Gate of God

“Young Empress, don’t force my hand! Although you hold an esteemed position, I know that you are not even as powerful as a common member of the Monster Race. We are only five steps apart from each other. Even if the Lady Empress was present right now, she would not be able to stop me from taking your life!” The black figure clenched his teeth. He was emotionally unstable and looked like he was going to act any moment.

“If that is the case, then why haven’t you made your move?” Yun Qingwu had a serene expression on her face.

“Young Empress… do you not want to live anymore?”

“I do not fear death. However, I don’t want to go looking for death either. You may leave. Go announce your crimes to our fellow Monster race comrades and take your own life after that!” Yun Qingwu shook her head slightly and tilted her head upwards gently. She went back to staring at the moving clouds.

The black figure shivered. He kept his gaze on Yun Qingwu, who was standing right before him. He could not believe that this was happening.

He onus was on him to make a move. He had even threatened Yun Qingwu. However, he felt like he was entirely under Yun Qingwu’s control.

Why so?

The black figure did not understand. With his powers as a Monster King, he barely had to lift a finger in order to kill Yun Qingwu. He could then come up with an excuse to absolve himself of any blame.

For example, he could say that some of the travelling disciples of Nine Pinnacles Mountain had returned suddenly and he had been unable to protect Yun Qingwu from them. There were many potential stories that he could come up with.

Nevertheless, he was unable to act on his thoughts.

It was very strange!

Also, he was sure that the reason he was unable to act was not because of Yun Qingwu’s status as the Young Empress of the Monster race. On the contrary, a half-blooded Young Empress was a joke.

For twenty years, the entire Monster race was aware of the daughter produced from the union of the Monster Empress Baizhi and the Demon Emperor Yun. However, virtually no one from the Monster race had bothered to acknowledge the presence of Yun Qingwu.

Until…

Yun Qingwu started to strut around with a group of demon bodyguards and entered the Great Swamp. Only then did people remember that the Young Empress existed.

It was quite funny.

Funnier still, Yun Qingwu had not inherited the great size and strength of the Monster race. She did not have any of the characteristics that defined a member of the Monster race.

There was something else. Not only did Yun Qingwu not possess any Monster race characteristics, she did not have any of the Demon race characteristics either.

She did not have the Demon Eye!

Yet she was the Young Lord of the Demon race!

What a joke!

When Yun Qingwu had first appeared before the Monster race, all of them had gotten down on their knees. In truth, all of them were smirking in their hearts.

However, it was this joke of a Young Empress who had successfully convinced the cold Monster Empress Baizhi. Also, she had utilised the power of five Monster Kings and conquered one of the five Sects of the Holy Region, Nine Pinnacles Mountain. This was an organisation that the Monster race had battled for ten years to no avail, until the Young Empress had appeared.

At face value, it looked like pure luck.

Nonetheless, the entire Monster race knew that this was because Yun Qingwu had predicted everything three months before!

Three months!

Yun Qingwu had led them to success in only one attempt.

This was nothing short of miraculous because the time of their attack had to be extremely precise. Acting any earlier or later would have resulted in another failure.

The black figure fell to his knees once more, except that it wasn’t a half-kneel this time but a kowtow.

“Young Empress, do you really have to kill me?”

“Mmhm.” Yun Qingwu nodded curtly.

“Why? At this critical juncture, why won’t you show me mercy. I am a Monster King…” The black figure was aggrieved.

“The war looms overhead. Killing a Monster King would be akin to chopping off a finger. However, this would also serve as a stern warning to the Monster army and keep everyone in line. Only through a high level of discipline can we win the war.”

“Discipline? Discipline… I understand now. The Monster race has stayed on too long in the Great Swamp and has lived too comfortably for the past ten years. Although the hatred remains, the drive is no longer there. The Young Empress is right! Only my death can keep them on their toes!” The black figure had finally come to terms with the Young Empress’s wishes.

“When the war ends, I will personally carve your name onto the memorial for our fallen heroes!l Yun Qingwu stared at the black mass hunched over the ground with a glint in her eye.

“Thank you, Young Empress! I have another wish!”

“I will avenge your son for you. I will drag the murderer from Ling Yun Tower to your son’s grave.” Yun Qingwu nodded.

“Then I shall thank you in behalf of my son, Young Empress. Now, I shall bid you… goodbye!” The black figure got to his knees slowly.

“Mm.” Yun Qingwu nodded once more.

The black figure said no more and turned around slowly. He had a resolute determination in his eyes. Still, he could not help but turn back to look at Yun Qingwu, who was still standing on the black rock.

“Young Empress, can you really lead the Monster race to greatness again?”

“I don’t know the answer to every question, but do you want the Monster race to stay in the Great Swamp and hide away in the darkness forever?” Yun Qingwu replied his question with a question of her own.

“Monsters absorb the essence of heaven and earth as well as the light of the sun and moon… I understand now. It is an honour to sacrifice myself for the future of the Monster race. I have no regrets!” The black figure walked towards the numerous black shadows gathered outside the Nine Pinnacles Mountain gate.

“Is a monster who cannot see sunlight still a monster?” Yun Qingwu watched on as the black figure walked off into the distance. She then looked at the rising morning sun with a sort of bright tenacity on her face.

“The spoils go to the victor!”

Right, or wrong!”

“The winners always get to write history!”

Yun Qingwu clenched her fists as her voice echoed off the rocks. Her white robes flapped on in the breeze.

…

Holy Region, Ling Yun Tower.

The sun had risen to the top of the sky and gave life to the big patch of greenery below. Dewdrops shimmered in the sunlight.

Several green-robed women were lying in front of Ling Yun Tower. They were all seriously hurt and the ground ran red with their blood.

Green Jade had drawn her last breath.

Two white-robed women kept vigil by her body. They were both holding onto their swords tightly. There was a roaring hatred in their eyes.

Fang Zhengzhi frowned as he tightened his grip on the Traceless Sword.

He was not afraid of the five women who had appeared next to Cang Yue. In fact, he could not even be bothered to look at them and he kept his eyes on Lin Mubai.

The emperor of the Great Xia was lying on the floor with his face as white as a sheet. He looked like he was on the brink of death.

However, even until now…

The woman called Yu Er had not appeared.

Fang Zhengzhi felt a growing rage within him. Although all he had were speculations and assumptions, he was aware of the power of faith. Ling Yun Tower had placed their faith in heartlessness.

Otherwise, Green Jade would not have given up her life so easily.

Women were emotional creatures and experience greater intensity in their feelings. History has been littered with many cases of women pining their whole lives away for a lost love.

Examples include the stories of Meng Jiangnu and the lovers Gan Jiang and Mo Ye.

Of course, love could give way to hatred as well. Being emotional creatures meant that women were more susceptible to getting hurt by relationships.

Cultivating the art of heartlessness would fill one up with hatred and rage, which could help one break out from a state of extreme sadness.

Love, hate, then indifference.

Fang Zhengzhi felt uncomfortable after witnessing all these. He was not sure about how other people felt, but he recognised the sanctity of relationships. Friendships, love and kinship were some of the most valuable treasures in the world.

Ling Yun Tower, however, made use of relationships for the sake of cultivation…

In Fang Zhengzhi’s opinion, this was evil!

Of course, everyone was free to make their own choices and Fang Zhengzhi had no right to get involved. Nevertheless, he did not wish to see Ping Yang get hurt in the process.

She had been born as a result of their romance, then abandoned when they fell out with each other. Now, she was getting hurt by the heartlessness of the involved party. Throughout all this while, she had been treated like the waste product of their cultivation.

Fang Zhengzhi was angry. Not because Ling Yun Tower had controlled their disciples with an iron fist on the basis on faith, but at the leader of Ling Yun Tower for being so callous even though she lorded over one of the Five Sects of the Holy Region.

This might be a laughable reason.

Still, Fang Zhengzhi made up his mind to persevere in the defence of his ideals.

“Fang Zhengzhi, if… if I don’t get to see Yu Er ever again, bury… bury my remains at the doorstep of Ling Yun Tower. This way, when I die…” Lin Mubai’s voice rang out once more. He had chosen to disregard Cang Yue’s admonishment.

“Father! Don’t die, Father! I don’t want you to die. Mother will save you like how she saved me. She will be able to keep you alive…” Ping Yang’s eyes welled up with tears.

Lin Mubai had doted on Ping Yang since she was a little girl and was a mountain that had sheltered her from the storms. Now, this mountain was on the verge of collapse. How would she be able to hold back her tears?

“Hahaha… dream on! Lin Mubai, just give up. Our master has never loved you and will never love you!” Cang Yue cackled. Her ferocious look was supplemented by the savage atmosphere surrounding Ling Yun Tower.

“No, Yu Er truly loves me!” Lin Mubai got worked up and regained some colour in his cheeks. There was a look of determination on his face.

Fang Zhengzhi maintained a tight grip on the Traceless Sword.

He did not know what had gone wrong between Lin Mubai and Yu Er. Neither did he know the reason for Lin Mubai’s conviction.

But he knew something else.

Whether it was for Ping Yang or to fulfil Lin Mubai’s wishes, Yu Er was the key. Thus, he would do it for them. After all, ever since Cang Yue and the other five women had appeared, the only way out for him was to move forward.

Should he charge?

Fang Zhengzhi tilted his head upwards slightly such that he could see Ling Yun Tower reflecting the sunlight of its roof.

In fact, before arriving here, Fang Zhengzhi had never even considered the possibility of Yu Er being the leader of Ling Yun Tower.

Ling Yun Tower?

This was a mysterious place.

Every new person who turned up was stronger than the last and had a greater understanding of the Dao. Although Fang Zhengzhi had not yet entered the Tower, he was already in trouble.

Fang Zhengzhi had grossly underestimated the difficulty of this trip to Ling Yun Tower.

Fang Zhengzhi’s original plan was to goad the leader of Ling Yun Tower into appearing and settle their differences rationally over tea. After all, there were no grievances that could not be resolved.

But now…

As Ling Yun Tower loomed before him, Fang Zhengzhi was acutely aware of the difficulties he faced!

Most importantly, after learning Yu Er’s real identity, Fang Zhengzhi understood that this issue was no longer a petty quarrel. It had become personal.

For example, only someone who dares to mock authority figures in their faces can understand how thrilling it is to utter such words.

“Yu Er, you are an evil woman with a big and round face. You are an ugly monster. Are you going to remain within Ling Yun Tower like a coward?” There was no turning back now and Fang Yuan decided to take a gamble.