Against the Gods

The Profound God Convention had officially ended, but the shock it brought—far more profound than any other Profound God Convention in history—could still be felt even now.

This was especially true in regards to the champion of the Conferred God Battle, Yun Che. His name had resounded throughout the Eastern Divine Region, and it was quickly spreading to the Southern and Western Divine Regions as well.

He had defeated a Divine Spirit as a Divine Tribulation, and he had defeated a Divine King as a Divine Spirit.

He possessed the divine power of the Ice Phoenix, Phoenix and the Golden Crow, and he had fused two divine flames together and created a scarlet flame that defied common sense...

He possessed an extremely high-level dragon soul, and he had even executed a God Manifestation Art that shocked all the Divine Masters...

The sky turned dark when he was about to achieve a breakthrough, and an astounding nine stage lightning tribulation had descended from the sky...

He remained perfectly unharmed even though the lightning tribulation could destroy even the god emperors, and he dealt a severe blow to Fairy Guxie with the heavenly lightning...

………………

Any single one of these achievements could astound the entire world. Even better, they weren’t baseless rumors. They were facts that were witnessed by everyone present at the the Conferred God Stage and those who were watching through the star tablets!

As for Luo Changsheng, former champion of the Four God Children, predicted champion of the Conferred God Battle, and the youngest Divine King ever in history of the Eastern Divine Region, he had barely shown a glimpse of glory before he was subjected to the fate of becoming Yun Che’s stepping stone. Worse, the image he had preserved for so long had collapsed completely in a single day.

Luo Changsheng was a legend, but Yun Che had taken his place. Not only that, he had become a true legend in everyone’s eyes. He hadn’t just astounded the younger generation of profound practitioners, but also the older generation, and even the realm kings as well.

In particular, the True God prophecy had shaken even the king realms… the Eternal Heaven God Emperor itched to take him on as his direct disciple, the Brahma Heaven God Emperor wanted to marry his daughter to him, God Emperor Shitian wanted to take him back to Southern Divine Region, and even the champion of Primal Chaos, Dragon Monarch, wanted to adopt him...

…………

There was no question that Yun Che was going to be brought up again and again in every mouth in the Eastern Divine Region, and even the entire God Realm for a very, very long time to come. There truly was no better way to describe him except for the word “legend”.

Although the Profound God Convention had ended, the practitioners from the various star realms didn’t leave, because the Moon God Emperor would be holding a new wedding ceremony in just half a month’s time. Profound dimensional formations had been prepared at the periphery so that everyone could teleport from the Eternal Heaven God Realm to the Moon God Realm directly.

Snow Song Realm had been in an uproar for a while now. The unprecedented, passionate atmosphere seemed to give even the eternal snow a different kind of temperature. Those from Divine Ice Phoenix Sect in particular could hardly believe that this was real, and even now most of them felt like they were living inside a dream.

Surprisingly, the calmest person in the entire Divine Ice Phoenix Sect was the legend himself, Yun Che, comparatively speaking… Yun Che had never dreamed that he would attract something as shocking as a nine stage lightning tribulation. He had beaten Luo Changsheng after his ascension and become the champion of the Conferred God Stage. He had fulfilled the wish he had set out to achieve… but the price he paid was the attention of every man and woman in the God Realm.

The king realms had nearly thrown aside all pretenses just to lure him into their fold. This might’ve been an unimaginable boon to most people, but it was a crushing burden to Yun Che.

Right now, Yun Che was quietly sitting beside a pond thinking about something. No one dared to disturb his thoughts. Forget the Snow Song disciples who had accompanied him here, even the Ice Phoenix palace masters and elders had consciously concealed their breaths and presences whenever they got close to him. They were afraid of causing him even the slightest bit of disturbance.

If Yun Che could demand the respect of every Snow Song disciple, elder and palace master as Mu Xuanyin’s direct disciple before, now… he could nod his head once and become the Eternal Heaven God Emperor’s personal disciple… the Brahma Heaven God Emperor’s son-in-law… or even the Dragon Monarch adopted son. Any single one of these identities were dimensions ahead of the plane Snow Song Realm existed in.

There was one person who was an exception to the rule, however.

“What are you thinking?” Mu Bingyun’s footsteps were silent as she made her way towards Yun Che. “You’re about to see her soon. Shouldn’t you be happy?”

Yun Che’s thoughts were broken as he regained his senses. He sighed before answering, “Of course I’m happy to see her, but… I never thought that things would become as serious as they have. From here on, I can’t just leave, I wouldn’t dare. But if I do manage to return home, I can never return to the God Realm afterwards.

Mu Bingyun stared deeply at him before whispering, “You are a very special person, Yun Che. The personal disciple of Eternal Heaven God Emperor… the son-in-law of Brahma Heaven God Emperor… the adopted son of Dragon Monarch… anyone of these statuses are enticing enough to compel a strong-willed profound practitioner to pay any price, be it betraying their heritage or abandoning their families. They wouldn’t even bat an eyelid if they did so.”

“But you? You didn’t hesitate either, but the choice you made was the exact opposite. You’re probably thinking about ways to avoid everyone’s eyes and return back to the world you came from, aren’t you? I doubt there’s anyone in this world who can understand your thoughts or actions.” Mu Bingyun sighed quietly.

Yun Che stared towards the front and said a little absentmindedly, “I’ve cultivated hard in the sect for the past few years, haven’t I? Everyone must think that I harbor great greed and ambition towards the way of the profound… just like Brother Poyun. But the truth is… maybe you don’t believe me, but I’ve never had any ambition since the day I started cultivating. All I ever wanted to do was to protect the people I care about and make sure that no harm comes to them. That is why I was forced to surpass one enemy after the other again and again.”

“I never wanted to forge a bigger, better world for myself when I came to the God Realm. All I ever wanted was to see her, but… I never thought that things would turn out this way.”

“...” Mu Bingyun stared at him before whispering very, very quietly to herself, “No wonder you have so many lovers… no wonder sister fell for…”

“Ah?” Yun Che looked up. “What did you say, Palace Master Bingyun?”

Mu Bingyun subconsciously avoided his gaze. “I’m just talking to myself. I wasn’t surprised that you turned down the Eternal Heaven God Emperor and the Brahma Heaven God Emperor, but why the Dragon Monarch too? He declared in front of everyone that all he wanted to give you was a status, and that he wouldn’t force you to do anything against your wishes. His protection is exactly what you need right now, isn’t it? So why did you turn him down? Were you actually afraid that you’d disappoint your father?”

Yun Che shook his head. “There is no free lunch in this world.”

“But I can feel that he desires nothing from you,” Mu Bingyun replied.

“Maybe you’re right, but that doesn’t mean that sentiment won’t change in the future.” Yun Che’s eyes flashed once before he lowered his voice. “Dragons are prideful by nature, and they’re far less greedy than humans are. But… my master once taught me that greed is a nature that’s marked in every living creature’s bones. She told me never to lower my guard around people whom I don’t really know… even if that person was the Dragon Monarch himself.”

Mu Bingyun, “...”

“Everyone must think that the reason the Dragon Monarch wishes to adopt me is because of that so-called True God prophecy, but that isn’t true.” Yun Che told her honestly, “The real reason he wants to adopt me, is because of my dragon soul.”

“Are you worried… that he’s planning to rob you of your dragon soul?” Mu Bingyun frowned slightly. “But a True Dragon’s soul can only be gifted willingly. It can never be taken away by force.”

“I know.” Yun Che’s eyes turned a little hard. “Just like you, I can sense that the Dragon Monarch didn’t harbor any complex intent. He wanted to protect me because my dragon soul is special, that’s all. However… while he may not desire my dragon soul, there is one other thing that he may be tempted greatly to take away from me.”

“What is it?” Mu Bingyun looked surprised.

The Dragon God’s Marrow!

The Dragon God’s Marrow didn’t just give him an unbreakable frame, it also generated the Dragon God’s blood on its own and ensured that his dragon god blood would grow richer and richer.

The Dragon Monarch couldn’t take his dragon soul away from him, but he could take away his dragon marrow!

If the True Dragons of the Western Divine Region were to realize that he possessed the Primordial Dragon God’s marrow… he could scarcely imagine the consequences.

“...” Yun Che didn’t voice his thoughts, but Mu Bingyun didn’t pursue deeper. They fell silent for a moment before Mu Bingyun asked, “Yun Che, have you found a way to ‘go back’ already?”

Her question caught Yun Che off guard. He hesitated for a moment before nodding at her, and then he said in a low voice, “The Dragon Monarch is here.”

“...!?” Mu Bingyun frowned, and a terrible pressure suddenly descended from the sky. In an instant, Mu Bingyun’s spiritual perception vanished like it never existed… she felt like she was flooded by an infinite sea.

A tall, powerful figure appeared soundlessly before Yun Che.

It was none other than the Dragon Monarch himself.

Mu Bingyun turned around in shock, her surprise was far outmatched by the rest of the members of the Divine Ice Phoenix Sect. They stared blankly at the strongest existence of Primal Chaos and wondered if they were dreaming.

“Mu Bingyun of the Snow Song Realm greets Senior Dragon Monarch.” Mu Bingyun hurriedly dragged Yun Che into a kneeling position before uttering these words. Her voice woke everyone from their reverie and caused them to get to their knees too, although their brains were still as muddled as ever.

The Dragon Monarch was mighty and powerful. He was the king that even the four god emperors of the Eastern Divine Region must bow to. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that the Snow Song Realm was as small as a speck of dust before a being like him. So the only reason he would descend to a lowly place like this… was to meet Yun Che.

If Yun Che didn’t exist, they doubted that he would even remember Snow Song Realm’s name.

“You may leave.”

The three words were spoken gently and mildly, but they felt like an oracle from the heavens. Hearts and minds clenching, everyone in the vicinity left before their minds even caught up to the reality before them. Mu Bingyun glanced at Yun Che once, but she did not dare give him advice in front of the Dragon Monarch and flew away from the area.

The Dragon Monarch flipped his hand once, and a sound isolating barrier instantly enveloped both him and Yun Che.

“Junior Yun Che greets Senior Dragon Monarch.” Yun Che bowed again.

The Dragon Monarch looked down slightly and stared deeply at Yun Che with his deep, black draconic eyes. “Why have you turned me down?”

The Dragon Monarch suddenly frowned a little after he said this.

It was because he realized that Yun Che was breathing evenly.

Unlike most people, he didn’t need to unleash his aura to win obedience from another person. His mere existence, his mere presence, was enough to compel any living being to bow their heads towards him.

The only exception to the rule had been the Dragon Queen herself.

But today, a new person had joined the exception.

For example, if Mu Xuanyin, a Divine Master put even a bit of pressure on him, his entire body would clench up, and his breathing would become stifled.

However, a dragon’s might surpassed even that. It was the most powerful thing in the world, and at the same level there was literally nothing that could surpass it.

Unfortunately for Dragon Monarch, the one thing Yun Che didn’t fear was a dragon’s might.

Yun Che didn’t get to his feet. Still bowing his head, he answered, “You are the king of the world, Senior Dragon Monarch. I… just dare not accept such boon.”

“Dare not?” Dragon Monarch asked. “You dare not accept my boon, but you dare reject it? I can’t even remember the last time my will was disobeyed like this.”

Yun Che, “...”

“Stand up. I’m not here to force you against your will.”

The Dragon Monarch didn’t make any visible movement, but a strange energy grasped onto Yun Che in an attempt to lift him. Yun Che allowed himself to be brought to his feet, standing straight and proper as he faced the Dragon Monarch… It was true that he wasn’t afraid of a dragon’s might, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t feeling nervous right now. The man standing before him was the scariest being in the entire world. If the Dragon Monarch really wanted him dead, all he needed to do was blow at him.

“You should know full well why I wanted to adopt you as my son, and why I’ve come to meet you so urgently.” The Dragon Monarch started, “Did you come by that dragon soul from the world you were born in?”

“Yes.” Yun Che answered concisely.

“You’ve also been gifted the ‘blood’, am I right?” He was asking, but his tone was absolutely certain.

“Yes.”

“You don’t need to worry.” Dragon Monarch’s tone grew even gentler as he sighed. “The Primordial Dragon God… to think that he would leave behind his inheritance in a world beyond the God Realm. It must be an incredibly important world to him.”

Yun Che, “...”

“Don’t worry, I won’t question you regarding your background or your birth world.” The Dragon Monarch had apparently seen through Yun Che’s doubts as he let out another deep sigh. “Thanks to the Dragon God’s blood, my race had the fortune to become the invincible kings of this world. However, none of us were lucky enough to inherit the Dragon God’s divine soul. At first, I thought that the dragon god’s soul had perished along with the Primordial Dragon God himself, but it would appear that a trace of it still exists somewhere in the world. This may be the best news the Dragon God Race has heard for countless years.”

The Dragon Monarch’s words came from the bottom of his heart. There weren’t many things in this world that could move him this way. “The reason I wish to adopt you is to protect you, and the dragon god’s final soul that resides in your body. I promise I won’t force you to join the Dragon God Realm or do anything at all… are you certain you don’t want to accept my offer?”

“I will carve this favor into my very heart, Senior Dragon Monarch,” Yun Che said.

The Dragon Monarch frowned slightly at this response, but then he let out a sigh. “Never mind. If your will wasn’t as strong as it is, the Dragon God’s divine spirit would never have gifted you its final soul. But I must remind you that with absolute freedom, comes absolute responsibility… you are too young, I suppose. You are around the age that breeds naivety.”

“I am repeating myself here,” the Dragon Monarch said seriously. “If there comes a day you believe that the Eastern Divine Region is no longer suited for you, you are free to come to the Dragon God Realm. With the kind of dragon soul and dragon blood you possess, you will find the Dragon God Realm to be the safest haven in the entire world!”

“I will not forget your words… In fact, you’ve already granted me great protection by voicing your intention to adopt me as your son, as well as granting me the Dragon God Mark,” Yun Che said.

“If you truly believe that, then I must say that you’re underestimating the Eastern Divine Region too much!” The Dragon Monarch’s voice turned a little cold. “Answer me, Yun Che. Consider your own experience regarding the Eastern Divine Region, and everything you’ve heard, seen, learned, and felt in the Eternal Heaven Realm thus far. Who do you think is the most dangerous threat you should watch out for?”

Yun Che looked up and thought for a second. Then, he answered honestly, “The Brahma Monarch Goddess.”

“Oh?” Dragon Monarch was clearly surprised by his answer, but a smile quickly appeared on his face. “You truly are a man who deserves the divine soul of the Primordial Dragon God. To think that that is your answer even though you have had virtually no contact with Qianye Ying’er whatsoever… You are correct. Qianye Ying’er is an extremely dangerous person, more dangerous than even her father, the Brahma Heaven God Emperor himself. However, she is but one of the threats you must watch out for. There is one more person you must never lower your guard around…”

“And he is the Star God Emperor, the man who will soon take you to the Star God Realm—Xing Juekong!”