Against the Gods

Yun Che did not dispel his abyssal dust despite leaving Pan Buwang’s area. Instead, he continued toward the deeper areas of the Endless Fog.

“Where are you going?” Li Suo asked suddenly and with undisguised suspicion.

Yun Che’s footsteps never slowed even a little as he stared at the deepening abyssal dust ahead of him. “It’s time I check out the deeper regions.”

Li Suo fell silent for a moment before asking uncertainly, “Are you planning to...”

“That’s right. It’s exactly what you think.” Yun Che lifted his hand and smiled like he was talking about a trivial matter. “It’s time to try controlling a Divine Limit Realm abyssal beast.”

For the past few years, Yun Che’s maximum ability to control abyssal beasts had gone from the early stage of Divine Extinction Realm to the late stage Divine Extinction Realm. It hadn’t even taken him four years to reach this level. His speed of growth was terrifying to say the least.

That was all. The Abyssal Qilin God was an exception born from a happy accident. He hadn’t been able to control a single Divine Limit Realm abyssal beast besides it.

“You’ve been suppressing your cultivation level this whole time. At your current level, encountering any Divine Limit Realm abyssal beast is a risk that will put you in grave danger,” Li Suo tried to persuade him, even though her persuasion had not worked even once on Yun Che.

“I wouldn’t go so far,” Yun Che said casually. “Although I’m not too confident that I could master a Divine Limit Realm abyssal beast myself, I am confident that I can make sure that their destructive instincts will not work against me. I am the monarch of the Endless Fog after all.”

Li Suo was still worried, “That’s a title you gave yourself. The abyssal beasts of the Endless Fog have never acknowledged it. You cannot let your guard down no matter what.”

“... So, what if they don’t acknowledge me?” Yun Che’s eyes grew darker as if Li Suo’s words had provoked him. “How dare you question this monarch’s infinite power, you trivial Creation Goddess of Life! Just you wait, you will see a Divine Limit Realm abyssal beast lick my palm like a pet dog by the end of this little excursion!”

Li Suo: “...”

Twelve hours later... Yun Che emerged from the abyssal fog while covered in dirt. He sat on the ground and panted for a very long time before he barely got a grip on his breathing.

If Yun Che could control a Divine Limit Realm abyssal beast, he would surely be in a much better position than he currently was.

Unfortunately, Yun Che’s body was just far too frail before the likes of Divine Limit Realm beasts. Even a tiny loss of control could result in absolute disaster.

Li Suo appeared and showered Yun Che in the purest, holiest divine power. As if he was taking a bath in a sacred spring, his injuries began healing at a visible rate. Even his severed hair had regrown back to its usual length.

“If you wish to try another time, you should bring the Ancestral Qilin God with you,” Li Suo advised.

In the ears of the Fog Monarch, this was practically a barefaced taunt against his arrogant claims of “infinite power” just now. A chill settling in his eyes, he said quietly, “The attempt only failed because of a slight error in judgment. In a month at most, before I enter the Pure Land at least, I will control at least...”

He paused for a few breaths before continuing with the same confidence and volume, “One Divine Limit Realm abyssal beast!”

Li Suo thought for a second before choosing to console him. “Sure. You will succeed.”

Wisely keeping his mouth shut, Yun Che sat up and manifested the Heaven Smiting Devil Slayer Sword in front of him in a flash of vermillion.

Then, he lowered his hand and manifested... another “Heaven Smiting Devil Slayer Sword”. He pressed it against the original so that their sword light and aura would merge.

The tip of the sword, the blade, the handle, and even the round bead on the handle, the second sword looked exactly identical to the first. Both swords were emitting near identical vermillion sword light and faintly discernible holy aura.

Judging from their appearance and sword aura alone, it was extremely difficult to distinguish which was real and which wasn’t.

Of course, Yun Che could distinguish them in an instant. In particular, the difference between the sword’s power was like night and day.

After staring at the two “Heaven Smiting Devil Slayer Swords” for a long time, Yun Che suddenly furrowed his eyebrows and grabbed the sword to the right. Then, he brought it down on the other “Heaven Smiting Devil Slayer Sword”.

The explosion of power was followed by the heart-shivering noise of breaking. The vermillion blade was split at the center as the shockwave flung it into the air, cracks appearing across its surface. By the time it landed back on the ground, the sword had disintegrated into countless vermillion fragments.

The Heaven Smiting sword aura and sacred aura of light sealed within the blade were gone as well.

Li Suo looked very surprised by Yun Che’s sudden action. “You spent energy to search for the vermillion-colored abyssal crystals necessary to forge this sword. You contaminated and sealed the sword aura of the Heaven Smiting Sword for two years and injected light profound energy into it a couple hundred times before it finally evolved to what it is today. What possessed you to destroy it all?”

Yun Che explained, “The reason I spent all this time and effort to forge a sword that looks exactly the same as the Heaven Smiting Sword in terms of appearance and aura is so to avoid leaving behind holes in my story, but after a long consideration... I believe that its existence itself is a bigger hole.”

“After weighing the pros and cons, I ultimately decided that the other option is better.”

He put away the Heaven Smiting Devil Slayer Sword and cleaned up the vermillion debris on the ground. Then, he said in a hushed tone, “I’m going to ‘abandon’ it at a suitable time.”

Li Suo sighed quietly. He spent all day every day thinking like this. She truly worried that he would one day scrape the bottom of his mental energy and collapse...

......

Heaven Breaker Kingdom of God, the Seven Star Heaven Breaker Formation.

The star formation was shining brightly. Infinite sword beams were rotating within.

Each and every sword beam came from Hua Qingying herself, and every sword beam represented a cruel trial. If the challenger could not understand its intent and subsume its power, if the challenger was lacking in either area, then they would never be able to breach the formation.

Today, the sword light emitted by the massive sword formation was akin to tens of thousands of stars shining at the same time. It was so bright that the pale sky of the Heaven Breaker Kingdom of God looked like it was shimmering.

Finally, one last sword beam lit up and filled the last gap in the massive star formation.

The next moment, tens of thousands of swords rang in unison, and the entire sword formation flipped around and flew into the air. Floating at the center of the sword formation—like the center of the universe surrounded by countless stars and moon—was a young woman.

When the young woman lifted her eyes, the glimpse of beauty was such that it outshone the countless sword lights.

The divine light circulating in the jade sword in her hand was much brighter than before as well. When she pointed her sword forward, every sword beam in the star formation slanted upward and flew toward Hua Qingying in the sky.

Hua Qingying did not move. She waved her hand slightly, and the sword beams immediately came to a standstill like obedient children. Then, they all melted away like snow; like a passing dream that had never existed.

“Aunt!”

The young woman was already flying up to Hua Qingying and jumping into her lap like a jade butterfly. “I missed you so much.”

Hua Qingying gently wrapped an arm around her back and whispered, “To think you have grasped the Third Heaven Breaking Sword. The Abyssal Monarch will most certainly be impressed when he sees this.”

The young woman looked up, but it wasn’t because of joy for having received her aunt’s praise. Instead, she asked rather abruptly, “How is big brother Yun doing? Was he... stumped or bullied during his time at the Dreamweaver Kingdom of God?”

This was the second line she spoke since breaking out of the star formation. To say she couldn’t wait would be an understatement.

Ha Qingying was thinking that her sword heart would become firmer and stronger than before after three years of practice. She thought that she might grow distant toward emotions like her.

Clearly, she was wrong.

“He’s doing well. Much better than you imagined. He even found his birthplace, past and home.”

If the first half of Hua Qingying’s reply extinguished the large majority of the worry in Hua Caili’s heart, then the second half filled it with shock and confusion. “Big brother Yun’s... birthplace and past?”

“It was a mighty coincidence by your father... or perhaps it was just the attraction of fate.” Hua Qingying said, “After Yun Che arrived in the Dreamweaver Kingdom of God, he discovered that he was none other than the Dreamweaver Divine Son who went missing back then, Meng Jianyuan.”

“Huh? What?” Hua Caili was clearly stunned by this.

“I know it sounds unbelievable, but this was confirmed by the Dreamless Divine Regent himself. There can be no mistake,” Hua Qingying said calmly. “Not only that, he displayed perfect divine essence just like you during his divine essence test. The news shook the six Kingdoms of God for a time.”

“During the three years you were practicing inside the formation, he has become famous throughout the Abyss. There is no one who hasn’t heard about him. Therefore, not only is he immune to harassment inside the Dreamweaver Kingdom of God, he’s the one doing the harassing without consequences. Therefore, you don’t need to worry about him one bit.”

Hua Qingying’s reply was short and succinct, but it still took Hua Caili a while to regain her wits. She asked a bit dazedly, “So, big brother Yun... is currently... the Dreamweaver Divine Son?”

Hua Qingying sighed. “As you know, he does not possess any memory from before he was ten. To this day, he can’t recall any memories from when he was Meng Jianyuan. Not only that, he values his master’s favor above anything else. That’s why he declared before the Dreamless Divine Regent that he would never abandon the name ‘Yun Che’ until he recovered his memories. He was unwilling to become the Dreamweaver Divine Son either.”

This time though, Hua Qingying’s words failed to elicit even a hint of surprise from Hua Caili. She broke into a smile as she replied dreamily, “That’s how Big Brother Yun is. There’s nothing he values more than bonds, which makes him look like both the smartest and most foolish man in the world. Not even a title most people didn’t even dare to dream of could threaten his belief one bit.”

Hua Qingying continued, “Although he wasn’t the Dreamweaver Divine Son, he still possesses perfect divine essence and the undisguised favoritism from the Dreamless Divine Regent. He might as well be one, just not unofficially. Not only that, I heard that Meng Jianxi, who was originally extremely hostile and wary of Yun Che at the beginning, has done a one-eighty and become subservient to him instead. I’m not sure what he did, but Meng Jianxi has declared more than once to his own clan that he will serve Yun Che with all his might.”

At this point, the young woman’s eyes had melted into an endless and beautiful sea of stars. Blazing stars of joy, shiny stars of pride, teary stars of excitement... they filled up her heart and soul to the brim. But regardless of her emotions, every single star was reflecting the name Yun Che.

“Aunt... so... Big Brother Yun and I...”

“Yes.” Hua Qingying gave Hua Caili a light pat on her shoulder and felt the waves of infinite joy emanating from the young woman. She was happy for her, but at the same time, her heart ached for her a little. “There is no longer any problem between your statuses. If not for the fact that your engagement was bestowed by the Abyssal Monarch Himself, your union would not have garnered any criticism whatsoever. You are both perfect Godbearers after all.”

“The biggest obstacle still exists, but the situation is far better than what it was three years ago. Your Father’s acceptance of Yun Che is also much, much better than what it was before. Not only has he been paying close attention to Yun Che for the past three years, he even paid him a visit not long ago.”

Hua Caili’s slender eyebrows curled proudly. “Father has always been like this. He loves saying harsh things even though he’s really a softie inside.”

Nursing a light giggle between her lips, she descended toward the floor while saying, “I’m going to see Father. It’s been a while since I’ve seen him, and I really miss him.”

Hua Qingying did not follow her. Instead, she simply watched Hua Caili’s departing back until she almost forgot where she was.

She had always believed that a sword heart must remain pure at all times. She believed that someone who desires to reach the pinnacle of the sword way must first eliminate all desires and unnecessary emotions from their heart.

To be fair, the speed at which she progressed in the way of the sword was faster than even Hua Fuchen. Not only that she gradually surpassed all who came before her until she became the undisputed greatest swordsman in the entire Abyss, winning even the unbridled praise of the High Priests. As a result, she grew even more certain that her “Heartless” Sword was the right way.

In Hua Qingying’s eyes, Hua Caili was a true monster whose talents surpassed her in every way including her talent in the sword.

She could also sense that the pivotal point where her way of the sword underwent a complete transformation was after she met Yun Che.

Hua Caili’s sword heart was dustless at the beginning due to her guidance. She had isolated all unnecessary thoughts and desires from her heart. But now that Yun Che’s silhouette was engraved on that heart... When before she was barely able to make any progress, she had grasped three Heaven Breaking swords in just the span of three years.

Was my Heartless Sword that discards all desires and emotions...

Wrong...?

“Hahahaha! Congratulations for breaching the eighth star formation, Caili! Your achievements truly make us old people look—hmm? Where’s Caili?”

It was at this moment the Sword Sovereigns showed up, all seven of them. Hua Caili was nowhere to be seen, however.

They knew better than anyone what the eighth star formation created by Hua Qingying herself meant.

Hua Qingying replied, “Return to your sword pavilions and stand by for orders. The Divine Regent should be announcing the details regarding the Pure Land Meet very soon.”

“Qingying,” the Tianshu Sword Sovereign asked in a meaningful tone while stroking his white beard, “are you attending this year’s Pure Land Meet?”

A few breaths passed, and Hua Qingying declared in an indifferent voice, “Yes.”

......

Star and Moon Kingdom of God.

“It’s really you, Brother Buwang!?”

Sha Xing strode up to Pan Buwang and looked him up and down. His eyes were a blend of complex emotions.

Pan Buwang’s life was a tragedy. Not only did he lose his title, it was followed by his Mother’s passing, his Father’s loathing, and even the removal and death of his beloved.

From Owl Butterfly Divine Son to Owl Butterfly the discarded one. The trajectory of his fate perfectly described what a fall from grace was.

Right now, Pan Buwang looked nothing like the young, hopeful, and confident man he used to be. His entire being exuded darkness and loneliness.

Forget looking like a Divine Son, his outfit was in tatters and covered in blood. He looked like he had just stepped out of a swamp of darkness and blood stench.

His eyes were no longer black stars that looked down on all things from the heavens either. Instead, they were grayish, murky blurs with only spots of light here and there.

Sha Xing sighed internally. A prince should be far above most people even without the title of Divine Son, but to think that Buwang... would fall to this extent...

As if to add insult to injury, the Owl Butterfly Kingdom of God openly declared their abandonment of Pan Buwang after learning of his escapade to the Sinking Dream Valley and later the Endless Fog. Dead or alive, they declared that they had given up on all attempts to find him.

Ultimately, the main reason Pan Buwang was met with tragedy after tragedy was the fact that he refused to bow his head to the new Divine Son, nor could he let go of his Mother’s death. His temperament was either foolish or praiseworthy depending on how you looked at it, but if someone were to judge based on the outcome alone, then it could only be foolish.

Pan Buwang smiled. “I am beyond grateful that you are still willing to see me even though I am now a discarded pawn and far from having the right to speak with you as equals, Star Divine Son.”

“What are you saying, Brother Buwang?” Sha Xing shook his head. “I have experienced pain, misery, and helplessness before. It is not your wish, much less your fault. No one should look down on you because of this, much less yourself.”

Pan Buwang was moved by this and said gratefully, “It is my great honor to be able to make your acquaintance, Star Divine Son.”

Sha Xing had clearly undergone some changes since his experience with abyssal corruption. He said frankly, “Brother Buwang, I’m sure you came today for important business. Please do not hesitate to speak frankly.”

“Very well then. I shan’t beat around the bush.” Pan Buwang began, “I would like to accompany the Star and Moon Kingdom of God to the Pure Land Meet.”

Sha Xing looked surprised. It quickly turned into a frown and a shake of the head. “I’m sorry, but I can’t help you with this, Brother Buwang. You should know better than anyone that this year’s Pure Land Meet is like no other. As a result, the number of attendants per Kingdom of God is limited to one hundred people only.”

“The Star Halls and Moon Cities have organized multiple large-scale competitions to select these one hundred people. If I bring you with us, it would be unfair to the competing disciples, and the Owl Butterfly Kingdom of God would have opinions as well. If this causes a rift between our two kingdoms... even a small crack is still a sin, you understand?”

Sha Xing’s argument was perfectly logical and reasonable. Pan Buwang nodded slowly without disappointment as if he never expected anything different to begin with. “You are right, Star Divine Son. I was shortsighted to ask something so excessive.”

“I’m really sorry that I can’t help you, brother Buwang,” Sha Xing apologized again. “If you must enter the Pure Land, you would have to find another way. Or perhaps...”

He shot Pan Buwang a glance before continuing, “Forgive me for being blunt, but it doesn’t look like you were very determined to attend to begin with.”

Pan Buwang smiled in a self-derisive fashion. “Your eyes are as sharp as your mind, Star Divine Son. I’ll be frank with you. As you say, it is not my wish to attend the Pure Land Meet. I am simply obeying the Fog Monarch’s will.”

Sha Xing visibly stiffened when he heard this. A full second passed before he finally asked in a completely different tone from before, “Did you say... the Fog Monarch?”

“That’s right.” Pan Buwang answered honestly, “Three years ago, I was in complete despair and was planning to abandon myself in Sinking Moon Valley forever. Perhaps the Dreamweaver Kingdom of God was worried about my status, but they did not put me into Sinking Dream after I fell asleep. When I awoke from my slumber, I found myself in the Endless Fog.”

He said with feelings, “To tell you the truth, Star Divine Son, the reason I was able to pull myself away from utter despair and be ‘reborn’ is all thanks to the Fog Monarch. For the past three years, I’ve been secluding myself in the Endless Fog all to repay the Fog Monarch’s favor.”

“To break off from one’s heart abyss, one must face the heart abyss head on. The reason I desire to travel to the Pure Land is because of him.”

He took a step back after saying this, “Anyway, Buwang shall not occupy your time any longer. May we meet again, Star Divine Son.”

He was turning around when suddenly, Sha Xing’s cold voice came from behind him.

“Wait!”

Pan Buwang paused his tracks—not that he truly intended to leave in the first place.

Sha Xing’s face darkened. “There is no way you wouldn’t know that the Fog Monarch and the Pure Land stand opposed against each other, and yet you are speaking of the Fog Monarch openly in front of me. You must know that I have received the Fog Monarch’s boon.”

Pan Buwang wore a strange expression. He neither denied nor confirmed Sha Xing’s accusation, and that in itself was a confirmation.

“Are you threatening me?” Sha Xing’s voice grew even colder.

“No,” Pan Buwang smiled, “revealing the fact that you have received the Fog Monarch’s boon may cause you some problems, but it does me no good whatsoever. I am simply helping you to repay the Fog Monarch’s favor.”

“I’m sure that someone as prideful as you would feel that a favor you need to repay is like a bone that is stuck in your throat, not to mention that the favor you owed and the person you owed the favor to is... well.”

Sha Xing remained cold and silent. He did not say anything for a very long time.

Pan Buwang’s expression remained unchanged as he continued, “Of course, the decision is completely in your hands, Star Divine Son. I may not be the Owl Butterfly Divine Son anymore, but I have not yet fallen so low that I would harm an old friend. You have nothing to worry about.”

Sha Xing stared fixedly at Pan Buwang for a while before saying, “You’ve changed.”

Pan Buwang returned the stare calmly. “Everyone changes. If someone doesn’t change, that’s simply because they don’t need to.”

Sha Xing’s lips trembled for a moment. Then, it spread into a smile. “I’m suddenly curious. What on earth are you, a man who was discarded and abandoned in every way possible, planning to do in the Pure Land? Are you going to cry about the injustices you suffered before the Abyssal Monarch? Are you attempting to prove that your Father chose wrongly at the Pure Land? Or are you simply planning to become an eyesore to your Father?”

Pan Buwang: “So...”

“So yes, I agree. I will take you to the Pure Land with me,” Sha Xing replied slowly. He was one of the Star and Moon Divine Sons, so of course he had the authority to make such a decision. “You are absolutely right about one thing. There is nothing more I loathe than favors owed!”

“However...”

“No need to remind me.” Pan Buwang pre-empted Sha Xing’s words. “We have never met the Fog Monarch before, much less have anything to do with him.”

He looked up where the Pure Land was located.

The blood of darkness inside his body was boiling restlessly, but its activity did not leak outward even a little.

......

Deep inside the Endless Fog, Yun Che slowly rose to his feet. When he opened his eyes, his eyes were radiating a stunning gleam.

For the past few days, he had fallen into meditation not because he was preparing to condense his profound energy and make a breakthrough, but the complete opposite. He had once again forced down the profound energy that was threatening to break through to the next level. Anyone else would have suffered tremendous damage to their profound veins considering how brutal and ruthless his methods were.

At this point, Li Suo could no longer be bothered to ask him why he kept suppressing his cultivation level.

Three years had passed since he entered the Dreamweaver Kingdom of God, and Yun che had only grown from a level three Divine Master to a level four Divine Master.

He had perfect divine essence and the unreserved investment of the Dreamweaver Kingdom of God. Despite this, “Meng Jianyuan” was progressing at a pace that was “okay” for a Divine Son, but definitely incomparable to his peer in divine essence, the Heaven Breaker Divine Daughter Hua Caili.

It might look reasonable from an outsider’s perspective, but Li Suo knew better than anyone that Yun Che was Yun Che. To judge him by reasonable standards was pure folly.

“I’m finally going to meet him,” Yun Che whispered.

Li Suo said, “Remember that Ni Xuan specifically warned you not to approach him too soon. He will easily recognize the Heretic God inheritance in you.”

“I haven’t forgotten,” Yun Che replied before saying something strange, “He is the strongest existence in this world. At my current level, he can probably eliminate me with just the flick of a finger.”

“However, from a certain perspective, he might also be... the easiest person to deal with out of all of them.”

“...” Li Suo could not understand at all.

“Our meeting will decide what kind of storm I’m going to ignite in the Abyss.” Yun Che exhaled lightly. “I hope that everything will go smoothly.”

He hoped that the Abyssal Monarch would not stray too far from his guesses and predictions. This was doubly true regarding his behavior and his obsession.

He hoped that the Eternal Kingdom of God he had never been able to make contact with, much less plant any “seed” would be as dead and uncaring as the rumors claimed to be.

He hoped...