Against the Gods

Inside the Stardust Palace that exclusively belonged to the Heavenly Slaughter Star God, Caizhi and Yun Che were facing each other with complicated looks on their faces.

“Your sister said… to have you teach me the Heavenly Wolf Hell God’s Tome,” Yun Che said a bit awkwardly. Earlier, he had only learned the fundamental formula and the first sword style with Jasmine, but now that he was standing before the true Heavenly Wolf Star God… he couldn’t help but feel a bit odd.

“I know,” Caizhi mumbled. “I’ve no idea what Big Sis is thinking.”

“In any case, Brother-in law, I’ll give you a warning first of all. Among the god arts of the Twelve Star Gods, the Heavenly Wolf Hell God’s Tome is the most difficult to cultivate. Don’t think that just because you have comprehended the fundamental formula and successfully practiced the first sword style that you’ll be very easily able to practice the remaining styles of the sword art. The first sword style is the most basic, beginner style, after all. Big Sister said that you only have fifteen days to stay here. It’s very difficult to say whether you’d be able to comprehend anything about the second sword style in this short time.”

“Well… I will do my best.” Yun Che rubbed his forehead. The god arts of Star Gods were absolutely not allowed to be taught to outsiders, but he didn’t sense any hint of rejection from Caizhi. It was very obvious that Caizhi was usually quite obedient to Jasmine.

“Speaking of which, why are you still calling me Brother-in-law?”

“Hmph. ‘cause I want to,” Caizhi harrumphed. “What reason do you have to object when even Big Sister isn’t against me calling you that?”

“Hm? Your sister isn’t against it?” Yun Che revealed surprise on his face. Soon after, a strange light flashed through his eyes, “She’s really not against you calling me brother-in-law?”

“That’s right!”

“Then… what does she say in regards to me when talking about me with you usually?” Fluctuation of emotions occurred at the bottom of Yun Che’s heart, as he asked, full of expectations.

Caizhi moved her starry eyes, as she immediately blurted out, without even needing to think, “Big Sis has told me a lot of things about you. Big Sis most frequently says that you’re a super-big idiot, stubborn, narcissistic, self-opinionated, disobedient, and you don’t consider even your safety when obtaining women. You’re a super huge lecher who even seduced all the women of your sect, be it the disciples or the elders! She said that if I were to come across a person like you, I must stay as far away from him as possible.”

“…” Yun Che’s face turned dark in an instant. He said indignantly, “That’s slander! That’s naked slander! How can I be such a person!?”

“Is that so?” Caizhi blinked her eyes. She talked to herself in a low voice, “I seem to remember someone saying that half of a sister-in-law’s butt belongs to the brother-in-law… Do you want me to tell Big Sister about it?”

““~！@#￥%…” Yun Che was instantly defeated. He said in a weak voice, “Could it be that Jasmine has told you no good points about me?”

“Good points?” Caizhi very seriously thought for a good while this time, before her eyes brightened. “She did, she did! Big Sister said that your biggest good point is your good luck, which led you to meet her. Otherwise, you’d have already died numerous times.”

Yun Che’s voice began to tremble a bit, “How about… we talk about the Heavenly Wolf Hell God’s Tome next?”

Watching Yun Che’s disconcerted expression, the proud look of pulling a “prank” successfully flashed in the depths of Caizhi’s eyes, that were clearer and brighter than gems. Her smiling eyes narrowed as she replied, “Okay! Since you have already comprehended the fundamental formula and Heavenly Wolf First Sword Style, I’ll start with teaching you the second sword style.”

“Brother-in-law, take a good look!”

Caizhi took a step backward. Using her little finger as a sword, she pointed down towards vacant space as a faint blue light flickered in her starry eyes.

Bzzn————

A muffled sound rang out as wind turbulence occurred at once in the vast Stardust Palace. In front of Yun Che was a deep-blue, giant wolf, with its mouth opened so wide that it could blot out the sky; the giant wolf appeared as if it would pounce on him at any moment. His entire robe bulged with air, and the belt of his robe and his long hair blew backwards. Even his soul seemed to have been drawn out of his body, leaving it… He could only feel that his body was unable to move in the slightest, as if it was pinned to the ground by some formless power.

In the next instant, everything dispersed without a trace. Yun Che’s hair and the belt of his robe settled down. Before his eyes was the angelic, pure, beautiful, and spirited face of Caizhi. She giggled as she said, “The name of this sword style is ‘Wild Fang’. Did you see it clearly?”

“…” Yun Che remained silent for a long time.

Caizhi hadn’t used any profound strength to display the sword style just now. She had only produced sword force… using her little finger as a sword.

His all-out attack of the Heavenly Wolf’s First Sword Style was no more than an insignificant grain of sand at the bottom of the ocean compared to this sword strike that only contained sword force… But, despite feeling deeply shocked, Yun Che could still accept such a difference in the power of their attacks. After all, the young girl with a face brimming with smile in front of him, who made others feel the desire to protect her, was none other than the true Heavenly Wolf Star God.

Although Caizhi was merely a “pup” right now, she was still one of the highest level existences in the world.

“Wild Fang.” Yun Che lightly repeated the name of the sword style.

Caizhi turned over her hand as her she lightly thrust her little finger forward. A faint light flew out of it and entered in between Yun Che’s brows. “This is the sword formula for the Heavenly Wolf Second Sword Style. The channeling and sword force unleashing process of every sword style of the Heavenly Wolf Hell God’s Tome is extremely complicated. Moreover, they are very difficult to execute and control, and a slight bit of carelessness could cause the user to end up getting hurt. It is going to be even more difficult to practice them in your case, as you lack the foundation of the Heavenly Wolf’s divine power on which these sword styles are based. All I can say is to not be impatient for success and properly comprehend the sword formula first. When you have… ah, ah, aaah?”

Before Caizhi could finish her words, she saw Yun Che close his eyes and reach out his arm, as profound energy surged from his body. His little finger swiftly moved in a small semi-circular motion as a sword force emerged out of nowhere and slowly took form.

“I just told you to not be impatient for success. Why are you…”

As the profound energy emitting from Yun Che reached a certain point, he suddenly pointed downward with his little finger.

Bzzn!

An air billow fiercely swept in all directions with Yun Che at the center, causing the belt of Caizhi’s colorful robe to gracefully flutter in the wind.

Caizhi suddenly stopped halfway through her words. Her little mouth was opened wide in the shape of an “〇”.

Yun Che opened his eyes and let out a breath in relaxation. He talked to himself, “It’s definitely a bit difficult, and also clearly surpasses the conceptof the first sword style.”

Caizhi said all of a sudden as she stared at him, “So Big Sis has already taught you this sword style!”

“Eh? She didn’t!” Yun Che said in confusion.

Caizhi obviously didn’t believe him, “Then how can you execute it so fast!?”

Yun Che’s sword strike just now clearly had close to twenty percent might of the “Wild Fang”.

Not even ten breaths’ time had passed from when she imprinted the sword formula of the second sword style into Yun Che’s mind, to him suddenly unleashing that “sword attack” just now!

It was normal to take ten to fifteen days, or even eight to ten years to comprehend the sword formula alone. Afterwards, the user also had to “fuse” the comprehended sword formula with his body and profound energy.

However, Yun Che had actually managed to immediately execute the sword style somehow in ten breaths’ time.

“Well… even though it’s a bit difficult, it’s actually not all that difficult, right?” Yun Che asked back with an innocent look. His brows moved while speaking, as he again gained some new understandings on the second sword style in this very short period of time.

He thrust out his arm once more, still using his finger as a sword. An air billow carrying even more intact sword force swept outwards fiercely.

Caizhi’s lips again opened in the shape of an “〇”.

The strike this time clearly had thirty percent of the might of the second sword style!

Furthermore, she had faintly heard the howl of a wolf for an instant.

Yun Che once again closed his eyes after executing the sword style a second time. His brows were slightly raised, the aura of his entire body was completely restrained, and he didn’t make the slightest movement. Surprisingly, he had suddenly entered the state of “enlightenment”.

Caizhi looked at him dumbfounded. Her eyes were widely opened as if she was seeing a monster.

Jasmine had told her several times that Yun Che’s comprehension ability was extremely high. It was only at this moment that she became aware of the fact that Yun Che’s comprehension ability couldn’t be described with the words “extremely high”; it was basically… inconceivable!

Yun Che spent six hours in the state of enlightenment this time. When he opened his eyes, a bizarre, vibrant glow flashed through them. He raised his arm as sword force surged from it.

“Use your sword!” Caizhi said all of a sudden.

As a vermillion light flashed, the Heaven Smiting Sword appeared in Yun Che’s hand. In an instant, a vast sword might was generated from it.

………………..

“Wild Fang!!”

The image of a giant wolf emerged above Yun Che. Although it only stayed for a moment, it caused vibrations in the surrounding space. The sword might also reached its peak limit at this moment.

The Heaven Smiting Sword directly launched an attack towards Caizhi, carrying the world-engulfing force of a Heavenly Wolf.

Caizhi stretched out her finger and lightly pointed ahead. In a split second, all the sword might and force of the Heaven Smiting Sword dispersed without a trace, and even Yun Che’s figure came to a halt in midair. Her widely opened and innocent starry eyes were shining with extraordinary splendor, “Brother-in-law, you’re really amazing.”

She had dispelled his all-out attack with just a little finger instantly, yet was still saying that the other party was amazing…

Yun Che flipped in the air as he landed on the ground. He was breathing heavily with his mouth, and his body was thoroughly exhausted. However, the light of excitement could be seen in his eyes.

It was because he had finally unleashed the full might of “Wild Fang” in his attack just now!

This was also the reason that Caizhi had praised him. It had been less than a day since she started teaching him this sword style, after all.

Comprehending the sword style in ten breaths’ time, and then practicing it to perfection in less than a day… Furthermore, this sword style wasn’t something at the level of ordinary profound arts and skills, but the topmost, and most difficult to comprehend and practice, heavy sword art in the world!

If this matter were to become known to others, there absolutely wouldn’t be anyone who would believe it in the Star God Realm, or even the entire Eastern Divine Region.

If there was anything regrettable, it would be the fact that Yun Che didn’t have Heavenly Wolf’s divine power. As such, the Heavenly Wolf Sword Art he executed was bound to lack the “divine bearing”.

Unless…

“You have now completely practiced the Heavenly Wolf Second Sword Style. All that’s left is to train in the sword style for a long period of time to reach the realm where you can use it whenever and however you wish.”

Caizhi concealed the shock in her heart. Her arms were crossed across her chest and she had a solemn expression on her face, giving the impression of an elder, “Then I’ll teach you the third sword style now!”

“All right!” Despite his whole body aching and being tired out, as well receiving internal injuries due to the backlash of his attack, Yun Che didn’t show any hesitation as he agreed at once.

An emaciated camel was still bigger than a horse. Even if his sword style didn’t have the “divine bearing”, the might of the Heavenly Wolf Hell God’s Tome was still incomparably tyrannical. The most basic first sword style, “Heavenly Wolf Slash”, was an ultimate move of Yun Che’s that he extremely relied upon, and both the might and force of the second sword style, “Wild Fang”, was far superior to the Heavenly Wolf Slash.

The Heavenly Wolf Hell God’s Tome had seven sword styles in total, and Yun Che naturally had extremely high expectations for the next five sword styles.

“The name of the third sword style is ‘Heavenly Star Lamentation’.”

“…” Yun Che was surprised upon hearing the odd name.

“The first sword style, Heavenly Wolf Slash, and the second sword style, Wild Fang, are considered the foundation-establishing sword styles of the Heavenly Wolf Hell God’s Tome. The real ‘Heavenly Wolf Sword Art’ starts from the third sword style.” Caizhi slowly lowered her arms as a divine light surfaced in her eyes that Yun Che had never seen before, “Because from this sword style onwards, not only does it require the sword style to have a form, force, and divinity, it also needs to have an ‘intent’!”

“Intent… What kind of intent?” Yun Che asked.

“Hatred!”

“…” Yun Che was immediately taken aback.

Sword intent could be ethereal, sharp, vast, overbearing, non-existent… but he had never heard of “hatred” as a kind of sword intent.

“In the Era of Gods, the Heavenly Wolf Star God was once captured by the devil race and sealed inside the Netherworld Demonic Hell before his ascension to the position of Star God, and suffered endless torment, which gave rise to endless hatred and resentment in his heart. Later, his obsession and hatred gave birth to an incomparably powerful energy that helped him break out of the prison, and he managed to leave the territory of devils with his own strength and flee back to the God Realm.”

It was easy to imagine how powerful he was to be able to escape from the territory of devils with his own strength.

“This power of obsession and hatred was what took the form of ‘Heavenly Wolf Hell God’s Tome’ later on.” Caizhi continued, “Afterwards, his hatred was purified and he was ranked as one of the twelve star gods. But because of it the ‘Heavenly Wolf Hell God’s Tome’ lost its might as well. It is only when the fire of hatred fiercely burns that this god art recovers its divine might… Once the divine might burst forth under the influence of hatred, none of the other eleven star gods can be the opponent of the Heavenly Wolf Star God.”

“Therefore, the Heavenly Wolf Star God also has another name—God of Hatred. Since hatred is a negative emotion, the Heavenly Wolf’s divine power is also recognized to be closest to the divine power of ‘devils’.”

Caizhi’s voice paused for a moment, before she laughed suddenly, “Brother-in-law, there might come a day when I degenerate to a devil, hehe.”

Caizhi curved her brows as she laughed in quite a sweet and lovely manner. But for some reason, Yun Che felt his heart struck by something all of a sudden, and it twitched intensely.

“Hmph, that’s enough joking with you.” Caizhi recovered her serious look, as she stretched out her little finger. “I’ll first demonstrate this sword style to you. Watch it carefully.”

………………..

Jasmine had been silently watching them all this time from a distant corner of the Stardust Palace. Her gaze never moved away from the two.