Meng Chaoyang stood before the seat of Meng Kongchan, his eyes lowered and his gaze slightly averted, carrying an obvious sense of nuance and complexity.

"To see the most calm and desireless of the Nine Hall Masters reveal such a conflicted state is truly a rare sight."

Meng Kongchan set down the object in his hand and fixed his gaze upon him. "Is it regarding Yuan'er?"

Only then did Meng Chaoyang meet Meng Kongchan’s eyes. "When we left the territory, Your Exaltedness stated that I only needed to quietly protect Divine Son Yuan’s safety. As long as there was no danger, I was not to interfere, nor was there a need to report upon our return. But..."

He paused for a moment, and the airflow within the hall seemed to stagnate along with him. "There are some matters I feel are necessary to speak of with Your Exaltedness."

Meng Kongchan spoke calmly, "Is it about Yuan’er’s desire to return the Dragon Marrow and Dragon Soul within him to the Dragon Race?"

Meng Chaoyang was not surprised; instead, he narrowed his eyes slightly, a clear sense of irony surfacing. "As expected... no matter how fast one travels, it cannot compare to a sound transmission. I suspect that the moment the Prince and I left, that Old Dragon couldn't wait to spread the news to every corner reachable."

Meng Kongchan showed no sign of surprise, his voice remaining as flat as before. "Though it is somewhat unsightly, given the Dragon Race’s current plight, such behavior is understandable. Moreover, at its root, this was something Yuan’er took the initiative to facilitate... or is it that this matter is not as the rumors suggest?"

Meng Chaoyang shook his head. "The matter of 'returning' the Dragon Marrow and Dragon Soul was indeed proposed by the Prince himself, and his attitude was extremely firm. No matter how much audacity the Dragon Race possesses, they would never dare to speak falsely or recklessly regarding a matter involving our Dreamweaving Divine Son."

"It is just..." Meng Chaoyang watched the shifts in the Dreamless Divine Regent’s expression, lowering his voice slightly. "The Prince’s many actions and reactions were very strange."

Meng Kongchan did not respond.

Meng Chaoyang continued of his own accord, "The rumors likely failed to mention that after the Prince arrived at the Dragon Race, he only exchanged brief pleasantries with that Old Dragon before suddenly demanding to see Long Xi. After meeting Long Xi, he abruptly left without saying goodbye... and then, mid-air, he fell to the ground as if he had lost his soul, vomiting incessantly and in agonizing pain."

"..." Meng Kongchan slowly stood up, his brows unknowingly sinking into two terrifying arcs.

Meng Chaoyang did not stop because of his reaction, continuing, "At the time, facing my confusion, the Prince hastily fabricated a crude excuse. Later, upon returning to the Dragon Race, he proposed returning the Dragon Marrow and Dragon Soul, explaining his previous departure as a result of being too ashamed to face them due to his own selfishness. He confessed that after leaving, his selfishness and his Master’s orders clashed like ten thousand ants devouring his soul, causing unbearable agony."

"But..." Meng Chaoyang slowly narrowed his eyes. "From my observation, the Prince’s later words were, in fact, meant for my ears."

"..." Meng Kongchan remained silent.

Meng Chaoyang’s voice dropped another notch, even though there was no one here who could eavesdrop. "Selfishness and personal desire are the true colors of human nature. Upon the Eternal Pure Land, I personally witnessed the Prince endure the punishment of double Abyssal Devouring¹ without a sound. His strength of will and resilience of soul are the greatest I have ever seen in my life. How could he be wounded to such a state of agony by mere selfish thoughts?"

"During the return journey, I reflected on everything. I gradually felt that the Prince’s sudden abnormality likely had everything to do with that Long Xi..."

"Chaoyang."

A soft call, just two words, yet it caused Meng Chaoyang’s soul to tremble. His eyes instantly clouded over, like a pool of still water violently stirred by an invisible force. All his thoughts, conjectures, and the words about to leave his mouth were brutally shredded in that instant.

Then, in a similarly brief breath, he was forced back into a state of clarity.

However, the words he had intended to say could no longer be spoken.

Meng Kongchan looked at him, his expression calm and unhurried. "This is why I specifically instructed you to only protect him from afar, without any interference or superfluous words."

"Your Exaltedness..."

Meng Kongchan raised a hand, pushing back the words he was about to speak. "I know you worry for him, but... Yuan’er’s current strength and temperament both come from his Master and himself. Though we are his closest elders, we have never provided any assistance, never witnessed his growth, and even... failed to ensure his safety."

"Now, what right do we have to dictate his choices or pry into the secrets he does not wish others to know?"

He stared at Meng Chaoyang, every word piercing the soul. "Chaoyang, remember: what Yuan’er does not wish to do, no one shall force; what Yuan’er does not wish to say, no one shall question; what Yuan’er wishes to hide, no one shall pry—and you must even help him hide it... This applies to this Regent as well!!"

Meng Chaoyang lowered his brows and let out a soft sigh. "Your Exaltedness, to this day, I cannot see clearly whether your feelings for Jianyuan are mostly guilt or mostly doting."

A touch of softness appeared in Meng Kongchan’s eyes, a softness like the warm luster of ancient jade under moonlight. "There is also the trust I, as a father, should grant him."

Meng Chaoyang was slightly startled.

"You Hall Masters know better than anyone what Jianxi is like. Now, you all so willingly step back behind Yuan’er—is that not enough??"

After a brief silence, Meng Chaoyang slowly nodded. "I understand Your Exaltedness’s meaning."

"Let him do what he wishes. I believe he will always bring surprises we cannot imagine. Even if he fails, ruins it, or even causes a heaven-shaking disaster... so what?" Meng Kongchan turned his back, his voice neither heavy nor harsh, yet carrying an invisible majesty that caused the entire hall to stagnate.

"In this world, beneath the Pure Land, is there anything I, Meng Kongchan, cannot handle!?"

In the Divine Son’s Palace, Yun Che leaned against a rattan chair by the garden pavilion, his eyes lightly closed. He appeared leisurely and content, but in reality, the deep pain in his heart had never truly dissipated.

On the chessboard in his mind, an extra, heavy piece had appeared... steaming with dark devilish aura.

The Dragon Race...

He stood up and suddenly commanded, "Laisheng, close the palace gates. I will see no guests today."

"All of you withdraw as well. Do not approach or disturb me."

Yun Che moved to the guest hall and sat before a desk. As he raised his hand, a faint white glow flickered ethereally between his fingers.

It was the micro-crystal tainted with a bit of his soul that Mo Su had personally given him half a month ago.

Yun Che’s fingertip brushed the surface of the micro-crystal. He narrowed his eyes for a long time, and after a lengthy silence, his fingers gave a light snap.

Bang!

The micro-crystal shattered. The white light dispersed soundlessly and vanished in an instant.

This item, which could be called the most powerful and only protective talisman in the Abyssal World, was thus casually destroyed in a place devoid of any danger.

Zheng—

A very soft hum echoed as a pale rift opened in the space ahead.

But within Yun Che’s pupils and perception, beneath that seemingly pure white light, layers of profound dark aura were shockingly hidden.

A name silently manifested in his soul sea:

The Pan Ming Void-Piercing Mirror².

A figure stepped slowly out of the spatial rift. He looked at Yun Che and smiled faintly, bringing a touch of warmth to that face that was usually indifferent to the world, along with... a hint of helplessness that rarely appeared on his face.

Yun Che stood up and greeted him with a smile. "Big Brother actually arrived so quickly. I didn't even have time to prepare wine to welcome you."

Mo Su, in flawless white robes, slowly descended. "If the location where the soul-star dispersed weren't the Dreamweaving Territory, where no danger exists, I might have arrived instantly. You took the initiative to ask for this item half a month ago just to invite me for a drink?"

Yun Che shook his head with a smile, showing no sign of heartache over "wasting" the Abyssal Monarch’s Soul Crystal. "Traveling through the void over such a distance undoubtedly requires immense consumption. Big Brother must have been busy focusing on the great matters of the Eternal Pure Land recently. If it weren't for something significant enough, how could I easily disturb you?"

Mo Su’s faint smile deepened slightly. "You are the exception. Even small matters are fine."

He took a seat across from Yun Che and said seemingly casually, "Before arriving, I just heard a rumor. You intend to give the Dragon Marrow and Dragon Soul within you to the Dragon Race to sustain their failing lifeline??"

Yun Che smiled nonchalantly. "I didn't expect such a small matter could actually disturb Big Brother."

Mo Su raised his gaze slightly. "Brother Che, the current Dragon Race is not worthy of you doing this."

Simple words stated an obvious fact.

Yun Che smiled faintly, not denying it. "Whether they are worthy or not is not important. What matters is Master’s sighs and instructions from back then."

"As expected." Mo Su’s eyes showed no surprise; he had clearly known this all along. "Big Brother Ni Xuan loved bestowing favors upon others, yet he was most unwilling to owe anyone a debt of gratitude."

"Thinking back to those years, Big Brother Ni Xuan shared a very deep friendship with the Supreme Dragon God (the Primordial Azure Dragon). Though the Dragon God still addressed him as Lord Ni Xuan in public, they were the closest of friends in private. Such a bond, crossing levels and races, moved me greatly back then."

"Upon the Pure Land, when I sensed that the dragon aura on you was likely left by the Supreme Dragon God, I was initially surprised, but then I felt it made sense."

Yun Che’s face remained calm, appearing not to care. "Indeed, nothing can escape Big Brother’s eyes."

Mo Su said, "Given Big Brother Ni Xuan’s temperament and his friendship with the Dragon God, if he saw the current state of the Dragon Race, he certainly would not look on with indifference. It is truly most normal that he would leave such a final command."

When the Dragon Race first spread the news, it naturally caused a significant stir. While others were surprised, perhaps only one part of them praised his righteousness and filial piety, while the other nine parts sighed at his pedantry and self-sabotage.

Mo Su, however, was the person least surprised by this.

"Though the Dragon Race is unworthy, I imagine no one can change this decision of yours."

Yun Che smiled without speaking, personally pouring a cup of clear tea for Mo Su and pushing it toward him.

Mo Su also smiled faintly, letting out a soft sigh identical to the ones he had made several times before. "You and Big Brother Ni Xuan are truly too alike. Sacrificing one's own interests to help a lower race—such a foolish act that the world cannot even comprehend—is perhaps something only you master and disciple could do."

He lifted the teacup and took a light sip. Having reached this point, he stopped trying to persuade Yun Che and let the matter pass.

The teacup was set down, the tea fragrance lingering. He looked at Yun Che, his gaze possessing a clarity and lack of concealment reserved only for him. "So, what is the great matter for which you specifically invited me here today? Could it be the item you mentioned last time?"

His voice was as elegant as a breeze over a shallow stream, without a ripple of excitement. Clearly, though he remembered what Yun Che had said before, he had no expectations for the item mentioned.

Or rather, in this world, outside of his obsession, there was nothing left that could move him.

"Yes."

Yun Che’s demeanor became solemn, and his voice slowed. "I was previously conflicted and undecided. It was actually this trip to the Dragon Race that made me finally reach a decision."

"Whether 'returning' this body's Dragon Marrow and Dragon Soul to the Dragon Race can save them from their peril, I do not know; perhaps no one can say for certain. All the karma and fates of the world are like this."

"But even if I knew this action was in vain, I would make the same decision."

He looked up slightly, his eyes tinged with hazy remembrance and respect. "Because Master once said: Do not ask about karma; only ask your own heart."

A ripple quietly appeared deep within Mo Su’s pupils. It was extremely light and faint, yet it did not subside for a long time.

How could he ever forget those words...

Back then, when he was conflicted and pained by his uncontrollable feelings for Pan Xiao Die, the daughter of the Devil Emperor, it was precisely these words from Ni Xuan that gave him immense strength.

"Therefore, regarding the ownership of the item Master entrusted to me, I choose... to let Big Brother decide."

Yun Che raised his hand. A cluster of ethereal profound energy quietly supported a glow of pure white light, slowly floating before Mo Su.

The white light dispersed, revealing a... jade stone emitting a faint white glow.

The jade was the size of a palm, shaped like a translucent white jade plate, its edges engraved with various irregular and strange divine runes. The lines of these runes were ancient and primitive, like marks that had existed since the dawn of the world, each one containing some unrecognizable and singular meaning.

Its center was hollow, where a crystalline water-jade floated, like a silent drop of water, like the falling tear of a beauty.

If it appeared before others, even those who had flipped through countless records about it would find it difficult to recognize quickly.

But he was Mo Su.

In an instant, he recognized it. It was shockingly...

The Mirror of Fortune³!

The world suddenly became exceptionally quiet.

Mo Su’s gaze silently touched the translucent white light within arm's reach. No sound, no touch—he just stared fixedly... for a long, long time.

So long that the entire world seemed to sink into a silence that transcended time, nearly frozen.

Yun Che also seemed to be sealed within this frozen time, motionless and silent. His heart did not become heavy or uneasy due to this nearly terrifying silence; instead, it gradually relaxed.

What he feared most was Mo Su having no reaction at all.

And this long silence had completely dispelled that greatest concern.

Finally, Mo Su spoke, softly murmuring its name: "The... Mirror... of... Fortune."

His voice was still elegant and carried an indifference toward the world, but within that flatness, something was different.

It was as if something deep in his soul, something that had been dormant for so long it was nearly dead, had been revived by the reflection of the white light before him.

At this moment, the world in Mo Su’s vision held only a field of translucent white, unable to accommodate anything else. Even Yun Che’s voice, which rang in his ears, carried a distant ethereality.

"When Master gave it to me, he told me to decide whether to give it to you. Because he feared that instead of helping you, it would cause you to fall into another terrifying obsession..."

"An obsession with eternity."

Mo Su still gave no reaction.

Yun Che looked at him and continued, "That day, Big Brother told me that light profound energy could not save your Pan Xiao Die. Then..."

"What about eternity?"

Mo Su’s eyelashes fluttered slightly.

Though it was an extremely slight movement, like the edge of a petal floating on still water being lifted by a light breeze, it was enough for Yun Che to know that the word "eternity" had truly touched the deepest part of his heart and soul.

"I cannot understand or be certain if the word 'eternity' can trigger a terrifying obsession." Yun Che’s voice was as light as mist, as if he did not want to disturb the current lake of Mo Su’s heart. "But I believe that since it was Master’s concern, there must be a reason. However, from what I have observed and known of Big Brother, compared to Master’s concern, the Big Brother I see needs hope most of all."

"So..."

Yun Che’s finger gave a light push, moving the shimmering Mirror of Fortune an inch closer to Mo Su. "Today, at this moment, I hand over the item Master entrusted to me to Big Brother. How to use it and what to choose shall also be decided by Big Brother."

Mo Su slowly raised his hand.

His movements were slow and careful, as if he were afraid of disturbing a silently emerging dream. But just as he was about to touch that white light, his fingertips stopped. His long-stagnant gaze slowly turned toward Yun Che.

"Are you truly... giving it to me?"

He asked a question that absolutely did not sound like something the supreme Abyssal Monarch would ask.

"Of course." Yun Che’s answer carried no hesitation and was untainted by any ulterior motive.

He looked into Yun Che’s eyes and touched only a pool of clarity. "Do you know... even the ancient gods would exhaust themselves in madness for the word 'eternity'?"

Yun Che gave a nonchalant smile. "Master told me many legends of the Mirror of Fortune, and I have heard of them occasionally since entering the world. But no matter how powerful or mysterious its true form is, in my hands, it is ultimately just a dead object. At the very least, I have never smelled any aura of 'eternity' from it."

"I think, in this world, only Big Brother has the ability to revive it. In my hands, it would likely only remain in this deathly slumber, a waste of a heavenly treasure."

"So, just like returning the Dragon Marrow and Dragon Soul to the Dragon Race, the Mirror of Fortune, which can only remain dormant in my hands, can be considered to have returned to its most suitable master today."

Mo Su’s hand finally moved forward, lightly grasping the Mirror of Fortune.

No rejection, no strange light—the Mirror of Fortune changed masters with such calm and lack of ripples.

Since its reappearance, the Mirror of Fortune had never acknowledged a master. With the departure of Li Suo’s remnant soul, it left no soul imprint or aura behind. An initial probe of divine sense would only touch a void of pure white.

This time, even Mo Su’s aura showed a slight ripple.

Eternity...

For Mo Su, his greatest fear was the passing of Pan Xiao Die.

Thus, he had kept her sleeping in the "Cradle," guarding her in loneliness for three million years.

And now, the "Cradle" was teetering on the brink of collapse.

Even the "Eternal Pure Land" was merely the greatest glimmer of hope... and behind that hope lurked the cruelest reality of eternal loss.

But, if he possessed eternity...

She could exist eternally; there would be eternal hope... until one day, she woke from her deep dream and returned to his world.

He murmured, "The Mirror of Fortune... since the Ancestral God created the world, it has ranked third among the supreme treasures, second only to the Heaven Punishing Ancestral Sword and the Evil Infant's Wheel of Myriad Tribulations. It is the tool of eternity that all living spirits in heaven and earth crave... Brother Che, for such a gift, even as the Abyssal Monarch, I do not know how to repay you."

Yun Che waved his hand and said with a smile, "Between brothers, what is there to say of repayment? Just consider it... something your Big Brother Ni Xuan specifically left for you, and I have merely been keeping it safe until now."

Mo Su did not simply accept this and feel at ease. He looked ahead, his gaze deep... After a few breaths, he seemed to suddenly think of something and began to smile faintly.

"There is an item that Big Brother Ni Xuan asked me for many times in the past. Although I respected and admired him to the extreme, keeping nothing from him and sharing everything, this was the only thing I guarded strictly, never yielding for even a moment, leaving him unable to fulfill his wish."

He sighed with a smile, carrying a sense of loss and relief steeped in countless ages. "Thinking back now, how pedantic and laughable that strict adherence was. It is ultimately just a dead object; how could it compare to even a fraction of the friendship between me and Big Brother Ni Xuan?"

He raised his hand, light condensing at his fingertip, pointing toward the space between Yun Che’s brows.

"Today, I give it to Brother Che, to repay today’s gift and to soothe the regrets of the past."

The soul light gathered, turning into an inch-wide vortex of profound light at Mo Su’s fingertip, then stagnated in mid-air.

Mo Su’s figure also began to slowly fade at this moment. In the final instant, he was frozen in a gentle, faint smile.

He left in a great hurry, as if he could not wait to pursue eternity... not eternal life, but eternal hope.

"Whew!!"

Yun Che let out a long breath, then narrowed his eyes and smiled. "Very good, it’s basically consistent with what I anticipated... except he left even more hurriedly than I expected."

He asked Li Suo, the only master of the Mirror of Fortune in history, "Are you sure... that inside it lies the hope that can hook and lock all of his thoughts?"

"Faint but inextinguishable. The obsession he has guarded for three million years should be enough to make him try again and again at any cost, by any means. Yet, he can never succeed," Li Suo replied. "Aren't you going to look at what he left behind first?"

"Something even Ni Xuan could not obtain back then..."

The curiosity in Yun Che’s heart had long been surging uncontrollably. As Li Suo’s voice fell, he had already reached out, touching the vortex of profound light Mo Su left behind with caution and anticipation.

The moment his fingertip touched it, it suddenly shot out, turning into a streak of light that crashed into the space between Yun Che’s brows, vanishing instantly.

Passages of strange text slowly appeared in Yun Che’s soul sea.

They were clearly words reflected in his soul sea, yet every stroke felt like a sword scar existing since the most distant antiquity, since the beginning of time, carrying the supreme will to slash through chaos and split heaven and earth.

When the first four characters clearly manifested, Yun Che’s soul sea felt as if four long-dormant ancient sword souls had suddenly awakened, stirring a vast and majestic invisible sword intent that swept through every corner and every soul string.

Outside his soul sea, Yun Che’s body trembled uncontrollably for an instant, and his pupils shrank violently:

Heaven— Punishing— Sword— Art!