Chapter 1671: The Sixth Stage

On the Soul Sky Warship, Chi Wuyao and Qianye Ying'er were standing at a patch of shadow beneath a profound formation and staring at each other.

Burning Moon Royal City's core profound formation was being reforged at an extraordinary speed, but the core that fueled it had been changed from the power of the Burning Moon to the power and soul of the Witches.

Just in case the Yama Realm decided to make a move while Burning Moon Royal City's defenses were gone, Chi Wuyao also used the Untamed Divine Marrow she got from the Eternal Heaven God Emperor to restore the core profound formation as quickly as possible.

Hoarded unused treasures were ultimately just trash.

"Is there anything you wish to say to this queen?" Chi Wuyao looked at Qianye Ying'er with a half-smile on her face. She was starting to notice a slight change in her, although she couldn't tell exactly what just yet.

"Why didn't you stop him?" Qianye Ying'er asked stiffly and forcefully.

"Stop him?" Chi Wuyao curled her lips. "Do you really think this queen could've stopped him?"

"Of course you could. Why wouldn't you be able to stop him?" Qianye Ying'er stared at Chi Wuyao intently, looking like she wanted nothing more than to pierce through the impenetrable black fog covering her face and peer into her soul.

Qianye Ying'er might have missed Yun Che leaving the darkness profound ark and returning to the Burning Moon Realm because she was distraught at the time, but there was no way his departure could escape Chi Wuyao notice.

Not only did she not try to stop him, she even pretended that she didn't notice his departure.

And not too long after that, the Soul Sky Warship showed up and rendezvoused with the darkness profound ark... clearly, Chi Wuyao had sent a message to the Soul Stealing Realm and summoned the warship long before Yun Che had decided to return to the Burning Moon Realm.

Chi Wuyao replied without looking away from Qianye Ying'er's eyes, "This queen told you before, didn't she...? She knows him well, that's all."

"Heh." Qianye Ying'er let out a low chuckle. "No one has the right to say that in front of me."

"I do." But Chi Wuyao replied immediately and without any hesitation whatsoever.

"..." Qianye Ying'er frowned deeply at her reply. The weight behind her gaze grew heavier and heavier.

"In fact, I didn't want to stop him. You might even say that I was hoping that he would act like that."

"You were... hoping that he would act like that?" Qianye Ying'er frowned deeply. "Did he tell you about his trump card before!?"

Yun Che once told her that he had a trump card that could kill anyone, and that he was going to give it to the Dragon Monarch during the "final hour". However, he hadn't explained exactly how this trump card worked at the time, much less the fact that he could command the Star God origin power, a power that should belong to the Star God Realm only.

"Of course he didn't. Why would you ever tell anyone about your trump card?" Chi Wuyao said indifferently. "What I mean, is that I wanted him to feel sad, angry and impulsive for you and that child that wasn't able to be born in this world..."

Qianye Ying'er: "...?"

"I wanted him to act that way because it proves that his heart hasn't 'died' completely. And who knows... maybe it won't ever 'die' again now that it's been resurrected."

Qianye Ying'er shivered a little and started seeing Chi Wuyao in a new light.

Seemingly not noticing the change in Qianye Ying'er's eyes, Chi Wuyao continued. "The reason this queen summoned the Soul Sky Warship even before he returned to the Burning Moon Realm is so that he'd have my protection no matter how bad the situation became."

"This queen wasn't expecting such a pleasant surprise, however."

"It's been almost a million years since there was anything that could affect the status quo of the Burning Moon Realm, and now it's ripe for the taking all thanks to him!" A seductive smile spread across Chi Wuyao's lips. "This achievement alone makes him better than anyone else in the entire history of the God Realm! Who in the world could even begin to compare themselves to him?"

She looked at Qianye Ying'er and smiled even wider. "His fury brought back the might of the True Gods and toppled an entire king realm, and the person who caused all this was you, Yun Qianying. In my opinion as a woman, this is an achievement far more enviable than being known by the entire world as the Brahma Monarch Goddess."

"For me? Hmph!" Qianye Ying'er snorted, but averted her gaze unconsciously after hearing Chi Wuyao's praise. "He had always harbored deep regret toward his own daughter, and it just so happened that this incident had brought that regret to the surface. It has... nothing to do with me!"

"Oh? Is that so?" Chi Wuyao narrowed her eyes before smiling. "The reason this queen visited the Burning Moon Realm first was to eliminate any possibility of interference from them when we deal with the Yama Realm, but she never thought that a boon would land right in her lap. To be honest, this queen still feels like she's dreaming."

"If he lost his will to die after this, then it would be even better."

"..." Qianye Ying'er's golden pupils turned blurry and unfocused.

We'll have one again in the future...

The future...

Chi Wuyao looked away when she saw the corner of Qianye Ying'er's lips turning up unconsciously. She then asked quietly, "There are still many things waiting for this queen to take care of in the Burning Moon Realm. Are you finished yet?"

"No, I am not." Qianye Ying'er's gaze suddenly turned sharp and icy again. "In fact, you absolutely mustn't miss a single word of what I say starting now!"

"Oh?" Her curiosity seemingly piqued, Chi Wuyao turned partially back toward Qianye Ying'er.

Qianye Ying'er slowly walked up to Chi Wuyao until they were just half a foot away from each other. "Back in the Imperial Heaven Realm, when you and I met each other for the first time, I told you that we share the same enemies despite having different goals."

"Your goal is to break through the prison the three divine regions have imposed on the Northern Divine Region and become a powerhouse that stands equal, if not above all of them. Our goal was to exact revenge on all those who have wronged us and wet the soil we hate with their blood! That was how we came to a common understanding: you'll help us take revenge against our enemies, we'll help you become the queen of everything, and we'll both kill our common enemies to achieve said ends."

"Was, huh. And what about now?" Chi Wuyao asked. Qianye Ying'er couldn't decipher the emotion behind the Devil Queen's gaze, but she couldn't sense any curiosity from her. It seemed like she already knew what she was about to say.

"Now..." Qianye Ying'er smiled indifferently. "After exacting our revenge and flattening the three divine regions, I want..."

"To make him the king!"

Her tone and the ruthlessness that embodied her former self made it clear that she wouldn't accept no as an answer.

"Oh?" Chi Wuyao blinked, but didn't look surprised or even angry at Qianye Ying'er's declaration. A small smile seemed to cross her lips as she said, "You are aware that this is a conflict of interest, right? A huge one at that. Aren't you worried that this will cause a crack in our cooperation?

"Hmph. Someone of your intellect would've noticed it eventually, so the crack would only be bigger if I tried to hide it. I may as well put all the cards on the table right now." Qianye Ying'er narrowed her eyes. "Besides... do you seriously think that there's anyone else who's better suited than him to become king after today?"

"Aiyah, it's one of those bad questions that only has one answer." Chi Wuyao smiled unflinchingly despite facing Qianye Ying'er's sharp gaze. Suddenly, she took a step forward until their lips were millimeters away from touching one another's. A seductive voice entered Qianye Ying'er's ears.

"This queen only has one question. If he's the king... then who is the queen?"

"..." Qianye Ying'er stepped backward with a frown before replying coldly, "You."

"Very good." Chi Wuyao smiled after she got the answer she wanted to hear. She turned around and started walking away.

"Wait!"

But Qianye Ying'er stopped her again before asking in a low tone.

"Chi Wuyao, who... are you!"

Chi Wuyao pressed her lips together lightly, but didn't turn around to face Qianye Ying'er. She said, "I'm sure you'll understand why I'm not going to hurt him the more you explore the reason behind your own change of behavior and feelings. It's also the real reason why you confessed to me about our conflict of interest, and why you're willing to let me be the 'queen', am I right?"

"Isn't that enough for you?"

Qianye Ying'er looked startled, but her eyebrows sank even lower. "Who... are... you!?"

"If you must have an answer..." Chi Wuyao smiled. "Then know that I'm someone who knows him... and maybe loves him even more than you."

Qianye Ying'er: "!!!"

"However... you are a lot luckier than I am."

Her final line was quiet, wistful... and sad for some reason.

Chi Wuyao left. Qianye Ying'er stood where she was for a very, very long time.

At this time, no one knew yet that the fate of the god realm had been sealed by the conversation between these two women.

The death of the Burning Moon God Emperor, the appearance of the Soul Sky Warship in Burning Moon Royal City, the Burning Moon Realm's devil origin artifact falling into the Soul Stealing Realm's hands, the surrender of every Moon Eater in the Soul Stealing Realm... the news rolled across the Northern Divine Region like a hurricane and shook the world like never before.

The rumors that Yun Che bore the power of the Heaven Smiting Devil Emperor, that he had killed the Burning Moon God Emperor in one strike, and that he was about to be made the emperor of the Soul Stealing Realm also spread like wildfire.

There had never been such an epic storm in the history of the Northern Divine Region.

It was a million times more stunning than the death of the Clear Sky God Emperor tens of thousands of years ago.

Obviously, the news had reached Yama Realm as well... however, they hadn't displayed any reaction thus far.

Soul Stealing Realm, Soul Stealing Sacred Region.

It had been three days since they returned from the Burning Moon Realm. Although Yun Che had completely recovered from his injuries, he was still in a slumber for some reason.

Even Qianye Ying'er was starting to feel anxious.

Three days ago, Yun Che had summoned a power that didn't belong in the current world; a power that defied the order of nature itself. Could the downside of summoning this power be far worse than she had imagined?

Qianye Ying'er put a finger to Yun Che's neck for the sixtieth time that day. She was checking to see if there were any internal injuries or anomalies in his aura.

She was just about to summon her profound energy when golden light suddenly burst out Yun Che's body.

Qianye Ying'er frowned. The next moment, she stared at Yun Che's scalp.

A rotating golden pagoda had manifested into view above his head. A while later, a faint sheen of golden light slowly enveloped Yun Che's entire body.

"A golden pagoda..." Qianye Ying'er whispered to herself before she recalled something. A sharp gleam appeared in her golden pupils as a result.

She had seen the same golden light on another person.

Heavenly Wolf Xisu!

According to the memories left behind by the Rage God, the sixth stage was the furthest a human who cultivated the Great Way of the Buddha could reach. It was said that it was the closest a human would ever get to becoming a god!

The reason Heavenly Wolf Xisu was incredibly powerful was because he cultivated the Great Way of the Buddha. His body was so tough that he could withstand even a defensive profound formation that Qianye Ying'er could not.

Xisu was a level nine Divine Master. He was barely able to accomplish the sixth stage of the Great Way of the Buddha.

Yun Che was just a level seven Divine Sovereign... but his Great Way of the Buddha was already at the same stage as the Xisu!

As for everything else beyond the sixth stage... it was said that they were unattainable by any mortal. Only a god could enter that forbidden domain.