Against the Gods

The inner world of the Primordial Profound Ark.

Qianye Ying’er was enshrouded in incomparably dense profound light. The aura of her profound energy was extremely pure and clean but it had also formed an exceptionally violent vortex around her. A vortex of energy which engulfed the space five kilometers around her.

Yun Che sensed the changes in Qianye Ying’er’s aura. She had refined nearly half of the second Untamed World Pellet. This was going much faster than it had the last time, when she had taken a full half a year to refine the first pellet.

However, this speed was something that Yun Che had already predicted.

Within half a month’s time, Qianye Ying’er would successfully refine the second Untamed World Pellet. Once that happened, she would undoubtedly become his greatest strength. Even if he counted the Yama Ancestors and the Yama Devils.

He did not disturb Qianye Ying’er. Instead, Yun Che held He Ling’s hand as he brought her to another area of the Primordial Profound Ark.

The world within the Primordial Profound Ark was sparse and barren. It was very rare to see plants and flowers, and the occasional profound beast that appeared would always be a low-grade one.

In order to reduce the Primordial Profound Ark’s energy consumption, Yun Che had never tried to create a more fertile environment. Instead, he had just been maintaining it in a state where it would not collapse. He was naturally saving the rest of the energy for dimensional jumps in case they were caught in a bad situation.

“He Ling,” Yun Che gently said as he looked straight ahead, “you must think that I’ve become very frightening now.”

“...” He Ling’s lips parted slightly but she was lost in her own thoughts, so she did not reply.

“I used to respect every life. Use to value the destiny of every living person. But right now, I only view them as one of two things. They are either useful tools or useless trash.”

“Even when I faced off against my hated enemies in the past, I never killed them in a cruel manner or tortured them to death. Neither did I allow myself to lose my humanity when I fought my foes. But today, I can torture the Three Yama Ancestors in the cruelest of ways without even blinking an eye. Three people who I didn't even have a single grievance against. I tortured them in ways that made them long for death for six straight days, but there wasn’t a single trace of reluctance in my heart.”

“I once viewed saving the God Realm and the universe as a duty that I had to fulfill. And I had hoped that it would become the glory of my household, something that would protect us forever. But now, I thirst to see the God Realm wailing in pain and despair.”

“Yet I don’t even feel the least bit frightened by what I’ve become, and perhaps that’s the most frightening thing of all.” Yun Che slowly closed his eyes.

His talent was singular and he had an immeasurable future, one that was bound to break through all the limits of the current era. Yet he was missing one crucial component. He lacked the ambition to go with his talent, something that he sorely needed… Shen Xi had said the same thing to him years ago, and so had Xia Qingyue. Even the Heaven Smiting Devil Emperor had said those words to him.

He understood what they were trying to tell him, but a person’s desires and aspirations were not so easily changed.

On the other hand, if the Eternal Heaven God Emperor had not gone back on his word after the Heaven Smiting Devil Emperor left and the three divine regions had not acted against him out of fear, then it would have been a “happily-ever-after” for everyone involved. Yun Che would have returned to the Blue Pole Star with Jasmine and even if he did return to the God Realm, it would only be to visit the Snow Song Realm or Shen Xi.

Even if Yun Che truly did break through the limits of this current age and surpassed the Evil Infant, the worries of all the powerhouses in the God Realm would never have come to pass… Because that was Yun Che’s true nature, his greatest wish and desire, and it would never have changed.

However, their fear toward the Evil Infant and Yun Che’s future growth caused them to bare their cruel fangs at the messiah who had just fulfilled his “duty”...

They had never in their wildest dreams imagined that when Yun Che was forced to pursue strength, he would become such a dreadful monster.

“Master,” He Ling said as she looked at him. Her green pupils trembled and her gentle voice was as light and airy as the wind. “This isn’t your fault. None of it is. Even if you end up destroying the three divine regions in the future, you are merely withdrawing the mercy you had shown to them previously.”

Perhaps no one would believe that these words would come out from the mouth of a wood spirit.

Yun Che suddenly turned to look at her. He smiled as he gazed upon He Ling’s beautiful face. Her expression was slightly dazed as he whispered to her, “Actually, you don’t need to worry about me. Because you, Hong’er, and You’er still exist in my world, I will never abandon the last vestiges of my humanity.”

“...” His words had plucked at the flustered strings of her heart. He Ling’s lips parted slightly as an ethereal mist descended upon those beautiful emerald eyes.

He Ling had borne witness to the changes that had occured within Yun Che over the last few years. The current him oozed a terrifyingly dark and oppressive might. To the point where even people like Yan Tianxiao would tread very carefully around him.

It was only when he was speaking to Hong’er, You’er, or her that he was still as gentle as she remembered… Perhaps, this was the only bit of gentleness and warmth that still remained within him.

The eyes and the smile that Yun Che showed her were not dark or gloomy at all. In fact, they did not even contain a hint of coldness. “Let’s dual cultivate. Your pure wood spirit aura will definitely help with my comprehension of the Law of Nothingness. At the same time, it will also aid the growth of your spiritual strength. In fact, it might help the Sky Poison Pearl recover its poison power quicker.”

“...” He Ling looked down, flustered, she did not dare to meet his gaze.

“It will speed up the process of our revenge. However, you will never become a tool to me, you will always be a part of my life. This was set the moment our lives were connected, and it will never change, not until the day we die.”

Gentle ripples spread throughout her heart without ceasing and it soundlessly carried away all of her worries, fears, and misgivings. She raised her delicate head and looked straight into Yun Che’s eyes, her beautiful eyes shining brightly, as if all the stars in the universe were gathered in them.

She really liked it when Yun Che said these sort of words to her. It was a joy… that could not be described with words.

Yun Che suddenly stretched out an arm and sacred white light seemed to intermingle with viridian light as it shone from his fingers. After that, the light swiftly started to spread out and fill the surrounding area, causing a dense aura of life to fill the air.

The Royal Wood Spirit Orb that He Lin had given him had disappeared when he had triggered the Divine Miracle of Life back on the Blue Pole Star, but he still retained all of the memories contained within it and some of its wood spirit energy.

All of the vegetation in the area instantly started to sway as green leaves blossomed on the trees and covered them in the shade. The flowers were in full bloom and it was as if they had been transported into an entirely different world, one of ephemeral fantasy, in the mere blink of an eye.

He Ling’s vision grew hazy.

The only things that had colored her world during the years spent in the Northern Divine Region and the God Realm of Absolute Beginning were gray ash, gloomy darkness, and fresh blood...

So the world in front of her seemed like a distant dream.

“Ah…”

She gave a flustered cry but her slender and delicate waist had already been embraced. After that, she fell heavily against Yun Che’s arm before he gently pushed her down amidst a field of blooming flowers.

“...” Her heart leapt in her chest wildly and her gaze turned confused and evasive. She did not even know where to place her arms as she squirmed around, still flustered. The sounds and images that she had inadvertently witnessed now surged into her mind involuntarily, causing her body to go limp and her breathing to become rough.

“Are… are we… going to start… dual cultivating?” She tried her best to maintain her cool, but her breathing was growing rougher and rougher and her entire body was turning a bright shade of pink.

Qianye Ying’er, the Little Demon Empress, Feng Xue’er, Chu Yuechan, Cang Yue, Su Ling’er, the twins Feng Hanyue and Hanxue… Those images flooded her mind and she could not suppress them no matter how hard she tried.

Even though Yun Che hadn’t lived for a very long time, he had already tasted all sorts of women. However, the wood spirit girl that lay beneath him was so lovely that it caused his heart to race. She had an ethereally beautiful face which looked like it had been bestowed upon her by a god. Furthermore, her beauty was different from all the other women Yun Che had been with. She was beautiful in a gentle and fragile manner, just like the first bloom of spring, like the newly-formed wings of a butterfly which had just crawled out of its cocoon.

“No,” Yun Che said as he shook his head gently. He had not noticed, but his voice and actions had become far gentler than before. “First, I will make my He Ling into my Little Ling’er, someone who belongs to me and me alone.”

…………[1]

Snow Song Realm, Ice Phoenix Realm, Heavenly Netherfrost Lake.

“Big Sister, I’ve come to see you.”

Mu Bingyun knelt by the shores of the Heavenly Lake as she cast a few freshly-bloomed Ice Feather Spirit Flowers into it, her icy eyes silently observed them floating into the distance.

That was the flower that her big sister loved the most when she was still alive… However, she had never known the reason why her sister had suddenly grown to love them so much.

“Big Sister, it’s only after you left that everyone understood just how important you were to the sect, to the entire Snow Song Realm.”

“It was only after I succeeded your throne that I truly came to understand just how outstanding you were.”

She closed her icy eyes as her long hair dipped into the lake, stirring up melancholic ripples in the surface of the water. She softly whispered, “Sis, you are the greatest pride of my life.”

“I brought Yun Che here, but he was the one who took you away from us. Even so, no matter how hard I try, I just can’t bring myself to hate him… Because he was the person that Big Sister loved. Big Sister loved him so much, so how could I really come to hate him…”

“On the contrary… Every year, every day… I find myself pining for him…”

“The thing I fear the most is that I’ll hear the news of his death.”

She softly mumbled those words, as if she were speaking in her sleep.

“Big Sister, when you were still alive, you used your life and the future of the Snow Song Realm to protect him. And you’re still trying your best to protect him in the land of the dead, aren’t you…”

The untimely death of the beautiful Mu Xuanyin had cost the Snow Song Realm its greatest pillar of strength. If not for the stern warning the Moon God Emperor had given everyone back then, the Snow Song Realm would have long since been swarmed under by star realms who were either trying to take advantage of the situation or settle old scores with them.

Mu Bingyun’s cultivation and fame were far weaker than Mu Xuanyin’s, so after she had inherited Mu Xuanyin’s throne and position within the sect, she had become pressured on all sides. However, the harder things got, the less weakness she could show.

She had previously been as gentle and soft as a cloud, but now, she had to force herself to be cold, decisive… and even merciless.

The only time she could fully display her weakness was when she was alone with her sister in this place.

She did not stay for long. Once the last of the Ice Feather Spirit Flowers floated out of her view, Mu Bingyun slowly got to her feet. In the blink of an eye, the mistiness in her eyes disappeared and the only thing left was a terrifying coldness.

When she returned to the Ice Phoenix Sacred Region, Second Elder Mu Tanzhi was already waiting outside her hall. His expression was exceptionally grave and he swiftly approached Mu Bingyun as he said, “Sect Master, something terrible has happened. The thing we’ve been worried about for the past few years has finally come to pass.”

Mu Bingyun let out a gloomy sigh but the expression on her peerlessly beautiful face, which looked like it was carved out of ice, did not change in the slightest. “Is it the northern region or the southern region?”

There were three powerful Divine Sovereign profound beasts in the Snow Song Realm, they were the overlords of all of the profound beasts in the star realm. They ruled over three regions, the eastern, southern, and northern regions respectively.

When Mu Xuanyin had ruled the Snow Song Realm, all three of these overlords had been suppressed by her power, so they obediently submitted to her. Not only did not dare to set foot out of their own profound regions, but they even dutifully governed the regions they were in charge of and kept all of the profound beasts in line.

When the profound beast rampages were happening, the Divine Sovereign profound beast of the eastern region had charged out of its territory in a rage, but it had been incinerated by the Flame God Realm’s Huo Poyun, who had hurried over to the Snow Song Realm for the sake of Mu Feixue.

But now that the Snow Song Realm had lost Mu Xuanyin, the two Divine Sovereign profound beasts who ruled the north and the south were no longer content to stay under the heels of the Divine Ice Phoenix Sect.

“The southern region,” Mu Tanzhi replied.

Mu Bingyun gave a soft sigh of relief in her heart. If it was the Divine Sovereign profound beast in the southern region who had revolted, they still had the power to forcefully suppress it.

“Sect Mster, are we truly not going to ask the Moon God Realm for aid?” Mu Tanzhi asked. “If it’s just one mid-stage Divine Sovereign profound beast, we can still kill it with our combined might. But the profound beasts under its command number in the millions. Even if we can suppress it… we will definitely suffer heavy losses.”

“If something happens in the northern region…”

“No,” The moment she heard the three words “Moon God Realm”, Mu Bingyun’s aura turned frigid and her words became cold and harsh. “Even if the Ice Phoenix meets its bitter end, we will never ask anything of the Moon God Realm! If anyone dares to defy me, they will immediately be expelled from the sect!”

“Send a sound transmission to the great elder. Ask him to take care of the sect. This king will personally make a trip to the south… Also, suppress this news as best as you can. We don’t want to stir up any panic.”

Mu Tanzhi left to execute his orders, but his eyes were filled with worry.

Even though the Moon God Realm had warned the rest of the God Realm, the world still associated the Snow Song Realm with the word “sin” due to Yun Che and Mu Xuanyin, who had helped Yun Che escape.

What would the future hold for the Snow Song Realm...

1. Author footnote: In order to save everyone’s money, I’m leaving out these eighty-seven thousand extra words!