Against the Gods

Chapter 2130 - Abyssal Monarch (2)

“Although the Eternal Night Divine Daughter is at the sixth level of the Divine Extinction Realm, we may not need to be too shocked or concerned about it, BrotherYuan. It’s highly possible that she is just a rotten, empty shell,” Meng Jianxi went over to Yun Che’s side and said in a low voice.

Yun Che cast him a sideways glance. “What do you mean?”

Meng Jianxi said seriously, “I took some time to compile some of the intel related to the Eternal Night Kingdom of God just now and noticed something. In recent years, they have been scouring and trading for abyssal crystals containing massive quantities of energy, but they are extremely difficult to control.”

“The energy contained within these types of abyssal crystals is so volatile that it’s nigh impossible to use them to accelerate one’s cultivation. Instead, they are normally used to forge energy and offensive-type profound formations.”

“I had wondered why the Eternal Night Kingdom of God was scouring these abyssal crystals, and now...”

His gaze shifted toward the Eternal Night Kingdom of God’s group. “The Lightless Divine Regent is an unusually crazy woman. Father once said that the reason she became a Divine Regent wasn’t to lead the Eternal Night Kingdom of God, but to vent her hatred upon all men under the heavens... To this end, she could do anything; sacrifice anyone.”

“Therefore...”

At this point, Yun Che more or less figured out what he was trying to say. “You’re saying...”

“Overaccelerated growth leads to the end of potential.”

Meng Jianxi narrowed his eyes slightly and said in a ridiculing voice, “This was recorded in the Xuanji Hall. Right after Shenwu Yanye became a Divine Regent, she invented a profound cultivation formation that could stimulate one’s profound veins and profound entrances and forcefully increase one’s cultivation in just a short time.”

“However, this profound formation is violent to the point of cruelty. It does not just go against the laws of the profound way; it goes against the natural order itself. Although it can rapidly increase one’s cultivation in just a short time, it deals permanent damage to the profound veins and ruins the profound practitioner’s lifespan and future. That is why the Lightless Divine Regent abandoned the profound formation.”

“It is mentioned in the records that the core necessary to empower the profound formation was none other than all types of volatile abyssal crystals.”

“I understand.”

Yun Che nodded and drew his own conclusions. “To put on a show of force and prove that her Divine Daughter—in terms of cultivation at least—is superior to all Divine Sons, she went so far as to reactivate the profound formation and forcefully increase Shenwu Yi’s cultivation to this extent... All things considered, your theory is most likely true.”

To any Kingdom of God, a Divine Son or Daughter was a priceless jewel. They would not want them to suffer even the slightest bit of damage. However, the Lightless Divine Regent was a madwoman who could resort to unimaginable means just to one-up the Divine Sons and step on the faces of the men of the other Kingdoms of God. This was absolutely the kind of atrocity she could commit.

However, the words that came out of Yun Che’s mouth sounded perfectly calm and collected. There wasn’t a speck of worry in his heart either.

“Yes, I believe it to be the truth.”

Meng Jianxi nodded slowly. “Unless the information regarding Shenwu Yi’s beginning was completely false... I simply cannot imagine any other possibility.”

Forget this era, there has never been a person in the entire history of the Six Kingdoms of God who grew from a peak Divine Master to a sixth-level Divine Extinction Realm profound practitioner in just two decades.

Yun Che echoed in agreement. “There is common sense, and then there’s fundamental laws of the world.”

Common sense and fundamental laws apply to most people... but my Qingyue... was created by the Ancestral God herself, just like the Creation Gods and the Devil Emperors. She was born from the most primal and fundamental power of nothing. Her heart resembles glazed glass, and her vessel is uniquely exquisite and profound. She exists beyond common sense and fundamental laws.

It was at this moment that a cool breeze washed through the area and eliminated all of the noise. The world suddenly became impossibly silent; so silent that Yun Che could hear his heartbeat once more. Unlike the first time, though, it was unusually calm and even.

An unspeakable feeling enveloped his spiritual senses. It was soft and light, existing yet not existing. It reminded Yun Che of the swelling water of a clear spring; the faint mist that accompanied the first glimmer of dawn.

As ephemeral as the thing was, it silenced everyone instantly. Their gestures unconsciously grew reserved and respectful, and their thoughts settled into tranquility. It was as if any unusual noise, movement, or even thought was an unforgivable act of transgression and blasphemy.

Everyone looked in the same direction as if their eyes were drawn by an invisible force. The pure white clouds peeled off layer by layer, and a white silhouette slowly approached...

Suddenly, Yun Che’s vision blurred as if his subconscious had turned off for an instant. When it cleared, the silhouette was already standing clearly and perfectly before all of them.

His pupils contracted slightly, and his gaze was glued to the silhouette for a very, very long time.

The Divine Regents and the Dragon Lord all stood up straight. Even the Lightless Divine Regent in her palanquin had obediently risen to her feet. Then, they and their entourages all bowed to the white silhouette and said in greeting, “We greet you, Abyssal Monarch.”

The greeting was simple, and the salute was simpler. There was no welcoming ceremony, no flamboyant display of courtesy, and definitely no heaven-shaking sounds or world-illuminating lights. This was all the etiquette one needed to perform when having an audience with the supreme Abyssal Monarch—a simple bow.

Even the weakest king in the smallest nation of the poorest Land of the Living would demand ostentation far greater than this. The Abyssal Monarch wasn’t the highest ruler of the Abyss; he was the person who had created this world and the supreme existence all who lived in the Abyss looked up to. To the denizens of the Abyss, his existence was like the light that filled the sky. He was the symbol of ultimate power, status, influence, and dignity.

Those who personally met the Abyssal Monarch would know that he never cared for complex rites or carried himself with any imperial bearing whatsoever. He did not need Abyssal Knights or Pure Land Divine Guards to open a way for him. He did not even need anyone to announce his arrival. He simply showed up.

In Yun Che’s vision, the Abyssal Monarch was dressed in a plain white robe. It was spotlessly clean and white as snow. He did not wear any pendants. His belt was spotlessly white just like his robe, and his wide sleeves hung naturally below his waist like clouds. It was such a plain and pure outfit that one could not believe that it was the clothes of a supreme monarch.

A gust of faint mist approached the man without any fear whatsoever and lingered longingly in front of him. It was only then that it reluctantly left his side and revealed a handsome countenance that looked like it had been carved out of mutton fat jade. His facial features were sculpted with grace and refinement that even a girl could not hope to possess, and his eyebrow arches resembled distant mountains with a spot of umber-black dye. His long eyelashes cast faint shadows beneath his eyes, and yet he did not exude the authority or prestige of a supreme monarch whatsoever.

It’s him... As expected, it’s him...

This was the first time Yun Che met the Abyssal Monarch, but this was not the first time he saw him. Long before this, Ni Xuan’s memory fragments already told him who the Abyssal Monarch was and entrusted him with a duty the Heretic God never vocalized.

This was just confirmation and the utter annihilation of all other vague and unlikely possibilities.

Right now, His name—the Abyssal Monarch’s name—was stirring up violent, chaotic waves inside Yun Che’s soul sea. He was the son of the Chief of the Four Creation Gods, the Heaven Punishing Divine Emperor Mo E. He was the Heaven Punishing Crown Prince of the ancient god race. He was the sinner whom Mo E had personally buried in the Abyss of Nothingness. He was the True God who should have long perished to nothingness...

Mo Su!

His appearance looked almost identical to the one he saw in Ni Xuan’s memories. Even after countless years had passed, even though the memory fragments were faint and weak, he had left an unforgettable and indistinct mark in Ni Xuan’s soul fragment.

After all, this name and appearance embodied a kind of regret and guilt that Ni Xuan could not let go of right to the moment he died.

That said, the man’s appearance was the only thing that remained mostly unchanged. Everything else about him was different.

Right now, his eyes were clear and bright like pools of stars. They also seemed warm enough to contain all the stars in the universe. However, the confusion, yearning, and soul ripples that used to plague him were nowhere to be found.

Besides that, Yun Che vaguely sensed a faint mist shrouding his eyes. It seemed to be isolating something. His emotions? His thoughts? Everything?

He was Mo Su, the Heaven Punishing Crown Prince. No one in the entire God Realm knew that he had not perished, even though he was buried in the Abyss of Nothingness by his own Father during the ancient era, before the titanic war between gods and devils broke out. He even survived and created the world that would be known as the Abyss.

It was thanks to him that the Abyss and the Six Kingdoms of God existed.

It was also because of him that his original universe was facing an existential crisis.

“At ease,” the Abyssal Monarch said lightly. His voice resembled a warm sun that tickled the snow. It was so warm and gentle that one could not help but relax their breathing.

The crowd did as he said and straightened their backs. Then, they raised their heads slightly to look up to the Abyssal Monarch.

“Do you remember him, Li Suo?” Yun Che calmed his emotions and asked softly in his soul sea.

Li Suo quickly responded, “He is Mo Su, the Heaven Punishing Crown Prince.”

“How much about him do you still remember?”

A short silence later, she answered, “Only his name and appearance. Everything else I know about him came from you.”

“He is Mo E’s son, heir of the Creation Gods. In ancient times, he was the greatest True God of them all. In this day and age, his body, his strength, his soul, his knowledge and experience... everything about him surpasses what the current plane possesses. Are you sure... he is someone you can defeat?”

“...”

Yun Che did not answer her.

It wasn’t until after the crowd readjusted their postures that they realized the Abyssal Monarch had not come alone. Three figures were flanking him.

The foremost figure boasted a divine appearance that oppressed the soul and a pressure that resembled the heavens. It was the Chief Priest Yun Che encountered a while ago. Behind him was another man whose appearance and bearing resembled the Chief Priest greatly.

Yun Che did not even need to ask to know that he was the Chief Priest’s Divine Attendant and the head of the Four Divine Attendants of the Pure Land, Dong Huang.

Su Shang, High Priest Ling Xian’s Divine Attendant, was elegant and refined like water. Yuan Ying, High Priest Liu Xiao’s Divine Attendant, was cheerful and undisciplined.

The Divine Attendants’ personality all resembled their master, and the Chief Priest’s Divine Attendant was no different. Cold, indifferent pressure resided in his eyes. It seemed capable of freezing one’s soul and breaking one's bones apart.

Standing on the other side was a man in silver armor. Not even the pure clouds could conceal its cold, sharp radiance. His lips were tightly pursed, and his facial lines looked like the sharp edge of a sword. His eyes especially looked as sharp as a cold star.

The man carried a silver heavy sword behind his back. His whole being seemed to be enveloped in a sheen of silver light, and he only needed an instant to unleash supernova levels of divine power.

Yun Che immediately recalled someone. He was the highest-ranking abyssal knight on the abyssal knight ranking and the chief commander of all Abyssal Knights in the Pure Land... Dugu Zhuyuan!

The Abyssal Monarch was floating in the air and wearing an expression that resembled warm jade. He was looking ahead, and yet every person felt as if the Abyssal Monarch was staring directly at them.

Suddenly, Yun Che’s eyes shivered.

The Abyssal Monarch raised his left arm slightly, and it was at that moment that Yun Che’s vision caught a flash of piercing black. It was a jade bracelet of indistinguishable material. It was as dark as night, yet dim and lightless.

The moment Yun Che saw the bracelet, both his heart and soulstring twitched violently. Inside his profound veins, an unnatural ripple had appeared in the Eternal Calamity of Darkness as well.

It only lasted an instant though. Everything returned to normal after that.

It was so brief it was like an imagination.