qingchen first started practicing Xuan Dao, he heard Zhou Xuzi say these words countless times from many people. He never questioned it, because it was the same basic understanding that water and fire are incompatible.
Facing his father's gaze, he expressed his truest doubts: "Demons with dark mysterious power will be dehumanized by the dark mysterious power and become vicious and bloodthirsty. They will not hesitate to commit any crime for their own benefit."
...Dark mysterious power is a heresy in the world. As a mysterious person in the divine realm, no matter whether you encounter demons, demonic beasts, or demonic spirits, you must use all your strength to destroy them."
"So, after becoming a demon, I have been afraid that I will become a monster with gradually losing humanity and no longer having a conscience."
Zhou Xuzi: "..."
He raised his hands, and while the black energy was circulating, a layer of black energy slowly emerged from the palms of his hands. His fingers did not tremble, and his eyes and voice remained calm: "It has been more than seven months, and the frequency of riots by the dark force has become more and more frequent."
As I get lower and lower, my body has completely adapted to its existence. Compared to the beginning, I am now a real demon."
"But..." He slowly closed his eyes: "Why, I don't feel that I have become such a beast. My reason and my guilt are still clearly there. Things that I didn't want to do or couldn't do before are now
I still don’t want to do it and can’t do it.”
"The only negative change that can be clearly felt is that when the dark profound energy riots, the mood will also become violent..."
He raised his hands a little more, and the dark profound energy between his fingers became more intense: "Father, isn't the dark profound power so scary? Our understanding of the dark profound power and the devil... will...
Wasn’t it wrong from the beginning?”
"Enough!"
An angry rebuke dispelled all the gentleness on Zhou Xuzi's face. As the most righteous God Emperor in the world, who took the eradication of darkness and sin as his lifelong mission, he couldn't believe it, couldn't accept such words, and actually chose it from his own son.
The successor of Eternal Sky said it.
That is more than just treason!
Zhou Xuzi, who rarely gets angry, raised his eyebrows and was about to slap him... But when his eyes touched the black energy in Zhou Qingchen's hand, his eyes trembled, and he suppressed the rising anger and stretched out his palms.
came out and eliminated the dark aura released by Zhou Qingchen in an instant.
"Qingchen, how could you say such a thing?" Zhou Xuzi's expression remained calm, but his voice trembled slightly: "Darkness is a heresy that cannot be allowed to exist in the world. This is the principle of the world! It is the teaching of the ancestors! It is the direction of heaven!"
Faced with Zhou Xuzi's rebuke, Zhou Qingchen, who was usually respectful and obedient, suddenly took a step back, and his tone was a bit louder than before: "If darkness is really an evil that cannot be tolerated in the world, then why...the Heaven Smiting Demon Emperor would do it for
When the world is in danger, sacrifice yourself and the entire clan!"
"Why would the Heavenly Slaughter Star God who controls the Evil Infant's Wheel of Myriad Tribulations show up to block the Wall of Chaos at the risk of being surrounded and suppressed!"
"Why would Yun Che, who possesses dark profound power, face the Heaven Smiting Demon Emperor in order to save the world..."
"shut up!"
Snap!
Swinging up his long sleeves, Zhou Qingchen was slapped far away with a heavy slap. Zhou Xuzi's hair stood on end and his whole body was trembling: "Qingchen, you... do you know what you are talking about! You are already crazy.
!You have begun to be eroded by the dark force in your sanity and nature! Please wake up!"
"Cough... cough." Zhou Qingchen stood up slowly while holding on to the wall. He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth with his fingers, lowered his head and said slowly: "People who are not awake can only be crazy and talk nonsense.
And what the child just said was all witnessed and experienced by the father and the child..."
"Still silent!!"
Bang!
Blood flowed all over Zhou Xuzi's body, and the mysterious jade beneath his feet cracked into pieces, and powder flew everywhere.
Zhou Qingchen's long hair was disheveled and he was panting violently. Slowly, he knelt down and his head sank: "My child made a mistake and offended me... Father, please forgive me."
For Zhou Qingchen, these two hundred and so gloomy days have become his most sober period.
Only by inheriting darkness can you truly understand darkness.
Perhaps, this was the cruelest part of Yun Che's first revenge against Eternal Sky.
Not only did it destroy the body of the successor to Eternal Sky, it also destroyed the belief that he had always firmly believed in and upheld.
Drops of blood slowly fell from the corners of Zhou Qingchen's lips, and each drop pierced Zhou Xuzi's heart and soul. All his anger was replaced by the sting. He sighed, walked forward slowly, and pointed out Xuan Guang with his finger.
With a light flash, the red mark on Zhou Qingchen's face faded away.
"Qingchen," he said slowly, "don't worry, I have found a way to recover you. No matter what, no matter what the cost, I will definitely do it."
"This is a father's promise to his most important son."
"My child... I believe in my father." Zhou Qingchen responded softly, but his head was always buried under the hair and did not lift up.
Zhou Xuzi turned around and left, his steps silent but heavy.
After walking out of the layers of barriers, Zhou Xuzi did not leave the Eternal Sky Tower, but went to the lowest level, which is also the most secret place in the Eternal Sky God Realm.
There is the Eternal Sky Pearl.
However, his steps were sometimes heavy and sometimes erratic.
"The teachings of our ancestors... Eternal Sky's aspirations... What we have been seeking for a lifetime... what we have fought for half our lives... How could it be wrong, how could it be wrong..." He murmured, over and over again.
During this period, he came to Zhoutian Zhuling again and again, hoping that it could recall some ancient memories and find a way to save Zhou Qingchen. But every time he got the answer, "Yun Che can force it."
By imposing it, it is possible to lift it...and it is the only possibility."
Just as he was about to step into the forbidden area where the Eternal Sky Pearl was located, someone suddenly called him in his heart and soul.
This sound transmission caused him to stop, his whole body shook violently, he turned around violently, and flew away at extremely fast speeds.
After leaving the Eternal Sky Tower, Venerable Taiyu was already waiting for him in the main hall. Zhou Xuzi fell straight in front of him and said in a serious voice: "Taiyu, are you telling the truth!?"
"It's absolutely true." Venerable Taiyu nodded slowly. With his position, if he wasn't 100%, or even just 99% sure, he wouldn't say the words "It's absolutely true."
"Do you know the details?" Zhou Xuzi said.
Venerable Taiyu shook his head: "The details are difficult to know. Yun Che has indeed fallen into the hands of the Soul Stealing Demon Queen, and the Yama Realm has also asked the Demon Queen for help."
"Yama Realm?" Zhou Xuzi frowned slightly.
"Yes." Venerable Taiyu said: "Although Yun Che has dark profound power, to the Northern God Territory, after all, he is a person from the Eastern God Territory. They have an eternal hatred for the Eastern God Territory. After they recognize Yun Che, they will naturally do the same.
Treated as foreign heresy."
"Coupled with the inheritance of the evil god and the Sky Poison Pearl in his body, there is a possibility that the King Realm of the Northern God Territory will hear about it. Therefore, once Yun Che's identity is exposed in the Northern God Territory, it will not be easy for him."
"When he appeared in the Taichu Divine Realm before, he probably exposed his identity and was forced to escape into the Taichu Divine Realm to escape pursuit. After hurting Qingchen and exposing his whereabouts, he was forced to flee back to the Northern God Realm."
"Before he fell into the hands of the Demon Queen, he seemed to have offended her deeply. As for Yan Mo, he killed a very important person. From this point of view, although Yun Che's change in strength is indeed strange, in the Northern God Territory
It’s also besieged on all sides.”
This result is not surprising at all, whether it is because of Yun Che's identity or the secrets he carries.
Zhou Xuzi thought briefly for a while and said, "When is the approximate time?"
"It should have been a month ago." Venerable Taiyu said, and then frowned: "The Demon Queen clearly agreed to this matter at the beginning, but after she succeeded, there was no movement for a whole month. Maybe, she took down Yun Che
After that, she had no intention of 'trading' him. After all, how could she let go of Yun Che's secrets!"
"No," Zhou Xuzi shook his head slowly: "Secrets are just secrets after all, they can't be seen or touched. But she can't refuse my bargaining chip. What's more, what I propose is just to force Yun Che to remove Zhou Qingchen's body.
Darkness promised not to kill him suddenly or bring him back to the Eastern God Territory... She had no reason to refuse."
"She was sure that I would get the news sooner or later, and she would wait for me to take the initiative to contact her."
Venerable Taiyu sighed softly. He knew that even if he fell into complete passivity, Zhou Xuzi would definitely succumb.
"The Queen of Demons is cunning and greedy. The more impatient I am, the more she will ask for prices... But Qingchen can't wait. His mind has begun to be eroded by darkness. One more day will mean one more variable. If it's too late, I'm afraid...
There is a possibility that it is completely irreversible, hey." Zhou Xuzi looked tired: "But fortunately, she really captured Yun Che."
Venerable Taiyu looked at Zhou Xuzi and said, "But it seems that the Lord is not too worried about this transaction."
Zhou Xuzi looked forward and said slowly: "She can't refuse that bargaining chip. No one... can refuse it."
Venerable Taiyu frowned deeply and asked: "Lord, what exactly are the chips you are using?"
As soon as the words came out, he suddenly thought of something, his face suddenly changed, and he said in shock: "Could it be...could it be..."
Zhou Xuzi closed his eyes and said nothing.
The shock was fixed on Venerable Taiyu's face, and it took a long time for him to calm down with difficulty. He let out a long sigh and said: "My Lord, for Eternal Sky, you have devoted half your life to this world, so you should live once for yourself."
Zhou Xuzi said slowly: "After this incident, I will no longer be the Emperor of Eternal Sky. It is up to Qingchen himself to pay the price."
"Taiyu...thank you for what you just said." He said sincerely. Although Venerable Taiyu only said a short sentence, it was a great spiritual comfort to him.
Venerable Taiyu smiled and shook his head: "Between you and me, there is no need for these unnecessary words. However, the Demon Queen is not only cunning, but her soul power is also weird and terrifying. I have already learned the lesson back then. Be careful."
"Don't worry." Zhou Xuzi said: "If I wasn't careful enough, I wouldn't have stepped into the border of the Northern Territory. Before this, how to conceal my whereabouts is the most important thing... Taiyu, please leave me."
"Don't worry, Lord."
Putting away the soundproof barrier, Taiyu left. In his memory, after Zhou Xuzi became emperor, this was the first time that he was truly selfish.