Against the Gods

Partially Edited Chapter - Rubble

The phoenix cry was still ongoing when Mu Xuanyin became one with the image of the Ice Phoenix, and the Snow Princess Sword became charged with incredible energy. Grim and determined, she stabbed toward the inescapable shadow with Broken Moon Oblivion.

Hideous darkness clashed against dazzling ice. Shrill explosions deafened the ears as an icy blue haze filled the space before bursting like a star in the dark night. The light overwhelmed the darkness and spread across countless nearby stars and star realms.

This was her second warning to Yun Che to stay away.

The sheer brightness of the chilly light stabbed into Nan Zhaoguang’s eyes and caused his pupils to contract involuntarily. At the same time, his outstretched hand abruptly shuddered as Mu Xuanyin’s counterattack blew a bloody hole right at the center of his palm. Dark blood scattered all over the place.

“Hiss… this woman!” Nan Zhaoming uttered through clenched teeth.

Mu Xuanyin had poured all of her Ice Phoenix divine power into the ultimate attack, and the result was as stunning as it was beautiful. Unfortunately, the chasm of power between herself and Nan Zhaoming was just too great. The burning ice only lasted a couple of breaths before it declined rapidly, and soon it began breaking down layer by layer under Nan Zhaoming’s dark energy.

Nan Zhaoming was shocked, but he quickly recovered his composure and sealed the wound in his palm with dark energy. At the same time, his gaze grew a bit darker. He wasn’t expecting the woman to give him a second pleasant surprise, but her resistance only strengthened his desire to capture her.

Darkness quickly refilled the void as the icy light declined at an exponential rate. Eventually, even the light surrounding Mu Xuanyin had begun dimming in earnest. When Nan Zhaoming abruptly turned over his blood-drenched palm, she shook like she had been dealt a heavy blow, the Snow Princess Sword’s light winked out like it never existed. At the same time, the darkness covered up nearly half of her body in an instant.

“You put up an interesting struggle…” Nan Zhaoming praised, “Unfortunately—”

It was at this moment a sharp whistling sound erupted from the distance. A pair of immense profound energies struck the darkness at the same time and brought the advancement of the darkness to a dead halt.

At the same time, a golden beam pierced through the distant void like lightning and wrapped around Mu Xuanyin’s waist. It didn’t harm her though. In fact, the second the mysterious energy made contact with Mu Xuanyin, it immediately transformed into dark profound energy and exploded, ripping out of the confines of Nan Zhaoming’s dark energy, and not a moment too soon. A pitch black whirlpool that looked like the entrance to an infinite abyss swirled where she was just a second ago.

Mu Xuanyin was pulled back at least fifty kilometers before she came to a stop next to another woman.

The dark profound energy covering the mysterious object faded away to reveal Divine Oracle. After it let go of Mu Xuanyin, it wrapped around its master’s smooth arm instead of returning to her waist. The golden aura surrounding Mu Xuanyin’s savior was as cold as a venomous snake, ready to consume its prey at a moment’s notice.

She was none other than Qianye Ying’er, of course.

Yun Che had told her not to act without his permission no matter what. Clearly, she hadn’t taken his warning to heart.

Behind her, Qianye Wugu and Qianye Bingzhu floated with a stern expression on their faces.

“Who are they!” Qianye Ying’er asked in a chilly voice.

“Didn’t you hear my warning?” Mu Xuanyin responded while breathing heavily. Blood was dripping down from her lips despite her best efforts to suppress her injuries. “You shouldn’t have come.”

“Is this the first day you know me? Hmph!” Qianye Ying’er humphed imperiously before asking again, “Who are they!?”

“They’re outsiders! People who do not belong to this world!” Mu Xuanyin replied in a bone-chilling voice. She had given the world two priceless warnings with the phoenix cry and her ultimate attack, but it came at a heavy cost. She highly doubted that she and the Qianyes would be able to escape.

Her response stunned Qianye Wugu and Qianye Bingzhu, but they came to terms with it just as quickly. It was the only answer considering what they had witnessed just now.

“Hehehe!” Nan Zhaoguang shot Nan Zhaoming’s wounded right hand a glance while chuckling. “The four greatest experts of this divine region have all gathered in one place. This is perfect.”

“...” Qianye Ying’er was already shaken when she sensed the turbulence earlier, but it wasn’t until her enemies were within sight that she realized just how bad the situation was. She was going to say something when Mu Xuanyin’s whisper entered her ears, “Get ready to escape with all you have… it’s the only option.”

“The Snow Song God Emperor is correct.”

The two Brahma ancestors moved to the front as Qianye Wugu spoke. Despite the dire situation, the old man’s voice remained as calm as ever. “This outside threat feels as fallacious as a dream, and yet it is undeniably the reality we live in. God Emperor, for the sake of the Brahma… no, the Qianye lineage, you must protect yourself no matter what.”

Before either woman could voice a response, a mammoth force had already pushed them far, far away.

At the same time, the two ancient figures launched forward like an eagle and summoned a mighty, invisible wall with all their strength.

When the two Brahma ancestors got close to the opposition and sensed their power, they immediately realized what an enormous error it had been on their part when they had chosen not to ground Qianye Ying’er by force.

They weren’t senile enough to think that the outsiders would allow their prey to slip from their grasp, so they prayed that their full strength was enough to stop them for even a moment and buy Qianye Ying’er a sliver of hope.

Outsiders… people not of Primal Chaos…

Before this, they firmly believed that the remnants of the Brahma Monarch had earned eternal peace under Yun Che’s absolute rule, and that they would return to their former glory in ten thousand years.

To think that a new, impossible threat would emerge in less than a few years…

“Hahahaha!” Nan Zhaoming saw through their intent instantly and laughed like a madman. “You think you can escape? I won’t say it’s the wrong choice, but do you really think you can escape us?”

As the laughing squire extended his left arm toward the two Brahma ancestors, they gathered all of their Brahma Monarch divine power until their hair was dancing like crazy, and their eyes shone like a pair of tiny suns. Finally, they unleashed everything they had at Nan Zhaoming.

It was at this moment something unexpected happened. Nan Zhaoming was in mid-attack when his body suddenly froze as if someone had cast a spell on him. At the same time, his disdainful eyes suddenly contracted into needles before dilating like saucers in an instant. Someone who didn’t know better might have thought that his eyes were pricked by golden needles.

Even better, his reaction was followed by absolute terror; terror that seemed extreme enough to tear his very soul into shreds.

He had never displayed this much fear even when he was facing off against the Dragon Emperor of Absolute Beginning or the Sword Sovereign duo.

Nan Zhaoming wasn’t the only one who was reacting oddly either. Nan Zhaoguang and the four pages also looked absolutely terrified for some reason. Two of the pages even lost control of their lower bodies and dropped to their knees.

Rumble!!

The attack should’ve been of no threat to Nan Zhaoming whatsoever. He should’ve been able to extinguish it with one hand. However, not only did the pair of golden beams land squarely on his chest, the protective aura that naturally protected a profound practitioner’s body had disappeared without a trace. As a result, Nan Zhaoming was blown back unceremoniously while blood sprayed out of his lips like a fountain.

Obviously, the two Brahma ancestors weren’t expecting this at all. Even Mu Xuanyin and Qianye Ying’er paused visibly in mid-flight.

Before the attack could do more damage though, a palm stretched seemingly out of thin air and caught Nan Zhaoming’s back. It also expelled the foreign energy ripping through his body in an instant.

“Calm down. It’s just a coincidence,” Nan Zhaoguang said while withdrawing his arm. His complexion looked pale, and there was still some lingering terror in his eyes. However, the man was able to gather his wits and continue in a calm voice,

“They’re probably the God Bearers of the Brahma Heaven God Clan. The outsiders mentioned this before, remember? That is why their powers are…”

Nan Zhaoming could’ve—and would’ve if he had a few more seconds—figured this out on his own. He quickly regained his rationality after he overcame his initial emotion.

Nan Zhaoming let out a small sigh of relief before saying in a dark tone, “I know. Hmph! These old bastards dare embarrass me? I’m gonna—”

“Wait!”

A black fog surrounded Nan Zhaoming’s arm, but Nan Zhaoguang caught it before he could vent his anger. “You cannot! I know it’s a small chance, but if they are related to them, then disposing of them without permission will be…”

Nan Zhaoming frowned instinctively before his companion’s words caught up to his mind. His forehead immediately became soaked with cold sweat, and the killing intent he had mustered against the two Brahma ancestors abruptly vanished without a trace.

“Fine! We’ll cripple those two women first!”

Nan Zhaoming was desperate to vent the anger he had accumulated up until this point, so he let out a growl and abruptly vanished without a trace.

The shadow that zipped past Qianye Wugu and Qianye Bingzhu was faster than anything they had ever seen; faster than they even thought was possible. The two Brahma ancestors were some of the strongest experts in Primal Chaos, but even they only managed to catch a glimpse of it before it was too late.

Shred!

Nan Zhaoming sped toward Qianye Ying’er and Mu Xuanyin like a black scar that ripped through everything. What should have been a near impossible gap to close was closing at a depressingly fast rate.

The pressure behind them kept growing and growing. When it became so overbearing they were unable to even draw a single breath anymore, Mu Xuanyin abruptly hit Qianye Ying’er in the back before launching herself toward Nan Zhaoming.

“You!” Qianye Ying’er only managed to let out a single cry before Mu Xuanyin’s ice energy propelled her away from Nan Zhaoming.

Mu Xuanyin flew toward black scar like a dying, ice blue comet.

Ding!

The cold light crumbled like a thousand shattering stars before the irresistible weight. However, she ultimately managed to stop Nan Zhaoming for a breath, and only a breath.

When the moment had passed, the dying light was completely consumed by the black fog. A frustrated growl vibrated under Nan Zhaoming’s throat as the crying Snow Princess Sword slipped out of its master’s blood-drenched fingers, and Mu Xuanyin herself was sent flying into the distance like a lifeless butterfly. Streaks of blood dyed her usually unblemished clothes red.

There were numerous individuals by Yun Che’s side who absolutely detested Qianye Ying’er, and some would give anything to rip her to pieces.

There were two people who felt only gratitude toward her, however. One of them was Chi Wuyao, and the other Mu Xuanyin. Their reason was almost identical as well.

In this situation, they might be the only two people who would willingly give up their lives to save her.

If Qianye Ying’er was thinking rationally, or if she was still the cold, heartless woman she used to be, she would’ve seized the lifeline Mu Xuanyin had exchanged with her life and sped away without ever looking back. However, her blood ultimately wasn’t as cold as it used to be.

While resisting the combined power of the two Brahma ancestors and Mu Xuanyin with all her might, she whipped out the Divine Oracle and flung it straight at Mu Xuanyin.

It was a near thing, but the Divine Oracle just barely managed to wrap around Mu Xuanyin’s waist before it hit its maximum range before pulling the woman back toward her side.

“Ai!” Qianye Wugu and Qianye Bingzhu let out a heavy, but not unhappy sigh at the same time.

Although they had secluded themselves from the world for a long time, they had watched Qianye Ying’er grow up since she was a child… she really had changed completely in the past couple of years.

“Fool!” Nan Zhaoming snorted while removing the ice invading his body with a quick shake of his hand. “What a beautiful relationship you have there. It would be unknightly behavior if I split you two up, wouldn’t it?”

He abruptly turned around and let out another growl. Black fog gushed out of his body as the already dark environment darkened a little more. The dark void of space shattered as if crushed by a massive, invisible hand as dark beams surged toward Mu Xuanyin.

When Qianye Ying’er canceled out the energies pushing her toward the distance, she forced herself to come to a stop, swung the Divine Oracle again, and pulled herself toward Mu Xuanyin. She got in front of the bloodied woman right before the dark energies would devour her before unleashing the dark divine power of the Devil Emperor’s blood in haste.

Divine Oracle ripped across the sky and tore the attack in half, but it wasn’t enough to cancel out the curtain of energy completely. Qianye Ying’er grunted as the remnant energy struck her, but she forcefully steadied herself before taking off with grievously wounded Mu Xuanyin in her arms.

Now was the time to entrap both women and extinguish their hope once and for all, but the invincible power that had easily overwhelmed the duo did not move for some reason.

Nan Zhaoming’s hand was frozen in mid-air. Nan Zhaoguang was watching from the back because it was beyond shameful to gang up on two mortal women with his companions, but his expression was now filled with astonishment. The four pages were as stiff as statues as well.

Qianye Ying’er was bleeding from all of her orifices, and most of her protective aura had been destroyed by the attack. More importantly, the light shroud she normally used to mask her features had come completely undone. This meant that her true countenance was completely exposed to the six men.

Her complexion was as pale as a sheet, and her face was a bloody, still bleeding mess. Even so, she was still the Brahma Monarch Goddess; the unparalleled beauty who was beautiful enough to make any man or woman fall in love with her at first sight.

Nan Zhaoming and Nan Zhaoguang might be stronger than the strongest experts in this entire universe, but strength did not equal immunity to beauty.

“Is it even possible… for such a woman to exist in this world…?” A page muttered unconsciously.

“Gulp!” Another page gulped audibly before saying, “She’s practically as beautiful as Lady Caili…”

The title “Lady Caili” snapped Nan Zhaoguang out of his reverie and caused his eyebrows to scrunch together. The next second, he scolded the man angrily, “What did you just say? Lady Caili is beautiful beyond measure, and it is rumored that she will become a god in the future! How dare you compare her to a mere mortal!”

The yell immediately snapped all four pages from their daze and caused the rightmost man to drop to his knees. He pleaded with abject terror, “I’m sorry! It was just a slip of the tongue, sir squire! I would never compare her to Lady Caili even if I am a thousand times more foolish and brave than I actually am!”

“I’m well aware it’s a slip of the tongue!” Nan Zhaoguang humphed coldly. “Still, Do I need to remind you how severe a punishment you will receive if your transgression somehow spreads to our people? You are a page and a glorious pioneer! You won’t be able to become an Abyssal Knight if you cannot control yourself!”

The page bowed his head deeply before responding, “Thank you for your guidance, sir squire. This one swears to reflect on his conduct for a thousand days.”

It was at this moment that Nan Zhaoguang spoke up, “It’s fine, brother. It can’t be helped. In terms of appearance alone, this woman is like a priceless treasure hidden amidst a sea of trash. I can hardly believe a world like this could give birth to someone like her. It would be a great shame to kill her..”

“I know. She must be captured alive no matter the cost,” Nan Zhaoguang replied while looking Qianye Ying’er up and down repeatedly. “I must warn you though. No matter how tempted you are, you absolutely mustn’t lay a finger on her, understand?”

“Of course,” Nan Zhaoming replied. “She may be a mere mortal, but she is beautiful enough to be the best of tributes. This means that no one, not even sir knight has the right to lay a finger on her.”

“We will give her to the Pope as a tribute. I am certain it will be a great addition to our string of achievements!”

After saying that, Nan Zhaoming forced down his greed and averted his eyes from Qianye Ying’er’s face. Mustering his dark powers once more, the man summoned a dark vortex that swelled to an impossible size in just an instant. It trapped Qianye Ying’er and Mu Xuanyin right at the center all too quickly.

The only silver lining was that the dark energy was missing its previous killing intent and brutality, but considering the fate they had intended for Qianye Ying’er, it was hardly any consolation at all.

“Heh…” Qianye Ying’er sneered as her gorgeous eyes shone with a vicious glint. “You filthy dogs think you deserve me!?”

Her eyes turned as black as the abyss right after she said this.

It was an inescapable situation. She had no other choice. She got ready to ignite her Devil Emperor’s blood completely and fight these curs to the bitter end.

Suddenly, the Devil Emperor’s blood ceased its activity without warning.

At the same time, Qianye Ying’er and Mu Xuanyin vanished from the dark vortex all of a sudden. All Nan Zhaoming and Nan Zhaoguang saw was a crimson flash before they were gone.

A puzzled and confused Nan Zhaoming slowly turned his head to face a nearby star region.

Qianye Ying’er and Mu Xuanyin had reappeared in that direction, but they were now accompanied by seven different auras.

He was surprised because he never sensed them coming. One second they weren’t there, and the next they were.

They were Yun Che, the Devil Queen, Caizhi, Shui Meiyin, and the seven Yama Ancestors.

Jun Xilei would’ve come, but she was way too emotional for battle right now. Yun Che had forcefully left her behind at Emperor Yun City.

Nan Zhaoming’s surprise lasted only for a fraction of a second, however. He cackled. “How convenient! Who would’ve thought that this world’s greatest experts would deliver themselves right into our hands! I guess foolishness and ignorance weren’t completely negative traits after all! Hahahahaha!”

His laughter was shrill and unpleasant, and the pressure behind it was enough to squeeze a lesser expert’s heart into a crumpled heap.

“Yun Che, you—!” Mu Xuanyin’s vision had grown a little blurry, but she wasn’t so weak that she couldn’t even sense Yun Che’s aura. Terror seized her heart and soul for an instant before she sensed that Shui Meiyin was nearby. She relaxed, but only a little.

Yun Che turned toward Mu Xuanyin and Qianye Ying’er. Blood red color stabbed into his eyeballs like hot knives. He looked away.

He did not comfort Mu Xuanyin or criticize Qianye Ying’er. There was only cold, deathly silence.

Shui Meiyin’s grip around Yun Che’s arm abruptly tightened, and the World Piercer in her left hand blinked repeatedly as if she was tempted to use it right there and then.

Yun Che rarely wore his emotions on his sleeve these days, but the tiny disturbance in his aura was all everyone needed to tell that he was furious beyond imagination.

At the back, the three Yama Ancestors held their breath for fear that the mere act of drawing breath would draw their master’s wrath.

By now, Qianye Wugu and Qianye Bingzhu had made it to Yun Che’s side. Shui Meiyin’s appearance had improved their mood considerably to say the least.

“There is no need to stay here overly long, Your Majesty. Let us retreat immediately,” Qianye Wugu said. “This is not a matter of imperial honor. They hail from the beyond, and their powers are beyond our recognition or ability to resist right now. Retreat is the only viable option.”

“What are you waiting for? Go!” Mu Xuanyin ordered in a tone that wouldn’t accept no as an answer after pushing Qianye Ying’er away.

Yun Che neither looked back at her nor said anything. He gently removed Shui Meiyin’s hand from his arm before walking toward the outsiders.

“Yun Che!” Mu Xuanyin cried out in panic, but someone caught her arm before she could do anything. Chi Wuyao said quietly, “Calm down. Meiyin is with us. We are safe even if we assume the worst case scenario.”

“Do not blame him for acting overly rash. It is you whom they hurt after all.”

“Plus, our strongest foe is in the Western Divine Region right now. It could mean nothing, but…” Her voice abruptly dropped an octave lower. “It could also mean a golden opportunity.”

Mu Xuanyin: “...?”

Meanwhile, Nan Zhaoming and the others were all looking at Yun Che.

Mu Xuanyin, the Devil Queen, the three Yama Ancestors, the Qianyes… they were all obviously experts who stood at the pinnacle of this universe, so to say that the insignificant little Divine Sovereign felt out of place would be an understatement.

That wasn’t even the strangest thing, however. For whatever reason, it seemed that regarded this Divine Sovereign as their superior!

“You’re looking for the king of this world, right?” Yun Che started while still walking toward the outsiders. “Here I am.”

“Oh?” Nan Zhaoming and Nan Zhaoguang scanned him for an instant before snorting at the exact same time. “Interesting.”

It didn’t really matter to them if the king of this world was a Divine Master or a Divine Sovereign, to be honest. Both were ants they could squash anytime they wanted to.

“How kind of you to show yourself before us. Are you here to meekly claim your death?” Nan Zhaoming taunted with a half-smirk on his face. He looked like he was staring at a pitiful reptile on the ground, not a person.

Yun Che did not respond to Nan Zhaoming’s words. His icy cold eyes hid a mad killing intent that hadn’t shown itself for a very, very long time. Tone and appearance remaining exactly the same as before, he said, “As the pioneers of the Abyss, I am sure you have enjoyed a great deal of freedom and pleasure during your short stay, am I right?”

Darkness glowed from the center of his palm as he raised his arm. “In that case, it is time~ to~ die~”

(T/N: I’d like to imagine Yun Che speaking like Bruce Lee making his weird cries when he fights)