Love and Hate

"BOOOMM!!!"

"Rumble!!!!!"

"BOOOM!!! BOOMMM!!! BOOOOMMMMM!!!!!!!"

Golden profound energies erupted across the already devastated landscape, further ravaging the terrain.

"BOOM!!!" In a thunderous explosion, a figure was violently hurled away, bloodied and bested in the clash.

"ARGHHHHHH!!!!" A scream of agony pierced the air as the figure ascended, only to be intercepted by a golden silhouette that zoomed in, hovering ominously above. Qianye Fantian, his eyes wide with terror and desperation, summoned his dwindling powers in a futile attempt to ward off the merciless sword strike aimed at his critically wounded form.

"BOOOOOOOOOMMMMM!!! SHJICK!!!!!!" The sword ruthlessly impaled him once again, its explosive energy forcefully driving him into the unforgiving earth below.

"RUMBLE!!!!" The impact reverberated so intensely that the ground quaked as if in the throes of an earthquake.

Struggling, Qianye Fantian painstakingly extricated himself from the crater created by his battered body.

"God... God... Emperor...." The Brahma Kings looked on at their fallen emperor, their expressions etched with worry and a sense of helplessness. They longed to intervene, to put an end to this brutality, yet a primal instinct warned them — stepping forward now would spell their certain demise.

"Miss..." Gu Zhu's aged eyes were filled with deep concern, not for the emperor being relentlessly attacked, but for the assailant. The one unleashing such fury upon Qianye Fantian was none other than his own daughter, the source of his greatest pride — the Brahma Goddess, Qianye Ying'er.

Caught in a heart-wrenching dilemma, the Brahma Kings witnessed a conflict between their current emperor and the one who could be their future ruler.

"...Ying... Ying'er... why...?" Qianye Fantian, gathering every ounce of his remaining strength to rise from the crater, gazed skyward, his voice trembling as his daughter descended towards him.

"CRACKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK!!!!!!" The sound of bones shattering was so piercing, it resonated painfully in the ears of all who heard it.

"ARGHHHHHHHH!" Qianye Ying'er, upon landing, immediately crushed her father's hand underfoot.

"WHY...WHY... WHY... HAHAHAH. WHY... HAHAHAHAHAHAH!" Her laughter was manic, tinged with hysteria, as she stood over her father, having just inflicted such grievous harm.

"I TOO HAVE ASKED THAT QUESTION!!! WHY?!!!!!!!!!!!!!" she screamed, her voice echoing with anguish and fury.

"BANG!!" With a brutal force, she delivered a vicious kick to Qianye Fantian's chest. Blood sprayed through the air, splattering her mask. The once elegant mask was now stained with the blood of her own father.

"Ugh..." The only response Qianye Fantian could muster was a pained groan. In his prime, Qianye Ying'er couldn't have inflicted such damage, even if he had allowed it. However, the exhaustive battle with Yan One had left him severely weakened and gravely injured. The unexpected and relentless assault from his own daughter left him defenseless, unable to muster any further resistance.

He had desperately called for his Brahma Kings to intervene, but their attempts ceased the moment they sensed Qianye Ying'er's killing intent, leaving them no choice but to stand back and witness their emperor's brutal beating.

Qianye Fantian could discern that, despite the ferocity of her attacks, Qianye Ying'er was deliberately avoiding his vital spots. It seemed her intent was not to kill him but to inflict pain. But why? Why was she doing this to him?

"Ying... Ying'er... why are you doing this... please stop..." he implored again, his eyes seeking answers from his daughter, the one destined to be the next God Emperor of the Brahma God Realm.

Qianye Ying'er's body trembled visibly, a single tear streaking down her bloodied mask momentarily before being wiped away by her power.

"Miss, please tell this old servant what troubles you," Gu Zhu implored, stepping in beside her, unable to bear the sight any longer.

Qianye Fantian finally found a moment to breathe as Gu Zhu intervened. His gaze shifted to the group of devils observing from a distance. Their inaction puzzled him. Initially, he suspected his daughter was being controlled by them, but it became increasingly clear that wasn't the case at all.

Old man Gu Zhu's eyes brimmed with worry. In all his years of service, he had never seen Qianye Ying'er shed a tear, not even in the face of mortal peril. Yet here she was, having just unleashed her fury on her own father, her heart seemingly in pieces.

"You asked me why..." Qianye Ying'er's voice, trembling with barely contained emotion, broke the tense silence.

"THEN WHY!!!! WHY DID YOU KILL HER?!!!!!!!" Her roar, laden with anguish and pain, reverberated through the air, touching everyone present.

A stunned silence enveloped everyone, from the Brahma Kings to the group of devils. All were taken aback by her accusation.

Gu Zhu, standing beside her, seemed to grasp the significance of her words immediately. His lips quivered slightly, a mix of realization and sorrow in his eyes.

"Her father killed someone dear to her?" The question echoed in the minds of those witnessing the scene. Could it be a close friend? But then, Qianye Ying'er was known for her cold and aloof demeanor. Did she even have friends, let alone a close one? The revelation raised more questions than it answered, leaving everyone grappling for understanding.

"..."

"...."

"...."

The air was thick with tension following Qianye Ying'er's devastating question.

"....How did you come to know of that?" Qianye Fantian's voice was a hushed murmur, laden with a mix of confusion and dawning realization. As the implications of her attack began to make sense, he wondered how she had uncovered such a deeply buried secret.

"So... it's true... it really was you..." Qianye Ying'er's words were strained, each one seeming to inflict further pain upon her. The truth of her father's actions sliced through her heart like a myriad of venomous blades.

"Drip...drip...drip..."

The soft sound of her tears hitting the ground resonated hauntingly, gripping the hearts of all who heard.

Her response confirmed something critical to Qianye Fantian; she had only harbored suspicions before, but his reaction had turned those doubts into a bitter reality.

When she had perused the memories left to her by Yun Che, the most agonizing revelation was that her own father was responsible for her mother's death.

Of course, given that these memories had come from a devil of the Northern Divine Region, skepticism was a natural reaction. The possibility of deception lingered. But the sheer volume and depth of information transferred into her mind were overwhelming, compelling her to believe, at least in part, the painful truth.

Pretending to align herself with Yun Che, who was ostensibly still engaged in combat with the Dragon Monarch, seemed like the best strategy for Qianye Ying'er. Outnumbered by the devils, feigning allegiance could potentially safeguard her and her people.

When her father unexpectedly joined her, her initial reaction was to dismiss it as a devil's ploy. Yet, a nagging doubt crept in, causing her heart to tremble uncontrollably. "What if it's true?" she pondered, her fury escalating with each passing moment until she lost control and lashed out at her own father.

Since her childhood, Qianye Ying'er had been resolute in achieving her desires, at any cost. Even as she unleashed her fury on Qianye Fantian, she deliberately avoided fatal blows. "The devils must be lying; it can't be true," she tried to convince herself. But with each strike that landed on her father, her heart ached so deeply that she inadvertently shed a tear.

She had to maintain the façade of a breakdown to muster the courage to confront her father with that burning question. It had drained her of all her strength. Now, hearing the confirmation from Qianye Fantian's own lips, her heart was wracked with anguish, and her soul felt as though it had been torn asunder.

Tears of pain and sorrow, beyond her control, cascaded down her cheeks, hidden behind her mask. Her eyes, obscured from view, bore the weight of unspeakable pain.

"Why did you kill her?" she asked again, her voice chillingly devoid of emotion, as she confronted her father with the haunting question.

"....."

"...."

"Your talent was the reason..." Qianye Fantian, realizing he had inadvertently walked into his daughter's trap, sighed deeply before finally providing an answer.

"Despite your exceptional abilities, you were too emotionally attached to her," he continued, offering further explanation.

Qianye Ying'er's response was a hollow, heartbroken laugh. The words from her father echoed precisely what she had witnessed in the memories left by Yun Che.

"So, it's all true... after all... hahaha," she murmured between bouts of laughter, each chuckle laced with unbearable pain as tears continued to stream down her face.

Qianye Fantian could only gaze at his daughter, bewildered by her reaction. He had been prepared to justify further his reasons for killing her mother, but now, it seemed she had already succumbed to madness. Despite being the orchestrator of this tragedy, a twinge of sorrow pierced his heart.

"Qianye Fantian..." Qianye Ying'er's voice, chillingly devoid of any warmth, broke the silence as a palpable wave of killing intent emanated from her, filling the air with foreboding.

"SHITTTT!!"

The Brahma Kings, sensing the genuine intent to kill in Qianye Ying'er's aura, roared and lunged forward, desperate to protect their God Emperor. This time, they knew the threat was real; she was poised to end his life.

"You can die now..." Qianye Ying'er's voice was cold, devoid of emotion.

"BOOOMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" As she unleashed her power, the force of it was so immense that even Gu Zhu, standing beside her, was sent hurtling away.

Pinned to the ground by the overwhelming pressure, Qianye Fantian watched helplessly as his daughter approached, each step bringing him closer to his impending demise. The Divine Oracle sword in her hand, charged with a fearsome energy, arced downwards towards his neck. Resigned to his fate, he closed his eyes, awaiting the final blow.

But that blow never landed.

"We greet Emperor Yun!" A chorus of voices suddenly rang out. The devils, recognizing the arrival of their leader, hastened towards him, dropping to their knees in a respectful distance.

"You...!!!!" Both Qianyes exclaimed in unison, taken aback.

"Yun... Che?!!!" Qianye Fantian's eyes snapped open in disbelief. The Divine Oracle, once a hair's breadth from claiming his life, halted its descent as Yun Che's hand grasped Qianye Ying'er's wrist, stopping the fatal strike.

"...."

"..."

The man who intervened, saving Qianye Fantian from certain death, was none other than Yun Che — the architect of the day's tumultuous events.

"Hey, long time no see," Yun Che greeted her with a casual smile.

Qianye Ying'er's gaze fixed on Yun Che, her emotions a complex tangle due to the memories she had absorbed from the crystal. She began to piece together the reasons behind Yun Che's sudden surge in power. The unnatural phenomena that shrouded the world days ago were likely the result of his transcending Lightning Tribulations. Moreover, he must have harnessed the power of Nothingness, absorbing some extraordinary source of energy to elevate his cultivation so drastically in such a short span.

"Aren't you going to respond?" Yun Che's eyes mirrored the complexity of emotions reflected in hers. In this lifetime, they were essentially strangers, their paths having just crossed. Yet, he found himself struggling to find a quicker way to earn her trust than by sharing those revealing memories.

"Why... why didn't you let me kill him?!!!" She demanded an answer, her voice tinged with frustration.

"Because, in the end... he's your father," Yun Che responded. At his words, a particular memory from the crystal surfaced in Qianye Ying'er's mind, causing her heart to wrench with pain. Despite everything, the man she was about to kill was indeed her biological father, who, despite his late realization, had truly taken on the role of a father in his final moments.

"???"

Qianye Fantian, utterly depleted of his strength, could only gaze at the unfolding scene before him with bewilderment.

High above, Cang Shitian observed the interactions with keen interest. He was uncertain of the underlying dynamics, but he knew well that the Brahma Goddess held all men in disdain. Anyone daring to approach her within five feet usually met a swift and brutal end. The sight of Yun Che not just approaching but actually touching her piqued his curiosity. "This is going to be quite the spectacle," he mused to himself.

At last, Qianye Ying'er spoke with an icy tone, "Let go..."

"No, I won't," Yun Che firmly replied, maintaining his grip on her hand.

"Then die!!!" In a burst of fury, Qianye Ying'er's other hand radiated with the golden power of the Brahma God. With a booming sound, her palm struck Yun Che's chest.

The devils, initially alarmed, relaxed as they received a mental message from Yun Che, reassuring them.

However, despite Qianye Ying'er's status as a Divine Master Rank 10, her attack only managed to slightly redden Yun Che's skin, failing to inflict any significant harm.

"Let go!" Qianye Ying'er's voice echoed with a mix of fury and desperation.

"I won't," Yun Che remained steadfast.

"BOOM!!!! BOOMM!!! BOMMM!!!! BOOOM!!!!!!!!!!!!" She unleashed a barrage of attacks, each one striking Yun Che's chest with unyielding force. His clothes were shredded, leaving his torso exposed.

"I... said... let... go..." Her energy waning after the relentless assault, Qianye Ying'er's plea was now a weak whisper, her hand ceasing its radiant glow of Brahma God power.

"No," Yun Che's response was unwavering.

"I will never let go, not now, not in the future," he declared firmly. With a gentle pull, he drew her closer, causing her to tremble.

"You understand? I will always hold on," he reassured her as he carefully removed her bloodied mask, revealing her face, a visage so stunning it could put the Moon and Stars to shame. Yet, to the world, her beauty remained hidden, for only Yun Che could behold her at this intimate moment.

"I will never let go," he affirmed, smiling softly as he gazed into her eyes. With a flicker of his profound power, he crafted a new mask adorned with a phoenix pattern and gently placed it over her face, shielding her once more from the world's eyes.

"..."

"....What is your true limit right now?" Qianye Ying'er inquired suddenly, her tone serious.

"Enough to crush Long Bai," Yun Che replied. He would have eliminated Long Bai if not for the complications such an action would bring in its wake.

"If you need a term, call it Half Step Divine Extinction," Yun Che elaborated.

"!!!!!" 

"???????????" The others around them appeared utterly bewildered, not comprehending the full implication of Yun Che's words.

"....I see," Qianye Ying'er responded, her form radiating the brilliant light of Brahma God power. With a powerful sweep of her palm, "BOOOMMM!!!" she unleashed her full strength upon Yun Che. This time, Yun Che released her hand, allowing the force of the attack to push him back several steps.

As he looked up again, Qianye Ying'er's form was already ascending high into the sky, gradually disappearing into the horizon.

"Remember my words, Qianying! I will never let go!" Yun Che's voice echoed powerfully, reaching out to her as she vanished from sight. At his words, Qianye Ying'er's body gave a faint tremble before she completely faded away.