Against the Gods

A mountain peaked above the clouds, Mo Su was watching the sea of clouds as usual. This time though, his eyes were empty and unfocused.

He did not seem to notice even when Ni Xuan walked up to him.

“Why are you acting like you’ve lost your soul?” Ni Xuan prodded his back with his foot.

Mo Su turned around, but his movements were a little wooden. His eyes hadn’t fully regained their clarity either. He said, “big brother, I… was unable to fight against that Devil Race woman today. She told me after we met up that her father has found out about our annual fights, so… she won’t ever be seeing me again.”

Ni Xuan looked at his face thoughtfully.

“Hah, haha,” Mo Su laughed with obvious strain and fakeness. “To lose such a great opponent all of a sudden… such a shame.”

Ni Xuan did not make fun of him like he usually did. Instead, he asked seriously, “Is she really ‘just a great opponent’ to you? Is ‘such a shame’ really all you have to say?”

A wind caressed Mo Su’s hair, and Mo Su suddenly burst out a little uncontrollably, “I… I don’t know why, but… the thought that I can never see her again, I… for some reason, it feels like all strength has left my body.”

He slowly raised his hand and clutched his chest where his heart was. “I feel like a rock is sitting inside my chest, and it won’t go away no matter what I try. It feels so, so bad… I almost want to cut out my heart.”

Mo Su opened his mouth, but in the end, he didn’t refute Ni Xuan’s declaration.

He bowed his head and whispered suddenly, “If one day you find a person who can touch your heart and soul and enter your dreams, you will understand that no one’s beauty can even come close to the moment she turns around to look you in the eyes.”

That was something Ni Xuan had said to him carelessly when the man had first taken him to the lower realms.

Ni Xuan sat beside Mo Su and said, “I guess you’ve found that person.”

“But… but… she’s a woman of the Devil Race.”

He turned around and showed Ni Xuan the tremors in his eyes. It was only before Ni Xuan that he dropped all the “shackles” he wore as the Heaven Punishing Crown Prince and revealed his emotions without reservation.

“The daughter of a Devil Emperor no less, am I right?” Ni Xuan matched gaze with even, undaunted eyes.

Mo Su wasn’t surprised in the least that Ni Xuan would know who she was. After all, she was the most outstanding devil of her generation. Even within the God Race, there wasn’t anyone who hadn’t heard of her.

Mo Su grew even more dejected. He thought that Ni Xuan was cautioning him and warning him not to make contact with the “daughter of a Devil Emperor.”

Then, Ni Xuan said casually, “Well, she’s a good match for you in terms of status at least.”

Mo Su froze. He couldn’t seem to believe his ears. “What did you say… big brother?”

“I said, why are you acting meek and twiddling your thumbs like a goddamn woman?!” Ni Xuan kicked Mo Su in the back all of a sudden and made him kiss the ground.

Mo Su hurriedly rolled back to his feet and stared at Ni Xuan with wide, disbelieving eyes, “But big brother, she’s the daughter of the Devil Emperor, and all you have to say is… she’s a good match for me?”

“What else do you want me to say?” Ni Xuan said slowly, “And the two of you are a good match for each other. You’re the son of a Creation God, she’s the daughter of a Devil Emperor. You’re the most talented and powerful junior of the God Race, and she is also the most powerful and talented junior of the Devil Race. The two of you have fought each other countless times, and you share more or less the same number of wins and losses. As for appearance, hmm…”

Ni Xuan circled around Mo Su once and nodded. “You’re at least eighty thousand times better than that stubborn old coot, and you’re only slightly inferior to me, the most handsome man in the entire God Race. I haven’t met your girl, but… she can’t be as ugly as a sow, can she?”

“Of course not!” Mo Su erupted as if Ni Xuan had touched his reverse scale. “She’s beautiful! She’s absolutely… gorgeous…”

Realization struck him halfway through his reply, and Mo Su’s voice softened until it became as tiny as a mosquito. His head drooped.

Ni Xuan chuckled, but it wasn’t a teasing chuckle. “See? You don’t need me to tell you the obvious.”

“But…” The pain Ni Xuan had just kicked away earlier resurfaced on Mo Su’s face. “Gods and devils are eternal foes. They may never come together as one.”

“And why not?” Ni Xuan asked a question that sounded downright puzzling.

Caught off guard, Mo Su said, “The God Race is righteous, and the Devil Race is evil. Naturally, good and evil cannot mix with each other. Isn’t that common sense?”

Ni Xuan gave him a long look. “You have accompanied me on countless trips and explored countless worlds at this point, so tell me using your own knowledge and experience: does the word ‘evil’ lie in one’s race… or heart?”

Mo Su hesitated for a moment but ultimately said, “Good and evil exists in any race or plane. The Human Race, the Beast Race, the Demon Race, the Spirit Race…”

“What about the Devil Race?” Ni Xuan asked, “Actually, scratch that. I just want to know her. Tell me: does the woman who touched your heart and entered your dreams… match with your common sense regarding the Devil Race?”

“No,” Mo Su shook his head without any hesitation, “she is straightforward, open and aboveboard, knows what she loves and what she hates clearly, proud but never contemptuous, strong but never bullies the weak…”

“She is… the best woman I’ve ever seen in my life.”

“See? The answer has always been in your eyes and your heart.” A meaningful smile danced on Ni Xuan’s lips. “You’re hesitating only because you still haven’t shaken off the ‘shackles’ you’ve worn for so long.”

Mo Su looked at Ni Xuan for a moment. Suddenly, a strange light began shaking in his eyes, “If I fell in love with a woman of the Devil Race, big brother… you wouldn’t think that I’m a disgrace to my race or a sinner… right?”

The tremors in his eyes were unbelievably violent. It was clear that Ni Xuan’s answer mattered very, very much to him.

Ni Xuan did not give him a straight answer. Instead, he said, “Your Father is the person who hates the Devil Race the most, and there is no one in the world who can change that stubborn old coot’s mind. But he is him, and you are you.”

“He is your Father. It is right that you are filial and respectful toward him. However, that doesn’t mean that you must obey his every whim. He gave you life and paved you a golden road to your future, but your life ultimately belongs to yourself. You are the only one who gets to choose which path you wish to walk.”

He looked at Mo Su with pure, untainted eyes, “The living beings of a mortal realm are so short lived they couldn’t even manage a hundred years, and yet some still broke their shackles, transcended the limitations of their race, and left behind countless legends through sheer faith. Even today, their stories continue to change or correct many a warped idea.”

“You are the Heaven Punishing Crown Prince. If even a mortal dares to challenge the impossible, and do what they supposedly cannot, then why not you?”

Every time Ni Xuan said a line, the light in Mo Su’s eyes would brighten up a little. By the time he finished speaking, it was as if every bit of dejection in his body had been washed away.

“Big brother…” He called out to Ni Xuan, and there was a… sob in his voice?

“Excuse you?” Ni Xuan backed away immediately. “We’ve had thousands of kinds of conversations up till this point, but this is the first time I’ve received such a response from you. What the hell do you want, man?”

Mo Su sucked in a deep breath. “I thought that the mere thought of it was already an unforgivable sin. I felt like I was drowning in impossible pain, bitterness, regret, and doubt. To think… to think it wasn’t really a sin. To think I can really… really…”

Ni Xuan wasn’t just the big brother he respected the most. He was also one of the Four Creation Gods who shared the same status as his Father. He was literally the highest existence in the current world.

That was why his words touched him and invigorated him like no other; dragged him from the abyss of pain all the way to the sea of starlight.

Realizing his terrible loss of composure, Mo Su gave himself a hard wipe across his face and forcefully gathered himself. “I don’t like Father’s rigid and old-fashioned life. I would prefer to live as freely and without regrets as you. So… I know what I shall do.”

He got up to his feet and summoned his divine power. Every wind and cloud within tens of thousands of kilometers stirred in response.

“Where are you going?” Ni Xuan asked.

“To chase after her.” Mo Su gazed into the far distance. “I think she’s waiting for me; hoping that I would make the choice the man she chose would make.”

There was no doubt that he had just made the most heretical choice of his life—and yet, he was neither afraid nor worried. If anything, he was extraordinarily excited. He felt as if his entire body was burning with countless small flames, brightening what was a dull and boring life.

“Hehe. Go get ‘er, boy.” Ni Xuan smiled with gratification but threw in an extra bit of advice. “Whatever the outcome might be, remember to take things one step at a time. Until you’ve gained enough power and influence, it’s best not to let anyone—especially your Father—find out about your relationship.”

“I understand.” Mo Su nodded strongly. “I’m going, big brother!”

A hurricane blew through, and Mo Su took off… Halfway across the sky, he suddenly turned around and yelled, “I’m glad you exist in this world, big brother… Truly!”

Ni Xuan continued to watch Mo Su quietly until he was completely gone.

It was at this moment the space next to him blurred, and a tall woman appeared beside Ni Xuan.

“Hmph! To think that the best junior of the Devil Race would be seduced by Mo E’s boy of all people.” Jie Yuan harrumphed. “If Pan Ming (Original Nether Devil Emperor) finds out about this, he is going to strip his muscles and break his bones with his own two hands.”

Ni Xuan’s smile didn’t fade. “Don’t you think that the two of them are a good match for one another?”

“I don’t think that Mo Su can stay on top of Xiao Die (Owl Butterfly).” Jie Yuan said, “When Xiao Die first revealed her talent, she could already beat the crap out of Pan Ming’s children and grandchildren. When she was weak, she didn’t reveal a hint of bloodthirst. When she became strong, she took out every single person who had ever oppressed her or doubted her. There wasn’t a single victim whom she didn’t take at least an arm and a leg.”

“Today, there is no one in the entire Original Nether Devil Clan who can look her in the eye. Such is their fear that they didn’t even dare to breathe loudly in her presence.” The woman side-eyed Ni Xuan and said, “In contrast, Mo E’s boy is weak and soft. It’s still unknown if Xiao Die will actually accept him.”

“On the other hand, I know a boy in the Nirvana Devil Clan who is deeply in love with her. He only wishes that he can move in and live with the Original Nether Devil Clan. If we’re talking about compatibility alone… your boy may not be able to live up to expectations.”

“It looks like you don’t understand Mo Su.” Ni Xuan replied smilingly, “Before Mo Su joined me, he had lived under the ‘framework’ his Father had built for him. He was forced to attain perfection in terms of character, bearing, and self-cultivation. That is why he appears to be gentle, polite, low-profile, and law-abiding to outsiders.”

“However, he really is a man of obsession in his bones. He is a man who can devote an unimaginable amount of willpower when chasing after something he desires,” Ni Xuan remarked. “When he first ran into the Original Nether Princess, he was no match for her. Today, he could just barely defeat her. You cannot imagine how much effort he had to put in to achieve such a feat.”

“The real reason he came to me today was to find a reason. Now that he has obtained that reason, I look forward to the flowers that may bloom from his obsession.”

Jie Yuan narrowed her eyes a little. “Personally, I hope that their relationship will persevere. If they succeed, then the pressure we face will be much smaller as a matter of course.”

“You know how Mo E, that old bastard, is, and I don’t need to tell you how much Pan Ming adores his daughter. He even gave her the ‘Original Nether Void Breaching Mirror’ a long time ago to guarantee her safety.”

“Oh?” Ni Xuan looked surprised.

“Anyway, enough talking about them.” Jie Yuan suddenly furrowed her brow and stared at Ni Xuan with twice as much intensity as before. “I heard you visited the Sword Spirit God Clan last month. Did you enter the Divine Palace of Life?”

Ni Xuan instinctively stood up straight and swore with his hand raised, “Absolutely not! I promised you I would never visit Li Suo again, didn’t I? I won’t even look at a single hair on her person!”

“Is that so?” Jie Yuan stared at him suspiciously. “But the two of you shared a deep relationship with each other, and it has been many years since she last paid you a visit. Did she not visit you of her own accord?”

“Absolutely not!” Ni Xuan’s eyes widened like saucers, not daring to shift his eyes even a millimeter. “Li Suo is the being with the purest heart and simplest desire. I doubt she would think of me even half a time even if I didn’t visit her in a couple million years!”

“Oh~ I see~” Jie Yuan nodded. “No one understands her better than you, right?”

“Nonono, I don’t understand her at all!” Ni Xuan shook his head immediately. “It’s just that her temperament is well known to the entire God Race, so much so that even a child knows how she is! I’ll kidnap a God Race kid and let you question them if you don’t believe me!”

Jie Yuan suddenly stepped forward and grabbed Ni Xuan’s ear. “I’m adding another rule. From now on, you’re not allowed to travel to or get close to the Divine Palace of Life!”

“Sure, sure, whatever you say, Li’l Yan’er ah ow ow ow ow ow! Gentler, please. You’re with child, remember?”

“Men! I knew that you only cared about the baby and not me!”

Bang!

Empowered by the false charge, the Heaven Smiting Devil Emperor kicked the noble Creation God of Elements down into the clouds.

……

The sea of clouds disappeared, and Yun Che’s consciousness returned to nothingness.

For a long time, Yun Che simply stared at nothing in particular and recalled everything he just witnessed again and again.

“Daughter of Pan Ming, Xiao Die… Pan Xiaodie?” Li Suo whispered to herself. “Why does that name sound so familiar?”

Yun Che spoke up with his soul voice, “There is a Kingdom of God among the Six Kingdoms of God named Owl Butterfly (Xiao Die) Kingdom of God.”

“The name was bestowed by the Abyssal Monarch himself, and it is the only Kingdom of God in history that hasn’t changed its name since the beginning.”

“What does this all mean? Why did Ni Xuan leave you this memory?” Li Suo murmured. “Could it be…”

Yun Che did not give her a reply.

He was silent for a very long time.

At this point, three of the five soul fragments Ni Xuan had given him before he disappeared had been revealed.

Why did this soul fragment choose now to reveal itself?

Wait…

That mad guess I had earlier, that strange desire to believe that it was real… was it because I was influenced by the soul fragments?

So far, the soul fragments of the Heretic God Ni Xuan all spoke of the story of the Heaven Punishing Crown Prince, Mo Su.

His soul sea churned violently. It wasn’t until fifteen minutes later that it finally subsided.

“What are you thinking?” Li Suo asked.

But Yun Che did not give her a straight answer, “None… none of these are important at the moment.”

“Right now, my first priority is still to stop the Abyssal Monarch from creating an abyssal passage, and to do that, I need to stir up as much chaos among the Six Kingdoms of God as possible, so much so that the Abyssal Monarch can no longer gather the energy he needs.”

The Original Nether Void Breaching Mirror…

Was that the “Nether Mirror” the Devil Queen spoke of? The one he must find no matter what?

……

Yun Che’s consciousness returned to reality, and he felt the soft touch and scent of a young woman enveloping him.

As soon as he opened his eyes, he saw Hua Caili staring fixedly at him.

“Ah, big brother Yun. You’ve awoken.”

The young woman beamed. Her countenance was so perfect, her voice was so melodious, that he almost thought that he was still inside a dream.

It was only now that he realized that he was currently lying on top of Hua Caili’s knees. When he tried to get up, he found himself impeded by the young woman’s soft breasts. So, he gave up and hugged her slender waist instead, mumbling, “I feel like I’m not fully awake yet. Allow me to sleep a little longer.”

“Sure.” The young woman’s smile was pampering and obedient. “I’ll protect you, so sleep as long as you want.”

Hua Caili’s aura had undergone a drastic change, turning into that of a Half-God.

Every time a profound practitioner achieved a major breakthrough, their cultivation wasn’t the only thing that changed. Their appearance and presence would undergo a transformation as well. Hua Caili’s eyes were filled with infinite stars as usual, but now, there existed countless black holes between these stars. They could easily tear apart any soul they made contact with and drag them into the eternal void.

Her skin was as fair as immortal jade and snow to begin with, but now, it had gained a sheen of immortal hue. When Yun Che touched her, he felt an indescribable holiness and temptation snaking all the way to the bottom of his soul.

“Don’t tickle me.”

Hua Caili giggled and grabbed the hand that had snuck its way into her shirt. However, she neither pulled it out nor stopped it from touching her.

“Caili,” he suddenly said, sounding as soft as the wind.

“Hmm?” Hua Caili bent down and moved her ear closer to his lips.

“Let’s… leave the Endless Fog and go to the Heaven Breaker Kingdom of God.”

His voice was gentle, but it created huge ripples in her eyes and heart like a rock that was thrown into a pond.

She opened her mouth but was unable to say anything for a time. A while later, she finally said in a voice so full of joy that it was trembling, “Are… are you really willing… to return with me to the Heaven Breaker Kingdom of God? Are you sure?”

Hua Caili knew very well that they could afford to forget everything and be as intimate as they wanted—so long as they were within the Endless Fog. But once they returned to the Heaven Breaker Kingdom of God, once they were standing before her Father… the mere pressure Yun Che must face alone was enough to chill her to the core.

She thought that this would be a long and arduous process. She had imagined countless ways to ensure the survival of their relationship… but never once did she think of pushing Yun Che to go back with her.

She did not think that he would mention it himself.

“Yeah.” Yun Che declared firmly, “I’m aware of what I’m going to face when we get out of here, but that day… you said you weren’t afraid of anything anymore. In that case, I’m not afraid of anything either.”

“I was duckweed with nowhere to go; no place in the entire Abyss that I would call home. But now, I don’t want to go anywhere. I just want to visit the place you grew up, meet your Father, face what I must face, and know what I must do. The earlier the better. Only then… can I grasp a life that belongs only to the two of us.”

A warm tear hit his face when he finished.

Hua Caili hurriedly wiped away the tear before nodding strongly. “Okay. we’ll leave the Endless Fog, and I’ll bring you to Father… now, I truly am not afraid of anything.”

“There is less than three months left before the appointed time. There is still time for us to have fun as we make our way home. Three months is a lot of time to visit a lot of places… with you.”

She felt unbelievably good when she said the two words.

“Okay.”