Against the Gods

A hint of astonishment and puzzlement flickered underneath his eyes. Many people were hiding their astonishment and confusion. Meng Kongchan took a step forward and bowed. “The person you mentioned is none other than my clumsy son, Jianyuan, Your Majesty. Jianyuan once suffered a tragedy and was lost for over a century. However, the heavens pitied Dreamweaver and returned him to us. He even awakened a perfect divine essence afterward.”

“Come, Yuan’er!”

Besides astonishment, Meng Kongchan was also feeling excited. If Meng Jianyuan could make the acquaintance of the Abyssal Monarch, then his affair with Hua Caili would encounter less resistance. This would only benefit his future.

Yun Che stood next to Meng Kongchan and bowed at the exact same angle. “Yun Che of Dreamweaver greets you, Your Majesty.”

“......”

The corners of Meng Kongchan’s eyes twitched a little. Everyone else was wearing slightly odd expressions as well. From the beginning, he had insisted on addressing himself as Yun Che. Basically, everyone from the Six Kingdoms of God knew about this. However, to insist on calling himself Yun Che even though Meng Kongchan had just introduced him as “Meng Jianyuan” to the Abyssal Monarch... his perseverance was unquestionable, but equally unquestionable was his foolishness.

The Abyssal Monarch did not mind it one bit, however. Glowing with divine radiance, a hint of wistfulness peeked through his face. “A perfect Godbearer may not appear even once in ten thousand years. For two to appear in the same era is literally unprecedented.”

“Child of Darkness, Ice Heart Nine Profound, two perfect Godbearers appearing in the same era... extraordinary phenomena keep appearing one after another. Perhaps these are all signs that we will soon enter the ‘Eternal Pure Land’.”

Everyone was listening to the Abyssal Monarch’s words quietly. A monarch never wasted his breath. He was saying this because it had meaning.

“‘The Eternal Pure Land’ is near, so this battle of Divine Children may very well be the last. It would be a shame if a shining star does not get the opportunity to show off its radiance.”

At this point, the Abyssal Monarch’s will was clear to everyone. It was astonishing, but it also made a lot of sense. If this battle of Divine Children really was going to be the last, then it made sense that both perfect Godbearers should get the chance to shine on this Pure Land and show off their brilliance to the whole world.

Meng Kongchan was delighted as a matter of course, but he maintained a modest demeanor and replied, “You terrify me, Your Majesty. It is my clumsy son’s highest honor to receive such praise from you. However, Jianyuan had been wandering the world for the past century or so and enjoyed none of Dreamweaver’s resources during this time. Today, he was only a Divine Master. I do not think that his minor light would be deserving of your or everyone’s attention.”

“Hahahaha, I must correct you on this, Dreamless Divine Regent.”

Dian Rahu’s booming voice echoed once more, “Your Jianyuan is a man who reached the fourth level of the Divine Master Realm in two sexagenary years without relying on a Kingdom of God. I can only imagine how incredible he would become if he had not encountered his accident and spent the past century in Dreamweaver.”

Dian Rahu continued, “To be honest, my own clumsy son, Jiuzhi, could not stop lavishing Meng Jiangyuan with praises after their first meeting. He had mentioned him many times over the past couple of years, and each mention was accompanied by a shower of praise. I’ve never heard him praising anyone this much during the fifty-two sexagenary years he lived. This alone makes me want to witness just how capable this boy is with my own eyes.”

Dian Rahu was an upright and honest man who never bothered with empty compliments or flattery. Dian Jiuzhi wore a smile on his face and nodded in acknowledgment as well.

Hua Fuchen was also echoing in agreement with a smile, “Yun Che is only two sexagenary years old; a fledgling in terms of Godbearer years, so his cultivation level doesn’t really matter. Since he has perfect divine essence, he must be stunning in ways that the world cannot hope to compare. An extraordinary miracle like this deserves to bloom on the Pure Land and shine its light across the Abyss.”

His best friends had given him the perfect justification to allow this fight, so Meng Kongchan naturally set aside his “hesitation” and said seriously, “In that case, Dreamweaver shall gladly accept this order.”

He turned around and looked at Yun Che with deep, meaningful eyes. “Yuan’er, the Abyssal Monarch Himself has chosen you to perform. It is the highest possible honor and fortune one could receive. So, please show off the power of a perfect Godbearer to the Abyssal Monarch and the world here in Eden’s Crown.”

“There is no need to be afraid or worried. Just perform as you normally would. It is completely up to you how you wish to display your prowess as well.”

He seriously wasn’t worried about Yun Che’s “prowess” at all. On the contrary, he was afraid that the young man would give the other Divine Regents a scare. In any case, he did not doubt that this sudden but golden opportunity would turn out to be a tremendously pleasant surprise.

Hua Caili was hiding half of her face behind Hua Qingying, but she still couldn’t conceal the new moon-shaped eyes and brows.

“Understood,” Yun Che replied respectfully before standing up. Facing down everyone’s gaze, he calmly and collectedly passed through the barrier and stepped into the battlefield. Right now, he could feel countless gazes focused on him. The one from Dian Sansi was especially conspicuous, even though he was doing his best to conceal his deep hatred.

For the first time, Shenwu Yi truly looked at Yun Che. Her vision abruptly blurred as if an icy mist had automatically condensed before her eyes. Although she snapped out of it immediately and swiftly regained her icy coolness, puzzlement and confusion flickered once inside her head.

A non-Divine Child was now standing on the battlefield of Divine Children. This was probably a first for the Pure Land Meet.

His bearing was calm and composed, and his footsteps were leisurely and at ease. From the highest Divine Regents to the youngest junior, no one could detect the slightest hint of tension or unease from the young man. His calmness could not possibly be feigned. It was a genuine composure that permeated his entire being from the inside out. This alone was enough to astonish and amaze the gathered powerhouses of the Kingdoms of God.

Upon arriving at the center of the battlefield, Yun Che stopped in his tracks and observed his surroundings. He did not unleash his profound energy. Instead, he called out, “Yun Che of Dreamweaver shamelessly requests guidance from his fellow peers.”

The best way to show off one’s power was, of course, to fight someone near one’s level. Naturally, Yun Che’s action did not surprise anyone in the slightest. However, no one responded to his challenge even after a long time had passed. Although Yun Che was not the Dreamweaver Divine Son, he was a perfect Godbearer. Meng Kongchan’s love for the young man was practically written on his face as well. Who could say that he wouldn’t become the Dreamweaver Divine Son in the future?

As Yun Che was issuing a challenge as a non-Divine Son, the only ones who could answer his challenge were, of course, other non-Divine Children—specifically, a Kingdom of God junior in the same generation as him. However, losing would only earn them shame and turn them into the perfect Godbearer’s stepping stone, and winning...

The consequences of winning were so, so much worse than losing. Not only would they be offending the future Dreamweave Divine Son, they would indirectly humble the entire Dreamweaver Kingdom of God as well. Heck, even the Abyssal Monarch, the one who suggested this performance in the first place, would probably be disappointed by such an outcome.

Besides, despite Meng Kongchan’s best efforts to block the spread of what happened during the Dreamweaver Divine Son conferment ceremony three years ago, it wasn’t like he could silence the spectators. The news that Yun Che had easily and singlehandedly defeated multiple profound practitioners at his cultivation level had long spread to the other kingdoms.

When the silence grew, the Chief Priest declared in his deafening, rumbling voice, “If no one will accept your challenge, then I will grant you a similar right to what the Divine Children enjoyed during the battle of Divine Children. You may challenge anyone you wish, and your opponent may not reject it!”

The Chief Priest was obviously favoring the Abyssal Monarch’s will.

“Thank you, Chief Priest,” replied Yun Che indifferently with a bow before looking at the crowd. His body moved in tandem with his gaze as he swept the venue. His eyes were moving very, very slowly, and his gaze settled on every person for a precise amount of time before moving on to the next. It was clear he was evaluating everyone closely and carefully.

From the Star and Moon Kingdoms of God, to the Owl Butterfly Kingdom of God, to the Heaven Breaker Kingdom of God, and finally the Boundless Kingdom of God...

This did not change until his gaze finally settled on Dian Sansi. At that moment, he flinched as if he accidentally touched some filthy unmentionables and looked away in an instant. Even his lips were twitching imperceptibly.

This did not look odd to anyone’s eyes, but Dian Sansi clearly thought otherwise. Every drop of blood in his body rushed into his skull, and all the hatred, frustration, and anger that were lodged in his throat overwhelmed most of his reason.

He abruptly took a step forward and roared angrily, “I challenge you, Yun Che!”

“Sansi!”

Shocked, Dian Jiuzhi swiftly reached out and caught Dian Sansi’s arm. He was one of the people who witnessed Yun Che effortlessly wipe out his cultivation peers during the Dreamweaver Divine Son conferment ceremony. That was why he knew there was no way Dian Sansi could defeat Yun Che if their cultivation levels were the same. More than that, he was worried about the abnormal emotions Dian Sansi was displaying.

“Good boy!!” Unfortunately, Dian Rahu exclaimed first before laughing loudly. “No discord, no concord. You might as well get to know him on the battlefield, and use this opportunity to vent that frustration you’ve been accumulating as well!”

This was Eden’s Crown. The words once spoken could not be taken back here more than anywhere else. So, Dian Jiuzhi had no choice but to whisper as softly as he could, “You may fight, but you must not start any trouble! Remember my words and your promise!”

“Hmm??”

As much as he lowered his voice[1], it could not be low enough for Dian Rahu not to overhear him. His strange words caused the divine regent to shoot them a sideways glance. Luckily, Dian Rahu was famously dense. He also did not make a habit of interfering in or questioning matters between juniors.

In fact, Dian Sansi regretted his outburst for a moment. However, it was swiftly overwhelmed by the desire to vent all of his emotions. He abruptly sucked in a deep breath and replied in a low voice, “Do not worry, Brother Jiuzhi. I will only fight... not speak!”

Dian Jiuzhi let him go, and Dian Sansi leaped high up into the air. When he passed through the barrier and landed on the floor, he kicked up a tremendous shockwave and caused a deafening roar.

“Tsk, the guy’s practically overflowing with resentment,” Meng Jianxi could not help but joke.

No matter how well Dian Sansi suppressed his emotions, no one here was a weakling. Everyone easily perceived his boiling hatred and anger. No one thought too much about it, though. Dian Jiuzhi was a brother and a teacher to Dian Sansi. The person he admired and respected the most in his life was Dian Jiuzhi. This was something everyone knew about. But today, Dian Jiuzhi, the former number one Divine Son, had suffered a horrible defeat and lost all of his aura of invincibility. He was even vilely insulted by the Lightless Divine Regent. Of course he would be angry and resentful.

This was why everyone at the scene, including the members of the Boundless Kingdom of God, thought that Dian Sansi nearly lost his cool several times because of Dian Jiuzhi’s tragedy. They also believed that the reason he challenged Yun Che was that he wanted to vent his emotions.

Narrowing his eyes slightly, Yun Che met Dian Sansi’s hateful gaze without a shred of fear. Inside his soul, though, he was preening and saying, “See? I told you it would happen.”

Li Suo whispered, “Outside Lingxian’s divine abode, when you noticed Dian Jiuzhi and Dian Sansi’s approach... Was it really just an impromptu decision?”

“Of course.”

Yun Che replied in a leisurely voice, “There are many ways I could have done this, and I just happened to find the most suitable method. Naturally, I should seize the opportunity without hesitation. And since I have chosen this method, I should, of course, maximize what I can gain from it. It would be a shame otherwise, no?”

“Suitable?”

“Correct. The Xuanji Hall rated Dian Sansi as slightly naive and immature. Besides that, he is said to be extremely dependent on Dian Jiuzhi and respectful of him.”

“...”

Li Suo remained silent in response.

“It’s you, Brother Sansi.”

Yun Che smiled genially at the man. No one except Dian Sansi knew just how deep the malice hiding behind this harmless smile ran. “Thank you in advance for offering me your guidance.”

Dian Sansi clenched his fists slightly and said nothing. He promised Dian Jiuzhi that he would only fight, not speak. He was also afraid that he would lose control if he actually spoke.

The Chief Priest lifted his hand, and the familiar antique bronze profound light glimmered once more. “Meng Jianyuan of Dreamweaver is at the fourth level of the Divine Master Realm. Dian Sansi of Boundless is at the third level of the Divine Extinction Realm. Hence, this battle needs to be balanced with the Profound Rage Seal.”

“However, the cultivation gap between the two opponents is too great. It will require the suppression of a great realm. Besides profound energy, the suppression of one’s physique will be accompanied by several breaths of intense full-body pain.”

“That is acceptable.”

Dian Sansi replied in a calm enough voice, “Please do it, Chief Priest.”

However, a voice several times clearer and brighter than his called out, “Brother Sansi is expressly giving me his guidance. How can I ask him to suffer such pain just because my cultivation is weak? Please, there is no need to use the Profound Rage Seal, Chief Priest.”

Unlike Shenwu Yi’s rejection of the Profound Rage Seal, the Chief Priest did not obey the request immediately. In fact, he was obviously startled by it. After all, the difference between their cultivation wasn’t just one or two minor realms. It was nine minor realms... plus the chasm of a great realm.

If the cultivation gap between a sixth-level Divine Extinction Realm profound practitioner and an eighth-level Divine Extinction Realm profound practitioner was the difference between Half-Gods, then the gap between a Divine Master and a Divine Extinction Realm profound practitioner... was the difference between two planes.

If even the Chief Priest was reacting this much, everyone else could only do worse.

“Hahahaha!”

Dian Rahu guffawed. “What kind of nonsense is this boy talking?”

Dian Jiuzhi wasn’t laughing, but his eyes were equally filled with puzzlement and astonishment. He had witnessed Yun Che in combat before. He would not be too surprised that the young man could overcome an opponent who was two minor realms above him, like Shenwu Yi. However, he simply could not believe he had the power to fight a Divine Extinction Realm profound practitioner, much less Dian Sansi at his full, unsuppressed strength.

“Father, what is Brother Yuan...”

Meng Jianxi subconsciously turned to look at Meng Kongchan but discovered that his Father seemed unnaturally calm. In fact, he was exchanging a meaningful look with the Heart Painter Divine Regent.

Meng Jianxi stopped whatever he was going to say and focused his eyes on the battlefield once more. Then, he focused all of his spirit on the act of watching, so much so that the surrounding light and even the sounds in his ears were rapidly fading away. In the end, the only sound he could hear clearly was his rapidly beating heart.

Could it be... could he, a Divine Master... actually fight against a Divine Extinction Realm!?

“Is... is he serious??” At a different corner, Sha Xing’s face was riddled with disbelief as well.

“It doesn’t look like he’s joking. This is not a time or place where he could joke around either.” Xian Yue was examining Yun Che’s expression with furrowed brows and puzzlement as well. His mind was racing to decipher Yun Che’s meaning, and yet he absolutely could not believe that Yun Che could battle against Dian Sansi at his current level... not even if he were just defending; not even if it was just a battle of a single exchange.

Wushen Xing and Wushen Yue were exchanging odd expressions with each other as well.

“Tsk! Perfect Godbearer, my ass. He’s lost his mind!” Pan Buzhuo hid a snort while still wearing an ugly scar on his right face.

Pan Yusheng was side-eying Meng Kongchan’s face with a slight frown.

The Chief Priest clenched his fingers, and the Profound Rage Seal crumbled just like that.

“In that case, the Profound Rage Seal will not be applied. This battle will follow the same rules as the battle of Divine Children. Begin!”

1. When sound transmission exists? This is just plot convenience. ☜