Against the Gods (Web Novel)

The world descended into a terrifying, deathly stillness. Even the air had suddenly become so prickly that it pierced one’s heart and bones.

A Divine Spirit expert had actually been annihilated by a single finger and not even a single speck of dust remained.

“A Divine… Divine King!” the black-robed old man beside Princess Hanwei exclaimed in a trembling voice as his eyes widened to their fullest extent. Upon hearing those few words, everyone’s body shook violently.

On this plane, a Divine King was on the level of the sect masters of the greatest sects!

And what was even more terrifying than the two words “Divine King” was his eyes. They had never seen such dark and gloomy eyes before. When he turned around and swept that dark gaze over them, the terrifying, stifling oppression… was akin to a demon opening its eyes and grabbing their throats and souls with its wicked claws.

However, Ming Yang was no ordinary person, so his fear and apprehension toward Divine Kings were not as heavy as other common folk. After all, his own father was one of the strongest Divine Kings in this region. He suppressed the odd terror in his heart and took a step forward. There was a faint smile on his face as he made a respectful bow. “For this junior Ming Yang to be able to meet such an expert like Senior in this barren place is truly my fortune. Just now, my servant had eyes but he did not recognize a Divine King, and he actually attacked and offended you. I thank Senior for reprimanding us.”

“That’s right, my father is the clan master of the Dark Roc Clan, Ming Xiao, and I believe that Senior has heard of him. If Senior doesn’t mind, you can journey to our Dark Roc Mountain and stay there as a guest. This junior will definitely look forward to it and I will definitely lavish a feast on you when you come.”

Those short few words were clearly respectful but they did not lose any of their dignity or power. This was especially true when he presented the name of his clan and his father, his tone had undergone a subtle change. After all, it was not limited to this mere region, in this entire star realm, who did not recognize the Dark Roc Clan or Ming Xiao’s name!?

But...

What shocked Ming Yang was that the face of the black-robed man facing them did not even flinch when he heard Ming Yang’s words. What answered him was merely that reraised finger… which was gently flicked once more.

PFFBOOOM!!

Three beams of fiery light simultaneously exploded all around Ming Yang.

In his eyes, which had widened so much that they nearly ruptured, the three people beside him, which was also to say the three Divine Spirit Realm experts, had instantly… In that exact same instant, their Divine Spirit bodies exploded within those fiery lights, but they had not let out a single cry of misery or shed a single drop of blood. They had directly been blown into fiery fragments that filled the sky before becoming flying ash that scattered all over the ground.

This completely unforeseen turn of events caused Ming Yang’s features to violently tremble. The confidence he possessed before had now turned into a completely uncontrollable trembling. “You…”

A single word spilled from his lips but he was unable to say anything after that.

Yun Che started moving, walking toward Ming Yang step by step. With every step that drew closer, Ming Yang’s pupils would contract a little more. The gradually approaching invisible oppression, an oppression that was far too terrifying, very nearly shattered his mind.

His mouth gaped open and his lips kept flapping but he was unable to make a sound no matter how hard he tried. Finally, he tried to flee… However, he was not able to gather even the smallest thread of profound energy. In fact, he could not even feel his own legs as his entire body slowly sank to the ground like wet mud. His body grew even more limp… until he had fallen to his knees.

He definitely was not a cowardly person. On the contrary, given his background and status, he had never behaved in a craven or arrogant in front of the Divine King sect masters of the other big sects.

But in front of Yun Che, all of his courage seemed to have been shattered by something invisible.

While he was in a trance, Yun Che had already arrived in front of him and Ming Yang’s pupils had already shrunk to trembling pinpricks… He did not understand why he was feeling such terror. Even when he had the fortune to meet the great realm king back then, he definitely had not felt so fearful or apprehensive.

His trembling lips opened and closed and he wanted to say that he was the young master of the Dark Roc Clan, that he could not kill him. Instead, he exhausted all of his will to force out two words, two words that he barely managed to choke out in a voice that trembled violently. “Spare… me…. aaaagh!”

A hand gripped his throat, directly lifting him off the ground, strangling his voice.

The last voice he would hear in his life rang in his ears… and it was a low voice that was even more dreadful than a devil’s.

“Those who defy me, those who offend me, and those who wound me… All of them should die!”

A cluster of black energy circled around Ming Yang’s neck before it instantly spread to his entire body. In an instant… the black energy had devoured his body, leaving nothing but pitch-black ashes behind.

This was the first time that Yun Che had used darkness profound energy so naturally.

He let his hand fall… Ming Yang had already disappeared from in front of him, and all that was left was a cloud of black smoke that was slowly dispersed by a dark and cold wind.

No one could understand just what kind of dreadful darkness, resentment, and bloodlust was hidden beneath that icy-cold facade of his at this moment. Ming Yang was merely like an ant who thought too highly of itself, an ant who had gone to offend a death god who had just walked out of a boundless abyss.

As the black smoke cleared, Yun Che turned around and headed north… He did not spare the purple-clothed girl or the black-robed old man a single glance.

The purple-clothed girl had been left in a complete daze, as if she had been caught in an illusory dream.

Ming Yang was not only the son of the Dark Roc Clan Master, he was also known to all as the Dark Roc Clan’s young master. He was, in the truest sense of the words, a person who could run amok without fear in the eastern region, a person who no one would dare to offend… But he had actually died just like that!?

It had been an act that had looked as simple as casually brushing off some dirt!

And this had happened even after Ming Yang had clearly given his identity. It was as if… the Dark Roc Clan, whose name resounded throughout the entire eastern region, was completely beneath his notice!?

The black-robed old man came back to his senses with much difficulty. Given his experience, the shock in his heart was even greater than purple-clothed girl’s shock. But more importantly, he was feeling the joy that one felt after surviving a major crisis. He sank to the ground limply and he was unable to stand, but a faint smile appeared on his face. “It looks like the heavens themselves are protecting Your Highness and they sent an expert to save us… Your Highness, you must leave quickly. The Dark Roc Clan definitely sensed Ming Yang’s death… after this old one has recovered a little bit, I will catch up to Your Highness.”

But the purple-clothed girl did not react to his words at all. Her eyes remained fixed on that black-clothed man’s back as they fluctuated continuously… and continued to grow even more restless.

“Senior, please wait a while!”

Her sudden cry gave the black-robed elder beside her a huge shock. “Your… Your Highness!”

His instincts told him that this black-clothed man was someone who they definitely could not afford to provoke.

He had even killed the Dark Roc Clan’s young master so casually, what was killing other people to him!?

Yun Che did not respond in the slightest to her cry and he was slowly growing smaller and smaller in her vision.

“Senior!” the purple-clothed girl cried out in an even louder voice. “This junior is the Eastern Frost Nation’s Nineteenth Princess Dongfang Hanwei. I thank Senior for saving my life.”

She started moving forward before she suddenly knelt to the ground, her voice suddenly filled with deep sadness and pleading. “This junior’s motherland has been struck by a great catastrophe, our royal city is on the verge of being attacked, and my royal father and mother are still in the city… This junior is already at the end of her rope and I boldly and shamelessly beg Senior to help us. If Senior can save this junior’s royal father and mother, this junior would be willing to give you anything in return!”

“Your Highness, you must… must not!” The black-robed elder struggled to rise to his feet and stop her.

He was not that shocked that Dongfang Hanwei would go to this extent. After all, she truly was at her wit’s end and this was something she was very likely to do, given her personality.

She did not dare hope that the other party would help her solve the crisis that imperiled the royal city and if the other party would be able to rescue her parents, she would already consider that a blessing from the heavens.

She and Yun Che were complete strangers and she knew absolutely nothing about him, she did not even know whether he was good or evil. However, like a drowning man, she would desperately cling to whatever she could… This black-clothed man’s origins were unknown and his aura was bizarre, but he had crushed the Dark Roc young master like he was stepping on an ant. So in her despair, it was as if she had seen a life-saving straw that flickered with a black light.

Yun Che did not react to her words at all.

“Senior… Senior!”

Yun Che’s indifference did not cause her to back down in disappointment. She utilized the last of her profound energy to swiftly surge forward. She directly fell to the ground right behind Yun Che, her blood-stained hand firmly grasping the corner of his robe. Her mournful voice was now interlaced with sobs as she said, “This junior begs that you save us. As long as you are willing to help, I will agree to anythi…”

Yun Che flung his robe backwards.

Bang!!

With a muffled bang, Dongfang Hanwei was blasted into the distance, resembling a purple butterfly that had been caught up in a hurricane. Her delicate body landed heavily beside the black-robed old man and streams of blood that had flowed in reverse trickled out of the corner of her mouth.

“Your Highness… Your Highness!” The black-robed old man desperately shook his head. “Don’t try to force things. Protecting yourself is the greatest comfort you can provide to the king.”

Yun Che was still nearby so he naturally did not dare to say that Yun Che was definitely an extremely dangerous person.

Dongfang Hanwei’s delicate head drooped low as the blood from her mouth dripped down onto the floor one drop at a time. That already infinitesimal hope… or perhaps it would be better to call it a fantasy, had been extinguished then and there.

But it was at this moment that she suddenly felt her vision dim slightly… She unconsciously raised her head and she saw that the black-clothed man had actually appeared in front of her like a ghost. An unearthly pair of cold and indifferent eyes were staring at her emotionlessly.

“...” She simply sat there in a daze, staring at him but unable to speak.

“You’ll agree to anything, right?” Yun Che said, and the scene resembled that of a devil making a contract with a despairing mortal.

The black-robed old man’s complexion changed dramatically. He wanted to stop her… but he was unable to make a sound and even his raised hand had frozen in midair.

This was a terrifying person who had destroyed four Divine Spirit Realm practitioners and the Dark Roc young master with a casual wave of his hand. So how could he offend him in any way!?

But Dongfang Hanwei’s eyes lit up with a grim and mournful hope. She looked at Yun Che before she gave a slow and resolute nod of her head. “As long as Senior can rescue my royal father and mother… I will agree to any condition. Otherwise, Senior can take my life at any time.”

“Fine.” Yun Che’s eyes narrowed. As he faced Princess Hanwei, whose face was so beautiful and moving that even the Dark Roc young master had lusted over and been infatuated by her, his gaze was so cold and indifferent that it was as if he was looking at a dead body. “Lead the way then.”

“...I thank Senior for his great kindness.” Dongfang Hanwei deeply bowed her head as her eyes instantly misted over. But it was unknown whether she was shedding tears of joy because she had managed to grasp that life-saving straw or if she was weeping in sorrow at her own fate.

The black-robed old man’s hand powerlessly drooped down. From the moment Yun Che had assented, everything had already been far too late. He could only say, “Venerable One, I owe you a great debt… and I entrust Her Highness to you as well. I beg that you treat Her Highness kindly on account of her great sincerity towards you… In my next life, this old one will definitely repay you with all that I have.”

“Hmph.” Yun Che turned slightly and as he tapped his finger in the air, threads of the spiritual energy of heaven and earth poured into the old man’s body.

Immediately, the black-robed old man’s complexion changed. He felt as if countless streams of spring water had surged into his originally withered and exhausted body. His vitality was recovering at an unbelievable speed and his mind was swiftly clearing up. He was starting to feel a growing sense of pain from those wounds that he had no longer felt anything from.

Threads of profound energy were also swiftly surging up within his withered profound veins.

The black-robed old man tried to move his hands and legs, and found he could stand up nearly effortlessly. He looked at Yun Che, his old eyes trembling, and it was as if he was gazing upon a divine being who had descended to the world. After that, his entire body suddenly shuddered as he hurriedly bent down and gave Yun Che a deep bow. “This old one’s name is Qin Jian, I greet the Venerable One. The grace the Venerable One has shown me today will not be forgotten as long as this old one lives.”

“Lead the way!” Yun Che’s voice grew even harder and it was clear he had grown impatient of their idle talk.