Against the Gods

UNedited Chapter - Rubble

Long Zhiming’s disposition had always been gentle and unruffled, but he was, ultimately, the Dragon Lord. Not even the Divine Regents of the Kingdoms of God had ever compelled him to pay such a solemn respect.

At this moment, though, the dragon who was like an ancient mountain that had propped up the dragons for a million years had finally, in the twilight of his existence, willingly bent his spine before another.

The draconic radiance in the hall was still flickering chaotically amidst the ceaseless tremors. It was also distorting his deeply bowed silhouette.

Long Chixin and Long Qianxin froze for a moment. Then, they hurried forward not to help Long Zhiming to his feet, but to kneel behind him. Their posture was far lower than that of the Dragon Lord; their heads, a symbol of the Ancestral Dragon’s dignity, hung so low that they were almost touching the ground.

Yun Che lowered his gaze.

From his lofty vantage point, he looked down upon the three figures prostrating themselves before him—the three mightiest Ancestral Dragons of the entire dragon race.

Yet this sight failed to stir even the slightest trace of triumph or satisfaction within him. For a fleeting moment, a dim, ominous glow flickered in his eyes, seeping from the depths of his soul.

But what bloomed on his face was a faint look of dread.

“Senior Dragon Lord, you must not!”

He took a step forward and grasped Long Zhiming’s still trembling arms with both hands. “Such a great honor is beyond the reach of anyone besides the Pure Land. It is far too much for this junior!”

As their hands touched, the gaunt contours of Long Zhiming’s bones became clearly visible through his robes. He resembled an ancient tree that had been stripped of all vitality by the passage of time.

Yet it was this dying shell of a dragon who continued to prop up the entire dragon race, unwilling to depart and terrified of passing away, all because standing behind his withered frame was Long Wangchu, a failure of a dragon who was worse than even a useless piece of garbage.

How pitiful, how tragic, how... loathsome!

Meng Chaoyang lowered his eye lids, his chest heaving slightly... the Dragon Lord’s extraordinary bow was indeed born of gratitude, yet was it not, in a sense, a form of coercion?

Despite Yun Che’s attempt to lift him, Long Zhiming would remain in his bowing posture for several long breaths before finally rising. When he looked up, tears were streaming down the deep furrows of his aged face.

Those old eyes, drenched in tears, gazed fixedly at Yun Che. He looked as though he was lost in a dream, or gazing upon a deity... He had never felt such intense and fervent emotion even when he was paying homage to the Abyssal Monarch.

“To Divine Son Yuan, this is a matter of respecting your teacher and upholding your belief. But to us, it is a heavenly favor that turns us around from a dead end and benefits all future generations! A mere bow is truly insufficient to express even a fraction of the gratitude in my heart.”

Long Chixin and Long Qianxin rose to their feet as well. When they looked up, their eyes were equally misted with tears. They knew all too well that Long Zhiming’s words contained not a shred of flattery or exaggeration.

Yun Che’s gaze grew complex as he sighed softly. “Seeing you like this, Senior, only makes this junior feel even more ashamed of my earlier selfishness.”

He composed himself and said solemnly, “In truth, in terms of natural talent and bloodline, Long Xi far surpasses Brother Wangchu among the younger generation. However, she is ultimately not a descendant of the Dragon Lord, or even a direct descendant of the Ancestral Dragons.

“That is why Brother Wangchu is the only choice for the dragon marrow and dragon soul.”

These words instantly dispelled the greatest fear that had been churning in Long Zhiming’s heart.

He suppressed the surge of emotion willing up within him and sighed softly, “To be honest, I still do not know the origin of Long Xi’s bloodline, and she has never been willing to reveal even the slightest detail. Over the years, I have repeatedly sought to adopt her as my daughter, yet she has always refused outright, leaving no room for compromise.”

He shook his head, and a sigh filled within genuine emotion echoed through the hall.”What a pity... What a pity.”

Within Yun Che’s soul sea, Li Suo had been silently observing everything. She knew it was utterly impossible for Yun Che to truly hand over his dragon marrow and dragon soul to the dragons, yet she could not fathom what he intended to do at all.

After all, none of what was happening had been part of Yun Che’s plans prior to today.

Besides, even if Yun Che sincerely wanted to strip himself of his dragon marrow and dragon soul... could Long Wangchu even bear them with how weak he was?

After Long Zhiming’s initial emotional turmoil subsided, and he regained his composure, the thought naturally occurred to him as well. He asked tentatively, “Speaking of Wangchu, it is truly a stroke of heavenly fortune that he is receiving this blessing. However, his innate talent is rather poor, and his dragon body and dragon soul are weak. On the other hand, the ancestor’s legacy in you is exceedingly profound and powerful, Divine Son Yuan.”

He secretly observed Yun Che’s expression while continuing in a tone of deep concern, “This old one fears that, though he had been fortunate enough to receive this opportunity, he may not be able to bear it.”

Yun Che, however, showed no sign of surprise or hesitation. Instead, he offered a reassuring smile and replied, “It is only natural for you to have such concerns, Senior Dragon Lord, but it is truly unnecessary.”

Long Zhiming’s eyes flashed with intensity, and the withered fingers tucked within his sleeves tightened involuntarily.

Yun Che spoke calmly, as if recounting an ordinary matter. “Back then, when my master had bestowed upon me the dragon marrow and dragon soul, I wasn’t even half-a-sexagenary years old, and my cultivation had barely reached the Divine Origin Realm. Yet, I was able to bear it without harm, and neither my body nor my soul had suffered any irreversible damage.”

Long Zhiming’s throat bobbed, and a visible surge of joy welled up in his eyes.

To have been such close friends with such a powerful ancestor of our race, and to have raised a prodigy as extraordinary as Divine Son yuan—your master was undoubtedly a peerless, ancient luminary beyond the reach of the mortal coil. It would make sense that this ‘inheritance’ too contains extraordinary powers that are beyond this old one’s comprehension.”

He could barely conceal the intensity in his eyes. “So... this method of passing down the legacy... do you...”

“But of course.” Yun Che nodded calmly and composedly. “This is my master’s final wish. How could he not have entrusted the method of passing down the legacy to this junior?”

“To put it plainly, this method is a unique and profound formation invented by master himself. Used for passing on legacies and inheritances, it can support a mountain with a sheet of paper; contain a vast ocean within a shallow stream. Though my cultivation is lacking, I can still perform the ritual in its entirety—it will simply take much longer than usual.”

Long Zhiming slowly closed his eyes, doing his best to suppress the overwhelming emotions surging within his chest. It wasn’t until some time later that he opened them again while muttering a series of low murmurs, “Wonderful... this is wonderful... this is wonderful....”

All of his worries and concerns had vanished. Not even the immense risk that such a process usually entailed existed. Such heavenly favor, such smooth sailing... had they not witnessed and felt the dragon marrow and dragon soul with their own body, had the words not come from the mouth of the Dreamweaver Divine Son himself, they would not have dared to believe it, much less dared to hope for it.

“However....”

Yun Che’s tone shifted, and that one word stirred the hearts and souls of all three Ancestral Dragons at once.

“Although this junior promises that the ‘method of inheritance’ to transfer the dragon marrow and dragon soul to Brother Wangchu is flawless, it is ultimately a part of my master’s secret. My master possesses a unique background, and though he has passed away, he would never wish for outsiders to know about it.

“Therefore, no one must bear witness while the inheritance is being transferred, nor must it be exposed to anyone’s perception[1].”

He looked at the Dragon Lord, his tone tinged with regret. “It is not that I do not trust the dragons, but since this involves my master’s secrets, it truly cannot be performed here.”

“How could you say that, Divine Son Yuan? It is only right, only right.” Long Zhiming hurriedly responded without a shred of hesitation.

His heart had skipped a beat when he heard the word “however”, but upon hearing what Yun Che actually had to say, his suspended heart instantly settled... As it turned out, his request wasn’t a big deal at all. In fact, wasn’t this simply common sense and the standard practice of the profound way?

Never mind the secret techniques of peerless masters—even the core mystic arts of the smallest sect of the poorest Land of the Living would never be revealed in front of outsiders.

“There is one more matter that requires your careful consideration, Senior.”

Yun Che continued, “The dragon marrow will perpetuate the dragon’s blood, and the dragon soul will harmonize and fuse with the original soul. While this will not alter Brother Wangchu’s bloodline or soul foundation, the draconic aura and soul aura he emits from this point forward will differ from what they were before.

“Brother Wangchu’s status is unique, and his bloodline is directly tied to the Ancestral Dragon’s lineage. Can you accept this, Senior Dragon Lord?”

Long Zhiming showed not the slightest trace of concern. Instead, he laughed heartily, “You’re worrying too much, Divine Son Yuan. With such a powerful dragon marrow and dragon soul, it’s only natural for his aura to undergo a drastic change. This in no way compromises the legitimacy of the lineage. For Wangchu—and for our race—it is not only not a bad thing, but a tremendous blessing. If his will and character can grow or awaken as a result, then all the better.”

Having said that, he realized he was being far too greedy and shook his head with a wry smile.

“In that case, I have no further reservations.”

Yun Che raised his hand and stirred the draconic aura within him slightly. It seemed he still harbored some lingering reluctance and wistfulness, but these soon gave away to complete acceptance. “In that case, please inform Brother Wangchu of this matter and choose an appropriate time to carry out the inheritance, Senior Dragon Lord. I will await your news at the Dreamweaver Kingdom of God.”

“Well...” Long Zhiming hesitated before asking, “In your opinion, what would be the most suitable time, Divine Son Yuan?”

Yun Che replied in a calm and composed tone, “For me, as long as I’m not tied up with urgent matters, any time will do. As for the dragon race and Brother Wangchu....”

He pondered for a moment before continuing slowly, “In my humble opinion, it would be best to wait several decades until Brother Wangchu has successfully set foot at the Eternal Pure Land. For him to obtain a new dragon marrow and dragon soul in a new world would symbolize a complete renewal of fate. It would be the most auspicious sign possible.”

“No, no, that is far too late, far too late.” Long Zhiming blurted out, having completely lost the composure and pose expected of the Dragon Lord.

That said, he realized how undignified he was acting the moment the words left his mouth. Long Chixin, standing behind him, hurried to cover for him. “The timing you suggested is most excellent, Divine Son, Yuan it’s just... please don’t laugh at us, but the entire dragon race has been grieving day and night over the impossibility of continuing our path. For such a heavenly favor to fall upon us today... I seriously doubt the Dragon Lord would be able to sleep a wink for as long as this matter isn’t settled.”

Long Zhiming didn’t deny it. His eyes were filled with obvious eagerness... Considering the situation, how could he possibly care about dignity or decorum, or worry about saving face?

Meng Chaoyang watched coldly from the sidelines, saying nothing.

Yun Che seemed to have a sudden realization and nodded slowly. “I see. That was my oversight. Very well, I have no pressing matters at the moment, so let us complete this matter in the near future. It is best to fulfill my master’s dying wish as soon as possible.”

“Good, good!”

Long Zhiming bowed deeply once more, his voice trembling violently. “Then I shall leave everything to your arrangement, Divine Son Yuan.”

Long Zhiming’s emotions were surging so violently that he had largely lost his composure and reason. As he fervently expressed his gratitude, he had completely forgotten that such a great favor must, above all, be repaid.

Long Qianxin took a silent step forward and said, “Forcibly stripping away one’s dragon marrow and dragon soul is bound to inflict severe damage on Divine Son Yuan’s body. Such self-sacrifice truly leaves us... at a loss as to how to repay you.”

However, Yun Che faintly smiled without a care for the world. “The ferryman is simply delivering the goods from one shore to another—what ‘sacrifice’ is there to speak of? I am merely returning what belongs to its rightful owner.”

Those simple words, imbued with boundless grace and purity, left Long Qianxin momentarily speechless and brought tears to Long Zhiming’s eyes once again.

He looked at Yun Che, at this young man barely two sexagenary years of age, at his clear eyes and the faint smile at the corner of his lips... Suddenly, he felt all the grand and beautiful compliments he had accumulated over a million years were, at this moment, as light as dust and as dim as the glow of a firefly.

“Even a million words of gratitude would be insignificant in the face of Divine Son Yuan’s selfless gift.”

His voice was hoarse, as if each word was being ground out from the depths of his chest. Every syllable carried immense weight like that of the entire dragon race:

“We dragons are sorely lacking in resources and can barely provide for ourselves. We truly do not know what we can offer in return, save for a single vow....”

He raised his head and fixed his gaze, expression turning solemn and grave. As the soul of the Ancestral Dragon silently radiated outward, the sound from his mouth, carrying the vast roars of dragons, rippled out in layers and shook the entire Ancestral Dragon Mountain Range to its core:

“From this day forward, all dragons of the Abyss—from the direct descendants of the Ancestral Dragon to the youngest of the collateral branches—shall forever remember the selfless grace of the Divine Son Yuan, who sacrificed himself for the sake of all of us!”

Beneath the dragon’s roar, all dragons fell silent. They raised their heads to listen with reverence, their draconic souls trembling intensely.

The Dragon Lord had often proclaimed decrees to the entire clan through his roar, but never had it been so majestic; so soul-shaking. Every word seemed to be etched into the very fabric of the world with dragon bones as the brush, and dragon blood as the ink.

“Henceforth, whenever Divine Son Yuan issues a command, all dragons, from top to bottom, shall obey without exception!!”

“Should anyone violate this oath, the dragon bloodline shall be severed forever!”

As the final dragon’s roar echoed out, the entire dragon race turned as pale as a sheet.

For this vow was simply too cruel, too ruthless. It felt like a desperate gamble staking the very fate and dignity of the dragon race.

The vow was so ruthless, in fact, that even Long Chixin and Long Qianxin balked at its declaration. However, they soon realized something and quickly let it go.

Only Meng Chaoyang was narrowing his eyes slightly. Standing in the shadow cast by a pillar of the hall, his gaze held two parts resignation and one part inexplicable darkness.

Long Zhiming was, ultimately, a cunning old fox who had lived for a million years.

Such a pledge, made in the name of the entire dragon race, wouldn’t be known to the dragon race only—it wouldn’t be long before the entire Abyss had heard of it as well.

In short, a pledge like this—one known throughout the world and would bring damnation upon their very heads should they break it—gave Yun Che no chance to renege on his promise should he regretted his decision later.

It looked like the ruthless vow was born from humility and gratefulness, and it appeared to be the sincere devotion of a race who was at the end of their ropes. But the reality was that the more ruthless the vow, the tighter it bound Yun Che—and indirectly, the Dreamweaver Kingdom of God—to the dragon race.

As for whether Yun Che would be able to command the dragon race in the future... he was backed by the Dreamweaver Kingdom of God. Why would he ever need a dragon race that was withering to the point of extinction?

Meng Chaoyang believed that Long Zhiming’s gratitude was genuine. However, there was also no denying that that gratitude was mixed with three parts of calculation.

The calculation had not necessarily been done deliberately. Rather, over the course of endless years of hopeless despair, the very concept of “calculation” had likely seeped deep into his very marrow without him even realizing it.

“You old fool! What... What are you up to now?”

It was at this moment Long Wangchu’s unrestrained roar echoed from outside the hall. “What do you mean, ‘the dragon bloodline shall be severed forever’?! Are you cursing me to have no descendants? Are you even my father anymore?!”

The crude, uncivilized words roaring out of the young Dragon Lord’s mouth instantly dissipated more than half of the Dragon Lord’s passion.

Long Zhiming’s face turned blue, and with a grab of his old hand, he yanked Long Wangchu into the hall with a brutal surge of profound qi. He then roared in a deep voice, “Ungrateful boy! Kneel immediately and kowtow to Divine Son Yuan for granting you a second life!”

Long Wangchu looked utterly bewildered. “What... kneel? You want me to kneel?”

Yun Che also stepped forward at the same time, exclaiming urgently, “Absolutely not, Se—”

Bang!!

The Dragon Lord had already struck down with a palm strike, instantly dropping Long Wangchu to his knees and slamming his head violently against the ground. Coerced by an irresistible force, the young dragon was forced to perform three heavy prostrations.

Even after he was hauled back to his feet, Long Wangchu did not fully regain his senses. He clutched his forehead and felt like screaming and cursing his father on the spot, but upon catching sight of Divine Son Yuan, he forced himself to hold back, letting out only a muffled grumble stuck in his throat.

Yun Che said with a look of resignation, “I have received your generous gesture, Brother Wangchu. I won’t let you down.”

He took out a piece of abyssal crystal that was about an inch long. He touched it with his fingertip and engraved the word “Yuan” on it. He then imbued it with a fairly substantial trace of soul aura before handing it to Long Zhiming.

“This junior had always led a secluded life in the Dreamweaver Kingdom of God and bore no public token of identification. Once Brother Wangchu has finished his preparations, he may present this abyssal crystal to enter the Dreamweaver Kingdom of God. Upon my return, I shall immediately give the order that anyone bearing this abyssal crystal need not announce their arrival and may be escorted directly to the Divine Son Palace.”

Though it was a most ordinary abyssal crystal, Long Zhiming cradled it with the utmost care. “Very... well.”

“There is one more thing.” Yun Che withdrew his hand before continuing, “Separating and transferring the dragon marrow and dragon soul is a process that will take only a couple hours at most, but it will take much longer for Brother Wangchu to inherit and fuse with them. Depending on how well he harmonizes with them, he will need to remain in the profound formation for anywhere from one or two months to half a year. During this period, he must not leave the formation for even a moment. As this is the dragon soul we’re talking about, he must not be disturbed by any external matters.

“Therefore, it would be best for the dragons to send an elder to accompany him, to ensure his safety and protection.”

Long Zhiming, though, laughed without a moment’s hesitation. “That is entirely unnecessary. The Dreamweaver Kingdom of God is such a lofty place; Wangchu will be a hundred times safer there than a barren place like the Ancestral Dragon Mountain Range. And with you by his side, forget a year or two, even a hundred or a thousand years wouldn’t worry this old one in the slightest.”

To send someone to accompany and protect him would undoubtedly be a sign of distrust. Moreover, even assuming the worst case scenario, there was simply no reason for the Dreamweaver Kingdom of God to target a mere dragon upstart. And if they truly intended to harm Long Wangchu, not even the entire dragon race would be able to shield him from harm... with that in mind, why would the Dragon Lord possibly commit such a foolish act?

“Very well!” Yun Che did not press the matter further and nodded firmly. “In that case, this junior will do everything in my power to ensure that Brother Wangchu suffers not even the slightest harm—both to live up to the Dragon Lord’s trust and to honor my master’s dying wish.”

With Divine Son Yuan’s promise, the divine favor bestowed upon the dragon race seemed to have been set in stone.

Stepping out of the Ancestral Dragon Divine Hall, Yun Che’s gaze unconsciously drifted to the forbidden zone where Yun Xi resided. However, he forcibly tore it away and bowed to take his leave of Long Zhiming:

“Then this junior will await Brother Wangchu’s arrival in the Dreamweaver Kingdom of God.”

Not only did Long Zhiming personally escort Yun Che out of the Ancestral Dragon Barrier, he continued to accompany him a great distance before finally stopping to see him off.

“Oh right!”

Just as he was about to depart, Yun Che suddenly turned around, as if he had just remembered something. “One of the reasons I came today was to repay Long Xi for her kindness, but she is far too aloof and possesses no worldly desires.I truly do not know how to repay the debt of gratitude from all those years ago, so I can only do so indirectly.

“I hope that you, Dragon Lord, will remember today’s events and treat her kindly. Since I owe her my life, her life is no different from my own. Under no circumstances should she be subjected to any form of oppression or harm.”

Long Zhiming suppressed the turmoil in his heart and, in the manner befitting of the Dragon Lord, pledged, “Rest assured, Divine Son Yuan, this old one will issue the order immediately. No one in the entire race, regardless of rank, is to commit the slightest offense against Long Xi. Should anyone violate this decree, this old man will personally punish them without mercy.”

Yun Che gave him a light nod and flew off into the distance after that.

Long Zhiming remained gazing into the distance, not moving even after Yun Che and Meng Chaoyang had completely vanished from sight.

Perhaps he was wondering if he was dreaming, and he would eventually wake up and realize that it was all just a delusional dream.

He would stand motionless for a long time, as if afraid that the slightest movement—or even the very act of turning around—would shatter the dream.

“What... exactly are you doing??”

Li Suo asked softly even before they had fully left the Ancestral Dragon Mountain Range.

The mountain winds howled, and the dark clouds hung low. The cold wind swept through the crevices of the sheer cliffs, carrying a low, wailing sound that sounded like the sighs of countless dragon souls.

Yun Che responded, “The dragon race fears that delays will lead to complications. Within five days at most, they will send Long Wangchu to me. You’ll get your answer then.”

Li Suo asked with some concern, “But none of this was part of your original plan. If you were planning to end things sooner, why would you suddenly introduce such a variable?”

“Variable?” Yun Che let out a cold scoff. “Do you really think that the dragon race is worthy to be called a variable?”

Li Suo: “......”

“Don’t worry.” His tone grew dark. “Not only won’t they become a variable, if used correctly, they will turn out to be a tremendous asset.”

“All it requires... is for me to be ruthless enough.”

The mountain winds howled fiercely, and the valleys echoed with mournful sounds. The wind carried whispers of weeping, reverberating for a long time across the endless mountains, like a despairing elegy that refused to fade away.

1. If I have to guess, Yun Che is going to use this opportunity to torture the absolute shit out of Wangchu. Then, he’s going to take full control of his body via some method, but keep a sliver of Wangchu’s soul fragment alive so he can experience the horror of the dragons slowly being brought to utter ruin while being unable to do anything but watch. ☜