Against the Gods

Luo Guxie left. The coming of this “disaster” was unforeseen, and its ending even less so. While it didn’t take too long for a Divine Master to regrow a limb, the humiliation Luo Guxie had suffered was something that remained in the soul for a lifetime. Just how many people in this world had the power to thwart her? This was no longer just simple humiliation to Luo Guxie. It was a nightmare that she could very well never escape unless she could kill Mu Xuanyin with her own hands, just like how she sought to kill Yun Che personally.

She would try to wipe this from her memory… She had brought all this upon herself.

Everything was silent within the Ice Phoenix Realm. No one was cheering or speaking even after Star End Hall had vanished completely from view, and the dust of a fierce battle had settled completely. Shock, blank confusion, sluggishness… every Ice Phoenix disciple, hall master, palace master, and elder was wearing a ridiculous expression. It was so that they might not wake up even if someone were to give them a heavy slap to the face.

They were acting the way they were because their sect master, Realm King of the Snow Song Realm, had defeated—decisively defeated—the number one profound practitioner beneath king realms everyone in the Eastern Divine Region knew and revered, Luo Guxie!

In truth, their reaction was perfectly normal. Even Glazed Light Realm King Shui Qianheng was so shocked by Mu Xuanyin cutting off Luo Guxie’s arm that his eyeballs had nearly popped out of their sockets.

Huo Poyun stared blankly to the front for a very long time before he finally turned towards Yun Che with difficulty, “Y-your master… S-she…”

“Ahem, she’s pretty strong, isn’t she?” Yun Che pressed a finger against his nose and forced himself to speak calmly.

Huo Poyun nodded like a pecking chick.

“Now that she has defeated Luo Guxie, she has become the true ‘number one’ profound practitioner beneath the king realms,” Shui Meiyin whispered. “Big Brother Yun is the younger generation’s number one profound practitioner, and senior Mu is the number one profound practitioner beneath Eastern Divine Region’s king realms… she deserves to be called Big Brother Yun’s maser.”

“...” His daughter’s voice finally closed Shui Qianheng’s wide open mouth little by little.

He had “deigned” to come here because his daughter had requested him to, but he never imagined that he would witness something that would shock the entire God Realm.

Mu Xuanyin reappeared after a blue flash, and she shot Yun Che a glance to confirm that he was unharmed. Then, she withdrew her gaze and looked at the Eternal Heaven God Emperor, “This junior wasn’t able to withdraw her attack in time. Please forgive this junior for her transgressions, Eternal Heaven God Emperor.”

“...” The corner of Shui Qianheng’s mouth twitched suddenly. “Wasn’t able to withdraw her attack in time?” Just like everyone else, Shui Qianheng had clearly witnessed Mu Xuanyin hitting the Eternal Heaven God Emperor in the head without mercy when the latter had stopped her from killing Luo Guxie...

Shui Qianheng shuddered involuntarily. This was a woman who could kill Luo Guxie without hesitation and even hit the Eternal Heaven God Emperor when she was angry...

This is a woman I absolutely cannot provoke no matter what, Shui Qianheng thought to himself repeatedly. After today, it was clear that Mu Xuanyin was scarier and more dangerous than Luo Guxie in every sense of the word...

Shui Qianheng shifted his gaze to Shui Meiyin, and suddenly his heart tightened for an instant… Although Luo Guxie had surprise-attacked Yun Che, not a hair on the boy was harmed in the process. However, Mu Xuanyin’s fury was still terrible to say the least. When he considered that his daughter had refused to extinguish her affection for Yun Che despite three thousand years...

Where was this strange anxiety coming from?

“Hehe, it’s okay, it’s okay.” The Eternal Heaven God Emperor was the Eternal Heaven God Emperor after all. Not only was he completely unperturbed by her earlier slight, he even smiled at her and said, “There is nothing wrong with wanting to protect your disciple.”

“That’s right,” Shui Qianheng interrupted, “the Snow Song Realm King’s love and concern for her junior is unchanged despite wielding such power. It is most admirable.”

When Shui Qianheng first arrived, he had assumed a polite, amiable, but overbearing presence before Mu Xuanyin. Now, it was clear that his words were a lot humbler than normal.

Mu Xuanyin nodded slightly at the two of them, “Xuanyin is most grateful that so many noble guests have come to my disciple’s aid. Che’er, where are your manners?”

“Yes, Master.” Yun Che walked forward and bowed, “Eternal Heaven God Emperor, Senior Shui, this junior is grateful beyond words for your timely aid.”

“As we should, as we should.” Shui Qianheng chuckled.

The Eternal Heaven God Emperor sighed heavily as he stared at Yun Che. “The reason the Profound God Convention was held was exactly to find a ‘miraculous’ person like you. Your appearance was a source of great joy to me, but in the end I wasn’t able to keep you from harm. When I heard that we had lost you, it nearly became the regret of a lifetime. Words cannot describe how glad I am to find you safe and sound.”

Yun Che said gratefully, “This junior cannot possibly deserve such favor... This junior cannot think of a way to repay you.”

The Eternal Heaven God Emperor chuckled and sighed while shaking his head. “It’s no wonder that you’re able to surpass all four god children and climb to the top of the Conferred God Battle. To think that your master is this powerful! Now I understand why the Snow Song Realm King didn’t attend the Profound God Convention.”

“To heavily injure Luo Guxie in a hundred breaths’ time, your cultivation must be…” The Eternal Heaven God Emperor stopped talking there because the thought in his mind was simply too shocking to put into words. “I’m truly ashamed to have not heard tales of your astounding power in the northern side of the Eastern Divine Region.”

Mu Xuanyin replied, “This junior hadn’t wanted to conceal her power on purpose. The Snow Song Realm is just a small realm, and we simply cannot afford to attract too much attention.”

The Eternal Heaven God Emperor nodded understandingly… But his shock was a separate emotion that he couldn’t suppress no matter what.

Xia Qingyue asked, “Senior Mu, Luo Guxie was going to leave one way or another, so why did you change your mind in the end?”

When she said “change your mind”, she meant why Mu Xuanyin had decided to reveal her hidden strength… Generally, it wasn’t wise to expose one’s “trump card”.

Mu Xuanyin answered, “The crimson calamity may occur anytime. It is my duty to do my utmost to ensure the safety of the Eastern Divine Region.”

The Eternal Heaven God Emperor nodded praisingly. “It is the Eastern Divine Region’s fortune to have someone like you.”

“Besides that, I don’t want anyone to think poorly of the Snow Song Realm! Luo Guxie is an evil and uncontrollable woman. If I don’t make a show of strength, it is only a matter of time before she strikes the Snow Song Realm!”

“I see.” Xia Qingyue nodded, but Mu Xuanyin’s reasoning hadn’t been able to satisfy her so far.

However, an idea suddenly entered her mind and clouded her eyes slightly with complicated emotions. She then asked her second question, “Senior Mu, Yun Che intended to keep his return a secret, didn’t he? However, rumors of his survival suddenly spread from the Holy Eaves Realm to the entire Eastern Divine Region. That is why the Eternal Heaven God Emperor and the Glazed Light Realm King were able to arrive so quickly, am I right? On that note, am I also right to assume that the source of this news is the Holy Eaves Realm?”

“Correct,” The Eternal Heaven God Emperor nodded, “the Holy Eaves Realm’s Star End Hall suddenly rocketed towards the north at top speed. It would be harder not to notice such a commotion. After a bit of investigation, I soon discovered that Luo Guxie was the one piloting the Star End Hall, not Luo Changsheng.”

“Before Luo Guxie left, she had declared in fury that she would ‘kill Yun Che with her own hands’. It was quite the public declaration, and it took little effort to verify if it was true or false. At first, I couldn’t believe the rumors because Yun Che couldn’t have been strong enough to escape the Evil Infant disaster. However, after receiving a similar message from the Moon God Realm, I knew then that there was a high chance that the rumors were true. That is why I came personally to verify the truth with my own eyes.”

“...?” This was the third time Yun Che had heard of the term “Evil Infant”.

“It is the same here,” Shui Qianheng said.

“I thought so,” Xia Qingyue said. “In that case, why didn’t you interrogate Luo Guxie to find out how she knew that Yun Che was alive and where his exact location was just now, senior Mu?”

Mu Xuanyin shot Yun Che a glance, “Yun Che probably knew the answer already. I’d decided that it was something he should deal with himself.”

Yun Che, “...”

“Oh?” Everyone wore puzzled looks on their faces.

“Yun Che, I have a question.” The Eternal Heaven God Emperor asked, “A large amount of Star Gods, Moon Gods, Brahma Kings, and Guardians were killed during the Evil Infant Disaster. The Star God Realm was also left barren and lifeless land during the aftermath. How in the world did you manage to escape that tragedy?”

“...!!?” The Eternal Heaven God Emperor’s words shook Yun Che greatly. He asked urgently, “What did you say?”

The Star God Realm was now a barren and lifeless land? A large amount of Star Gods and Moon Gods had perished in battle? Anyone would be surprised to hear something like this. Yun Che immediately realized that he had forgotten himself and quickly adopted a calm demeanor. He asked with a frown on his face, “This junior hasn’t been in the God Realm for the past couple of years. I didn’t die in that disaster either…”

“Yun Che used the Void Illusion Stone to escape the Star God Realm just before the Evil Infant Disaster happened,” Mu Xuanyin suddenly spoke up. “He has spent the last few years in the lower realms until very recently. That is why he has no idea about the Evil Infant Disaster, and I haven’t had the time to speak to him about this. I will be doing so later.”

Yun Che, “...”

“Oh… I see now.” The Eternal Heaven God Emperor nodded, and didn’t pursue the subject further. “Regardless, the Eastern Divine Region is lucky that Yun Che has survived. The Eastern Divine Region is also lucky to have you, Snow Song Realm King. Right now, the Eastern Divine Region is overshadowed by the Crimson crack, and this calamity may be bigger than anyone can possibly imagine. Thanks to your presence, our hope is now greater than it was before.”

Mu Xuanyin said, “You praise me too much, Eternal Heaven God Emperor. This junior dare not accept it.”

“Your strength is deserving of any language in the world.” The Eternal Heaven God Emperor chuckled. “My trip to the Snow Song Realm today isn’t in vain, so I think it is time I take my leave.”

Originally, he had come to take Yun Che back to the Eternal Heaven God Realm. But now, it looked like his concern was unnecessary.

Mu Xuanyin urged the Eternal Heaven God Emperor to stay. “It is a great boon and fortune to be visited by the Eternal Heaven God Emperor himself. Please, allow me to fulfill my duty as a host.”

“Hehe, it’s okay.” The Eternal Heaven God Emperor smiled at her. “The Eternal Heaven General Assembly is right around the corner, and I will be meeting both of you again—Snow Song Realm King, Glazed Light Realm King—very soon. Meiyin, Poyun, I will be borrowing your strength this time as well.”

Huo Poyun took a step forward and said solemnly, “The Eternal Heaven God Realm has given Poyun a new lease in life. I will obey your command no matter what it may be.”

“Meiyin will head over with daddy as well,” Shui Meiyin replied seriously before sneaking a glance at Yun Che. She looked like she wanted to say something.

“Good.” The Eternal Heaven God Emperor nodded gladly. Considering their current circumstances, Mu Xuanyin’s emergence was the best news he could hope for.

As for why she, a middle star realm realm king was able to break the limit only a king realm should be able to break and become a rank ten Divine Master, now was not the time to explore such things.

“In that case, I will be…”

Suddenly, his voice and expression froze in mid speech. Then, a thick, black aura rushed up to his face.

The sudden change that had overcome the Eternal Heaven God Emperor caught everyone by surprise. Shui Qianheng frowned deeply while saying, “Eternal Heaven God Emperor, you…”

Pwack!!

The Eternal Heaven God Emperor shuddered violently before a mouthful of blood burst out of his mouth… His blood was shockingly black in color.

“... !?” Yun Che was completely caught off guard. The Eternal Heaven God Emperor was clearly suffering from an internal injury blowback, but who in the world was powerful enough to hurt someone like him? Who would even dare to?

Moreover, the black blood he spat out was clearly overflowing with shockingly high level darkness aura!

Suddenly, he noticed that everyone around him was surprised, but not as shocked as they should’ve been by the Eternal Heaven God Emperor’s injury. Shui Meiyin spoke up, “Grandpa Eternal Heaven, are you okay?”

“It’s okay. I wasn’t expecting it to break out at this time. Please forgive me for my unsightly appearance.” The Eternal Heaven God Emperor pressed a hand to his chest and chuckled in reply.

However, it was clear that his complexion was bad, and his muscles were twitching despite the smile on his face. He was clearly in great pain.

Yun Che, “...?”

“It has been three years since the Evil Infant Disaster. Is it beyond even your… ability to heal from it?” Huo Poyun asked in disbelief.

“Although the Evil Infant had only regained a shred of its power, its level cannot be judged using common sense. The only one who can solve this darkness profound energy quickly is the Dragon Queen of the Western Divine Region and her light profound energy. Without her, it’ll probably take a couple more years before I can fully recover.” The Eternal Heaven God Emperor sighed when he recalled the situation the Eastern Divine Region was in right now.

Shui Qianheng frowned and asked, “But I heard that the Eternal Heaven Realm had sent word to the Dragon Queen for help. She couldn’t have refused your aid, could she?”

Yun Che, “...”

“That’s not it.” The Eternal Heaven God Emperor sighed, “It’s because the Dragon Queen is currently in secluded cultivation. In order to ensure that she enjoys her peace, the Dragon Monarch has even cast a barrier around the Forbidden Land of Samsara to prevent all living beings from approaching it. This is fate.”

“...I see.” Shui Qianheng exhaled slightly. Considering the Dragon Queen’s level, there was simply no telling when she would exit her secluded cultivation. Forget a century, it wouldn’t be a surprise even if she was be in secluded cultivation for an entire millennium.

Yun Che, “...” (Shen Xi is in… secluded cultivation?)

“Hehe, there is no need to worry for me. My condition will improve once I’ve adjusted my breathing… Goodbye, everyone.”

The Eternal Heaven God Emperor waved his hand and smiled at them consolingly.

The Eternal Heaven God Emperor was undoubtedly the most un-god emperor like god emperor in all four divine regions. He was neither prideful nor imposing, and he never looked down on his people despite standing at the pinnacle of the Primal Chaos. He always treated every person with gentleness that seemed like it would never fade for eternity.

“Wait!” Yun Che suddenly called out to the Eternal Heaven God Emperor. A brief moment of hesitation later, he said, “I may be able to do something about the devilish energy corroding your body, senior.”