Against the Gods

Even a Half-God would find it extremely difficult to search for a particular person in the Endless Fog.

Not unless they could imbue their divine perception on the abyssal dust like Yun Che.

After arriving at the location where Meng Jianzhou had “encountered” Hua Caili several days ago, Yun Che imbued his divine perception on the abyssal dust and slowly spread it out in ripples.

With the abyssal dust to cover for him, most people would be hard pressed to notice Yun Che’s method. However, the one protecting Hua Caili was the Sword Fairy, Hua Qingying. She was the greatest peak Divine Limit Realm profound practitioner of them all, and he had never encountered someone like that and so didn’t understand her limits. He would rather be unnecessarily cautious than sorry.

As a protector, the only way one might supervise their charge and keep watch of their surroundings at all times was to stay in the sky. That was why Yun Che only imbued his divine perception into abyssal dust that was floating no higher than three meters above the ground. The speed at which he spread it out was incredibly slow as well.

One day…

Two days…

Three days…

On the fiftieth day, a single speck of abyssal dust finally made contact with the aura that he had only encountered once, but was engraved to his soul.

In that moment, he looked like a devil who awakened from his slumber because he had finally found his prey.

……

Shred!

A piercing sword light streaked across the foggy world like rainbows before exploding like stars. It left dozens of sword marks in the space in front of it and shredded the four abyssal beasts pouncing out of the darkness into a hundred pieces.

A pure white sword flew back to the girl who had unleashed the attack. It looked perfectly unhurt and unblemished.

“Forty three swords…” The girl whispered in disappointment. Six months ago, she could only manifest thirty nine sword marks with a wisp of sword intent. Today, she had manifested forty-three sword marks in an instant. Her progress was satisfying even to Hua Qingying, but the girl herself was still very dissatisfied.

She had experienced all kinds of dangers and crises while testing herself against the Endless Fog. She had witnessed all kinds of people and personalities as well. These experiences had changed her aura and even the look in her eyes without her realizing.

However, the one thing that didn’t change was the wall that stood between her and the Divine Extinction Realm.

Her father often said that even geniuses needed hundreds or even thousands of years to break through the bottleneck and enter the Divine Extinction Realm. It was perfectly normal for Divine Sons and Daughters to be stuck at a bottleneck for centuries.

She was the only one out of her peers who possessed a perfect divine essence, but still hadn’t entered the Divine Extinction Realm.

If she was a true nineteen-year-old, then of course she wouldn’t panic. But…

“I think I can go deeper, aunt,” Hua Caili whispered, though she was really speaking to herself. It was because her aunt hadn’t responded to her since she entered the Endless Fog.

There were several times she was surrounded by deadly abyssal beasts and suffered serious injuries as a result. There were also times she had been tricked by people she thought she could trust. Still, Hua Qingying never showed herself. It was as if the Sword Fairy truly wasn’t by her side, and she was alone against the Endless Fog.

She was a lonely girl for she had been worshiped as a Divine Daughter since she was young. But just the same, she was naturally proud and unwilling to associate herself with those she deemed lower than her. It wasn’t like she was lacking in people who wished to journey with her—not even close—but she had rejected them all.

It was her loneliness that drove her to voice her thoughts, joys, disappointments, next objectives and more to her aunt. Even if her aunt never responded to her, she knew that she was watching her and listening to her every word.

She started venturing into the Endless Fog, not knowing that a devil who would soon bring chaos to the world had set his sights on her.

Her surroundings grew dimmer as the abyssal dust thickened. Danger could be lurking at every corner, and she didn’t dare to lower her guard for even a moment. It was why no people could remain in the Endless Fog for long. No matter how resilient in mind they were, it was only a matter of time before they reached their limit.

Of course, this environment also greatly hastened one’s progress in the profound way.

Hua Caili walked silently and kept the sound of her breathing to a minimum. Although she hadn’t achieved perfect merging with the Glass Cloud Sword, she was far better than before she entered the Endless Fog.

High, high up in the sky, Hua Qingying suddenly noticed a silhouette slowly moving in Hua Caili’s direction.

It’s him?

Surprise flickered in her heart as a name surfaced in her mind.

Yun Che… of the Qilin Abyss Realm?

Yun Che was the Divine Sovereign who had ravaged a whole bunch of Divine Masters during the Qilin God Conference. His unbelievable strength had left an impression even on her.

She thought she would never see him again, but not only was she wrong, he had somehow made it to this depth alone.

He’s a… second level Divine Master, and he’s close to breaking through to the next level.

Again, Hua Qingying’s eyebrows twitched with surprise.

It had only been half a year or so since they last met. How did he cross a major realm and two minor realms during this time?

Unless he possessed a special inheritance or received a potent boost of external power, such progress was nigh impossible even in a Kingdom of God.

She didn’t know that Yun Che’s profound veins were far, far greater than most, and that his Divine Master Realm was equal to another’s Divine Extinction Realm. Otherwise, there was no way she could keep her cool even if she was the Sword Fairy.

In her eyes, Yun Che was treading lightly and keeping his aura and breathing well under control just like Hua Caili. This was perfectly normal since they were in the Endless Fog.

Just as she was withdrawing her gaze, she suddenly noticed something that deeply concerned her.

The abyssal beasts roaming near Hua Caili had suddenly moved closer to her location as if they were triggered by a spike of life force! She counted at least thirty of them, and they were all late-stage or peak Divine Masters!

Abyssal beasts didn’t possess any instincts except the desire to destroy. This was something everyone in the Abyss knew. Therefore, she interpreted this scene as a dangerous and unfortunate coincidence.

Slowly but surely, the abyssal beasts approached the danger zone. Hua Caili could easily handle any single abyssal beast, but at this range, killing one would definitely draw the rest to her. When that happened…

But Hua Qingying didn’t warn Hua Caili or take action.

She knew that there was almost no chance Hua Caili would survive such a crisis. That was perfect. She wanted to know how much of a struggle Hua Caili could put up when faced with the threat of true death.

This unfortunate coincidence might be the most painful and impressive lesson she would ever have during this trial—and that was good.

Meanwhile, Hua Caili had sensed the approaching danger. She immediately stopped in her tracks and soundlessly summoned the Glass Cloud Sword to her hand. Then, a streak of sword light shot toward an abyssal beast three hundred meters from her and skewered it.

“Roar!”

The abyssal beast let out an angry roar and charged straight toward Hua Caili despite being covered in blood. Hua Caili was just focusing her attention on the beast when suddenly, she heard a dozen more bestial roars coming from all around her.

It was because her outburst of profound energy had triggered all of the abyssal beasts.

Their destructive impulses awakened, the dozen or so auras pounced toward her immediately.

Hua Caili’s pupils contracted into needles, and she rationally withdrew her sword and got ready to escape. However, coincidentally or not, she quickly realized the abyssal beasts pouncing toward her had sealed off every path. There was literally nowhere she could go.

So, she stopped retreating and drew a sword mark in front of her. It lingered ominously for a moment before exploding like a star.

Shred!

The nearest abyssal beast was instantly skewered by the outburst of sword beams. Its movements stiffened for a little, but it only charged even crazier toward her. The sword light kept battering down its body until finally, it died when it was ten meters away from her.

It had also expended thirty percent of her sword mark’s energy.

As if on cue, more abyssal beasts approached from her left, right, rear, and even above her.

Shred!

There was no dodging so many attacks at the same time. Her white clothes were stained in blood in an instant. However, she calmly unleashed seven curtains of sword energies at seven abyssal beasts.

The Glass Cloud Sword was thin, long, and elegant. However, its power could only be described as terrifying. Showers of filthy blood spilled across the air.

If these were just early-stage Divine Master Realm abyssal beasts, the curtains of sword energies would have sliced them to pieces already. They were sent flying with their bodies covered in unbelievably deep wounds, but they were still alive.

Humans were already disadvantaged fighting against abyssal beasts in the Endless Fog, but Hua Caili had seriously injured seven peak Divine Master Realm abyssal beasts with a single technique. It was a feat that could stun the world.

Unfortunately, more abyssal beasts showed up and prevented her from landing the finishing blow. So, she adapted to the situation and manifested a white sword lotus around her.

Three abyssal beasts were beheaded just like that. Her clothes became stained in even more blood.

The abyssal beasts didn’t know what fear was, and their destructive power eventually destroyed the weakened sword lotus. Four shockwaves, weakened as they were, hit her at the exact same time.

Hua Caili turned a little pale and forcefully used the momentum to detach herself from her attackers. However, the seven abyssal beasts she sent flying a while ago came back and piled their horrific destructive power on top of her once more.

Hua Caili’s desire to escape had finally extinguished completely. An abyssal beast desired nothing more but destruction, and they would never stop until they or their prey had perished. Without sufficient strength and speed, escaping them was a pipedream through and through. If anything, it would only lure more abyssal beasts toward her.

Icy determination pooled in Hua Caili’s eyes as her sword intent took form. Her five senses turned perfectly clear, and the Glass Cloud Sword became the only thing she could sense in this world.

The Glass Cloud Sword flew, and there was no longer any hesitation in its light. It was as cold as it was determined.

In the sky, Hua Qingying silently sensed Hua Caili’s mental changes and her sword. She watched as her white robes were slowly dyed into red.

Shred!

A sword light screeched through the air and finally chopped an abyssal beast into bits, scattering its blood everywhere. But at the same time, three destructive energies struck her in the back.

Hua Caili shook violently, but she turned around as gracefully as a white butterfly and fired a thick column of white light.

Shred!!

The attack half-severed three abyssal beasts’ necks and turned them round and round.

Not far away, Yun Che was still moving unhurriedly in Hua Caili’s direction.

His consciousness was imbued in every abyssal beast who was attacking Hua Caili. He wasn’t present on the battlefield, but he might as well be.

What impressive technique and intent. Her movements were elegant, and yet the power behind it was anything but ordinary. As expected of the Heaven Breaker Kingdom of God, a kingdom that specialized in the sword.

The jade sword she’s holding… is that the “Glass Cloud Sword” Meng Jingzhe told Meng Jianzhou about? The one she got from the Pure Land?

Glass… Cloud…

……

The abyssal beasts fell one after another under the Glass Cloud Sword. Countless white sword marks were left behind on the ground and the space of the grayish world.

Pools of filthy blood were everywhere, and the broken bits of twenty one abyssal beasts in total lay on the ground.

Bang!

Her sword intent was a lot more disorderly than before, and even her starry eyes had grown a little unfocused. Blood spilled out of Hua Caili and the abyssal beast in front of her at the same time.

The abyssal beast was cut in half, and the girl fell toward the ground while her complexion rapidly turned white.

Twenty two… She counted inside her head and raised her sword even though her hand was shaking a little.

Another three abyssal beasts rushed her from the right and her back.

This time, Hua Caili was clearly too slow to respond to the attack properly. So, she ignored them all as a fatalistic screech came from the Glass Cloud Sword.

Hua Caili’s protective aura was torn like paper as three destructive energies slammed into her body. However, her own power engulfed the three abyssal beasts.

BOOM!

Hua Caili whited out for an instant as she was set flying. Even her sword had slipped through her bloody grasp.

Her momentum was finally arrested when she hit a giant rock hard. She was unable to climb back to her feet immediately.

Her whole body was hurting like never before. As she tried to cling to her consciousness, three abyssal beasts covered in horrifying injuries pounced toward her while roaring. Even through her blurry vision, she could see that they were rapidly approaching.

She raised her hand, and the Glass Cloud Sword flew back into her palm even though she hadn’t willed it to. She perceived her sword through her chaotic soul sea.

It was at this moment Hua Caili sensed a faint sword intent.

She still hadn’t gotten back to her feet, but her arm drew a strange arc in the air… and at that moment, a seemingly infinite amount of sword intent washed over the world like a tidal wave.

Hua Qingying paused in her tracks.

Heaven Breaking: The First Sword!

There was no mark or beam of energy.

Despite this, the three abyssal beasts abruptly split into halves.

Even their destructive power crumbled away suddenly and almost soundlessly.

“…” Yun Che’s footsteps paused for just a fraction of an instant.

Hua Caili’s sword arm slowly fell limp by her side. She was completely exhausted, but she was still clutching the Glass Cloud Sword tightly.

I did it… She thought as the corners of her lips turned up into a joyous, satisfied smile. Although her smile was marred by filthy blood and her deathly pale complexion, she still looked ungodly beautiful.

Hua Qingying’s eyes flickered with rare, rare emotion.

You really are the most perfect God Bearer our kingdom has ever had, Caili. It took your father four hundred years, and seventy seven years for me to grasp the Heaven Breaker sword intent. But you… it only took you nine years.

Your future… will far surpass mine.

Unfortunately, the girl’s joy was quickly interrupted by the howls of more abyssal beasts.

Another two grayish silhouettes appeared in front of her.

This time, she managed to prop herself up with the Glass Cloud Sword, but she was unable to muster her profound energy no matter what she tried. She bit her lips in pain as aggrieved tears finally grew in her eyes. “Save me, aunt… Uu… I really can’t… do this… anymore…”

The abyssal beasts were almost on top of her.

Hua Qingying gathered a wisp of invisible sword energy, but she ultimately didn’t release it… because a certain aura was rushing toward Hua Caili at top speed.

BOOM!!

A violent gust of wind and profound energy abruptly smacked the two abyssal beasts out of the air. As they screamed, a gigantic sword that shone with a strange vermillion light appeared in a man’s hands and slammed violently into one abyssal beast.

It took her all of her power and the Glass Cloud Sword to cut through an abyssal beast, but this one… it literally exploded into showers of blood and gore.

His figure blurred, and he appeared next to an abyssal beast and brought down his sword.

There was a thunderous boom as the abyssal beast was crushed into four pieces.

After taking out both abyssal beasts, Yun Che exhaled slightly and withdrew his profound energy. Then, he landed softly in front of Hua Caili.

“Are you al—huh?”

The two of them stared at each other for a moment before blurting, “It’s you?”

Hua Caili’s aunt didn’t show up. It was as if she really wasn’t by her side anymore. A huge wave of exhaustion and weakness overcame Hua Caili when the realization that the danger was finally over hit her, but she still shot Yun Che a grateful smile and said, “You’re in the Endless Fog too? Thank you for saving me.”

“You’re welcome, but…” Yun Che shook his head. “I must have done something unnecessary again seeing that it’s you.”

“Huh?” Hua Caili looked confused.

Yun Che looked around and said, “That commotion must have drawn most of the abyssal beasts in the area over. But since you’ve slain them all, this place should be safe for the moment. You may use this place to heal up your injuries. Goodbye.”

Yun Che turned around and left immediately.

“Ah?” Yun Che’s words and actions were so unexpected that Hua Caili subconsciously called out, “Wait! You…”

Yun Che ignored her and quickly disappeared into the Endless Fog.

Hua Caili blanked out for a bit before murmuring, “What a strange man.”

“I wasn’t expecting to see him again, and his aura…”

There was no hesitation in Yun Che’s footsteps. In fact, he moved faster and faster until he was sure he was out of Hua Qingying’s range.

“You spent all that energy to set this up and even employed such a terrible method to save her, so why are you leaving in such a hurry?” Li Suo asked in confusion.

“That’s because I don’t want to save her,” Yun Che replied leisurely, “I want her to save me.”

“… What do you mean?” Once again, Li Suo couldn’t understand Yun Che’s words.

Instead of explaining, he simply said, “You’ll find out very soon.”

He looked up into the grayish sky.

Although his focus was on Hua Caili, the one who really consumed most of his attention was Hua Qingying. After all, the Sword Fairy stood at a height and world that he could only imagine.

He could simply pray that he would be able to fool her eyes and experience when he made his next move.