Against the Gods

Chapter 2069: Shadow of the Abyssal Monarch

“Afraid?” Hua Fuchen muttered, “Afraid…”

Hua Qingying continued, “Brother, it’s been ten thousand years since you inherited the throne. You may not have noticed your own changes for the past millennia, but I am well aware of them.”

“Yun Che is right about one thing. You… are becoming more and more like the previous divine regent.”

Hua Fuchen did not deny it. He sagged deeper into his seat and said softly, “I once thought that I would still beeven if I inherited the throne and becthe divine regent. However, ‘identity’ turned out to be a more powerful word than I could possibly imagine. It was never just a simple title. It's a guillotine blade that, once suspended above your head, will change you in ways you cannot detect for eternity.”

“I still loathe the previous divine regent to this day, but as tpasses, I've cto loathe myself even more. I loathe how naive, foolish, impulsive, childish, inflexible, and self-conceited I was. In fact, the more I am faced with decisions that may change the fate of the entire Kingdom of God, the more I grow to empathize with the previous divine regent…”

“Once, I believed that the previous divine regent was the root of all wrongs. Now, I've cto realize that the one who truly killed Wanxin… was me.”

“That's why you becscared,” Hua Qingying said. “That's why you did everything in your power—even if you knew that you were limiting her cognition as a result—to sever any wave, any possibility of a wave that may impact her life.”

“How… can I not be scared?” Hua Fuchen murmured.

Hua Qingying knew. From the beginning, she knew that the one who would bear the heaviest burden of Hua Caili and Yun Che’s relationship wasn’t either one of the affected parties, but Hua Fuchen.

The coldness in her voice faded. “If none of this had happened, I would’ve done everything in my power to see your arrangements for Caili through. Caili herself would be perfectly content to reside in your cocoon, never questioning or defying your decisions or words.”

“But… she encountered Yun Che and gave him her body and soul.”

Hua Qingying whispered, “‘Those who experienced the sea can no longer fall for another body of water’... I’m sure you understand this more than anyone.”

“Caili can no longer pull herself out of the quagmire she stepped into. Even if you force them apart, Caili would not return to who she was before. It would be as if someone had dug out her heart and soul… don’t you know how that feels already?”

“... Enough.”

Hua Fuchen’s face was hidden in the shadows, his tightly clenched fists shaking slightly.

Hua Qingying sighed. She knew she was deepening the hole in his heart with every word she spoke, but for Caili’s sake, she had to do it.

“Brother, I’m not trying to push you into making a decision. I just hope that you will give Caili and Yun Che a chance… or should I say, I want you to buy them stime.”

“Caili’s profound energy is growing tremendously. Since the day she encountered Yun Che, her sword heart has becincreasingly bright, and her growth in the way of the sword is outright unbelievable.”

“As for Yun Che, he is a monster who can rival an early-stage Divine Extinction Realm profound practitioner as a level three Divine Master. I did not think this was possible until I met him.”

“Dian Jiuzhi has been waiting faithfully for Caili for many years, and today Caili is fully restored in body and soul. Three years from now, when it's tto have an audience with the Abyssal Monarch, he will surely bring up the matter of marriage. Even if you still cannot bring yourself to sever the engagement then, at least buy them stso they may grow enough feathers to weather the coming storm a little better.”

“...” Hua Fuchen did not say anything. It was impossible to say if he decided to listen to the advice or not.

The long silence was so oppressive that every speck of dust was frozen.

Hua Qingying turned around and slowly walked toward the exit. It wasn’t until she reached the door that she said, “Even if the engagement were to be nullified, the worst you will incur is the wrath of the Boundless Kingdom of God. It's not impossible to quell this anger, right? All it will cost… is the dignity of a divine regent.”

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“That’s all I’m going to say. You are Caili’s father and the divine regent of the Heaven Breaker Kingdom of God. The final decision lies in your hands[1].”

Hua Fuchen still did not say anything.

Hua Qingying looked up at the sky when she stepped out of the sword pavilion. For sreason, she felt as if she could see Qu Wanxin.

……

Hua Fuchen remained seated where he was even after Hua Qingying was long gone. It was as if he had lost his soul.

The greatest pressure he faced had never cfrom the Boundless Kingdom of God.

There was one thing neither Hua Caili nor Hua Qingying knew about.

Back then, the Abyssal Monarch was the one who bestowed the engagement between Hua Caili and Dian Jiuzhi. Hua Fuchen and Dian Rahu might have been the ones who sowed the seeds of possibility, but it was He who sealed the deal. Since then, the union between the duo and the two Kingdoms of God becunshakeable. It was a momentous occasion that was celebrated by everyone.

To Hua Fuchen, it was a choice to secure eternal peace and security for Hua Caili. To Dian Rahu, it was a decision to fulfill his son’s lifelong wish.

That day, when they had beseeched the Abyssal Monarch to bestow the engagement, He had examined Dian Jiuzhi with an approving nod, saying, “I have long heard that Jiuzhi is wholly devoted to Caili. The fact that you allowed no woman to approach you despite being the Boundless Divine Son proves your feelings.”

“Very well. I shall grant you the engagement you desire. Caili has grown up under my watch, and there is no one in the Pure Land who doesn’t adore the girl. You must never betray her love, understand?”

“There is no one I hate more… than a betrayer of love.”

It was just a passing remark from the Abyssal Monarch. It wasn’t even directed at Hua Caili.

At the time, Hua Fuchen was greatly relieved to hear his words.

Now, all that reassurance and relief had transformed into crushing mountains that suffocated his soul.

……

Hua Caili was stomping back to her sword pavilion. She ignored everyone who greeted her in passing, drawing many a confused look as a result.

When she finally returned to her residence, she stopped in front of the lotus pond she loved the most, but did not feel like playing or admiring its beauty at all. Instead, she grabbed a random jade stone beside her feet and tossed it toward the pond in frustration.

The pond was small, but the stone kicked up an unexpectedly huge splash. Then, a man slowly rose out of the water while grabbing the stone she'd tossed.

“Greetings, noble Lady Caili. I am here to return your lost possession. Did you lose a golden stone, a silver stone, or this shabby stone?”

For a time, Hua Caili could only stare at Yun Che with her mouth agape. Then, she burst into uncontrollable laughter.

Yun Che did a turn and jump, and landed right in front of Hua Caili. “So? Who dares to anger my Caili so?”

“Who else?” Hua Caili grabbed his hand and puffed up her cheeks once more. “Father just wouldn’t relent. He… he even yelled at me!”

“The inhumanity! That is terrible!” Yun Che pretended to be horrified. “Today, he yells at you. Tomorrow, he just might spank you!”

“Pff… Father would never.” Hua Caili tapped a knuckle against Yun Che’s chest and said softly, “It’s all your fault. I had so much anger just now, and now it’s all gone.”

“It’s fine. Anger isn’t worth collecting anyway.” Yun Che smiled. “To tell you the truth, your father’s attitude already far exceeded my expectations. He gaveface, patience, and even the chance to speak to him, a divine regent, as equals. I don’t think there exists any other divine regent in the world who would affordsuch generosity.”

“Besides, he only yelled at you because he cares. If you were your younger sister, I bet he wouldn’t even bat an eyelid.”

“You shouldn’t be defending him. You’re the victim here.” Hua Caili leaned forward and lay softly against Yun Che’s chest, the frustration in her heart melting into warmth and comfort. “Big brother Yun is so good, and yet Father is still… just what will it take to change his mind?”

“He will,” Yun Che whispered, “you are the most important family in his life. He’s just having trouble accepting it right away. Just give him enough time, and I’m sure he’ll compromise and accept for your sake.”

“Ah?” Hua Caili looked up. “R-really? Are you sure?” Yun Che nodded. “I’m sure. I haven’t interacted with your Father for long, but even I can tell that his love and care for you far exceeds your imagination.”

“It’s just that you have to remember that he isn’t just your Father. He is also the Heaven Breaker Divine Regent. We only need to know each other’s feelings to have the courage to stand against the world, but your Father has to worry about so much more. The pressure he has to carry on his shoulders… may be greater than we can possibly conceive.”

“If anything, I think we are the ones… who should afford him empathy and understanding.”

Hua Caili couldn’t help but recall the flash of sorrow and grief she had seen on her father’s face and feel a twinge in her heart. She nodded lightly in Yun Che’s embrace. “Mm. I get it. I’ll coax him nicely tomorrow.”

Inside the Yixin Sword Pavilion, Hua Fuchen had just recovered enough composure to release his divine perception. It just so happened that he heard Yun Che’s words.

“This brat…” He muttered while wrestling with a kaleidoscope of emotions.

It was at this moment Hua Lianzhi emerged from behind a wall and ran up to them. “Elder sister, you’re—ah!”

She let out a cry of surprise and turned as pale as a ghost. She then turned around in a hurry and said, “I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I didn't see anything! Anything at all!”

Hua Caili was caught off guard by her sudden appearance as well and detached herself from Yun Che in a panic. But then, a devilish idea entered her mind, and the corners of her lips curled upward. She grabbed Yun Che’s wrist and pulled him toward her bedroom, ordering, “Activate the barriers, Lianzhi! I don’t care who summonstoday, you will tell them that I’m busy until tomorrow!”

“Y-yes, elder sister!” Hua Lianzhi was still stammering, but she did not hesitate to activate the residence barriers and seal the whole place up tighter than a cocoon. Then, she retreated out of the barrier and guarded the place like her life depended on it.

In the bedroom, Hua Caili collapsed on her bed and let out a long sigh. “I’m so irritated and tired. I just want to sleep right now. I don’t need to think about anything while I’m asleep.”

“Then sleep,” Yun Che said smilingly. “Maybe your Father will have found a perfect solution when next you wake.”

“Sure,” Hua Caili mumbled. It was clear she had no confidence that her Father would make the right decision anytsoon. She opened her arms toward Yun Che and said, “What are you waiting for? I can’t fall asleep without you anymore, you know that right?”

Her lightly pursed lips, her soft, silky voice, her misty eyes. Either one of them could have melted the toughest rock and stirred up the calmest seas, much less all three.

Yun Che walked up to her, but before he could say anything, Hua Caili grabbed him with both arms and—amidst a cackle of triumph—rolled him across her bed.

The two youngsters fooled around for a bit before Hua Caili finally calmed down. As she closed her eyes, her breathing slowly becsteadier as if she had fallen asleep.

Yun Che too relaxed his movements and calmed his breathing. However, he had just gotten a few minutes of shut eye when he felt a pair of hands sneaking into his clothes. Before he knew it, the plotting temptress had successfully pinned him against her bed.

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“Caili… this doesn’t seem like the right place and—”

“Like I care!”

Inside the sword pavilion, the jade chair Hua Fuchen was sitting on blown to smithereens at the sthis long hair flailed wildly in the air like enraged snakes. “How… dare… they!”

There was an explosion of profound energy, and a triggered Heart Painter Divine Regent flew straight toward Hua Caili’s residence.

There was another explosion, and he appeared in front of the residence barrier. However, when he released his divine perception and heard the quivering voice of a young woman, he recoiled like he had been stabbed in the heart and withdrew it in a hurry. He trembled all over while his face turned as black as the bottom of a frying pan.

Behind him, Hua Qingying spoke up, “It’s normal for a pair of youngsters to indulge in pleasure.”

Hua Fuchen turned around to face her. He felt like there was a universe’s worth of emotions stuck inside his chest, but there was nowhere he could vent it. He could only swing his arm again and again in frustration, yelling, “This is outrageous behavior! Simply outrageous!”

Hua Qingying said indifferently, “You say that as if you haven’t done the exact sthing with Wanxin.”

Her words shut Hua Fuchen right up. Unable to refute his sister’s words, he turned around again and stared at Hua Caili’s residence in rage and vexation, mind thinking furiously whether he should barge in and stop this nonsense or not.

“Fa… Fa… Fa… Father.”

It was at this moment Hua Lianzhi spoke up. It was a word she had said countless times in the past, and yet it took her a stupid amount of tto spit it out right now.

“Hmph! Spoil them all you want!”

In the end, Hua Fuchen swung his sleeves and left in frustration.

He didn’t go far when two Sword Sovereigns, Yuheng and Kaiyang sensed his presence and flew over to meet him. They greeted him from afar, “Suprone—”

“Get lost!”

Hua Fuchen didn’t even look at them. He was gone in the blink of an eye, leaving Yuheng Sword Sovereign and Kaiyang Sword Sovereign feeling very confused.

Hua Qingying appeared the next instant. “What is it?”

Yuheng Sword Sovereign answered, “We heard that Caili had successfully broken through to the Divine Extinction Realm, so the seven of us ctogether to forge the Foundation Strengthening Great Formation. However, it’s taking the suprone a surprisingly long tto give us the order, so…”

“Don’t worry,” Hua Qingying assured them, “my brother is feeling unwell as of late. It is best if you don’t disturb him for now. He will call for you when the tis right.”

“I guess so,” Kaiyang Sword Sovereign sighed, “this is the first tI've seen the suprone acting like this.”

The two Sword Sovereigns were about to take their leave when suddenly, they recalled something. “There is one more thing. Two hours ago, we received a visitation letter from the Boundless Kingdom of God. It will be Caili’s twentieth birthday in twenty days, and the Boundless Divine Son Dian Jiuzhi will be arriving to congratulate her in person.”

Hua Qingying considered this for a moment before answering, “Please message the Boundless Kingdom of God and tell them that Caili’s ‘twentieth birthday’ defies common sense, which is why we have decided to keep it low profile. We will not be holding a birthday ceremony this year.”

“Caili has just accomplished a major breakthrough, and solidifying her foundation takes precedence above everything else. Moreover, Caili will be entering secluded cultivation in a couple of days, and it is unclear when she will be exiting seclusion. Thank the Boundless Divine Son for his passion, but inform him that he does not need to visit in person.”

“Er… I’m not sure if…”

Yuheng Sword Sovereign obviously had doubts regarding her order, but Kaiyang Sword Sovereign answered, “We shall do as you say, Sword Fairy. The message will be sent from the Kaiyang Pavilion immediately.”

After the two Sword Sovereigns were gone, peace finally returned to the area. Hua Qingying let out a small sigh and muttered to herself, “What troubleskids.”

1. 站着说话不腰疼就是你了你了你了。 ☜