Against the Gods

Chapter 456 - Conspiracy Within the Profound Ark

“You want to venture alone? No! Definitely not!” Feng Hengkong unhesitantly shook his head. “The world within this profound ark is strange and unclear, and even royal father has to be extremely careful in this place. In case we encounter some sort of danger, you have to stay by royal father’s side at every given moment, otherwise, royal father definitely won’t be able to feel at ease.”

“But, royal father had said before that this place can be considered the absolute safest place in the entire Primordial Profound Ark, while the place royal father is currently heading to, is instead more dangerous. If Xue’er is only going to play around in the surroundings, isn’t that much safer?” Feng Xue’er said with a soft voice.

“This...” Feng Hengkong blanked, but still shook his head afterwards. “Xue’er, ever since you were young, you have never left Divine Phoenix City, nor have you ever gone to a dangerous place alone. Hence, royal father isn’t able to feel at ease at all if we leave you alone.”

“Mn. Xue’er knows. Xue’er has grown up in the protection of royal father and the various elders since childhood. But, Xue’er has to grow up someday, and can’t be under royal father’s protection for everything she’s going to do in her life. This year, Xue’er is already sixteen years old, and she has long been at the age where she should be able to make her own decisions, and train herself. Incidentally, isn’t this place a very good start? Could it be that royal father wishes for Xue’er to grow up under protection forever, and not find her own world forever?”

Feng Xue’er’s voice carried a deep hopeful feeling within, and even a small hint of desire.

Feng Hengkong’s heart stirred greatly. However, he was still unable to feel at ease having Feng Xue’er truly move on her own in this dangerous place. After all, for so many years, he had already gotten used to providing Feng Xue’er with the most extreme level of protection. Just as he was about to speak up, Feng Feiyan came forward, and spoke by his ears. “Sect Master, what Xue’er has said isn’t wrong either. She’s already sixteen years old this year... Though providing her protection with all our might isn’t wrong, we can’t protect her like this forever. Otherwise, she would never be able to act on her own accord, and instead waste her bloodline and strength. Furthermore, the Ranking Tournament yesterday had already exposed Xue’er’s strength. There’s no need to... conceal it any longer.”

“And with Xue’er’s strength, within a radius of ten thousand kilometers, there’s basically nothing that could possibly threaten her. If we were to speak of the rest who are venturing alone... Even if Ye Xinghan and Ji Qianrou were to combine their strengths, it wouldn’t be possible for them to be Xue’er’s match either. If Sect Master is still worried...” Feng Feiyan cast an odd glance at Feng Hengkong. “Then I will stay behind, and protect Xue’er from the shadows. And at the same time...” action

What Feng Feiyan had said was right. With Feng Xue’er’s strength, it’s impossible for her to be in danger within a radius of ten thousand kilometers. If she were to be protected by Feng Feiyan from the shadows as well, then it would be more than just foolproof... At the same time, having Feng Feiyan kill Yun Che, would be a foolproof plan as well!

Feng Hengkong dropped his doubts, and slowly nodded towards Feng Xue’er. “Alright then. What Xue’er said is right. You have already grown up, and it is indeed time for you to make your own decisions and train yourself. But you must remember what royal father has told you before. Be careful at all times.”

“Wah... Thank you, royal father! Then Xue’er will be going off on her own now. Royal father, you must remember to be careful as well.” Feng Xue’er responded with incomparable joy, then waved her hands at Feng Hengkong. Lightly ascending into the air, she flew towards the east... which was also the direction which Yun Che and Xia Yuanba had left towards earlier.

“Haah, this child...” Feng Hengkong smiled as he shook his head.

“Sect Master, be at ease. There’s nothing here that can possibly threaten Xue’er. Furthermore, I’m protecting her from the shadows as well. So, Sect Master, please leave with a peace of mind.” Feng Feiyan said with a chuckle.

Not long after, Feng Feiyan ascended into the air as well, and leisurely flew towards the direction Feng Xue’er had gone.

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“...Master had said before, that this place is a high-level world. But I don’t understand what a ‘high-level world’ means in the slightest. Though... In this place, Transmission Jades, and all message transmitting items are unusable. Even using one’s profound energy to transmit his or her own voice is not possible either. The range one can sense with his or her profound energy will be small as well.”

Because Yun Che had yet to possess the ability to fly, Xia Yuanba walked on foot with him. The two of them had leisurely walked for a few kilometers, yet what they could only see was still a patch of grassland, with no end in sight. After hearing what Xia Yuanba had said at the end, Yun Che tried to release his perception... As expected, his perception was only capable of reaching a distance of no more than sixty meters, and he was unable to stretch any further than that.

“It really is very strange.” Yun Che said. Two years ago, the Heaven Basin Secret Realm he entered was an independent small world as well. However, the feeling of this Primordial Profound Ark world was greatly different from the Heaven Basin Secret Realm. As for which parts were different, he wasn’t able to tell.

The two of them spoke as they progressed forward, gradually increasing their speed. Though, on this grassland area, they did not encounter any profound beasts, nor did they see even the smallest stalk of an abnormal or precious herb. It was barren to the point where they were becoming muddleheaded. After more than two hours, they finally stepped out of the grassland area and in front of them, was shockingly a wasteland with no end in sight.

After entering the wasteland, the wind became gentle and desolate. The surrounding air had also undergone a subtle change. This extremely small change had also caused Yun Che’s alertness to unconsciously rise. As expected, after walking but a few steps forward, a giant black shadow suddenly sprang out from behind a gigantic boulder, pouncing straight towards Yun Che and Xia Yuanba... It was shockingly, a giant scorpion! Its long scorpion tail glowed radiantly with the color of deadly poison.

Yun Che’s wrist moved, and with a flash of his body, he instantly appeared right below the giant scorpion. With lightning speed, Dragon Fault was smashed out, striking ruthlessly at the giant scorpion’s abdomen.

Bang!!

The giant scorpion was smashed tumbling in the sky, before it heavily landed onto the ground. At the very moment it landed, Xia Yuanba quickly charged, and with a growl, he smashed his fist at the giant scorpion’s body. An instant later, the giant scorpion’s body was instantly blasted apart with an explosive sound, scattering into countless shattered pieces as they flew far away. Streams of black blood spilled out and the places where they had poured onto had dyed the entire ground in complete black. Among them, two drops fell onto Xian Yuanba’s arm.

Yun Che hurriedly stepped forward, and used the Sky Poison Pearl to purify the poison on Xia Yuanba’s body. At the same time, he was secretly shocked. The body of this poisonous giant scorpion was incomparably tough. The heavy horizontal strike from his Dragon Fault was only able to send it flying, yet its body had not been wounded. Yet Xia Yuanba, without borrowing the strength of a weapon and just by casually swinging a fist, was able to smash it into smithereens...

The strength that Xia Yuanba currently possessed had actually reached such terrifying heights.

“Profound beasts are starting to appear. Brother-in-law, you have to be more careful.” Xia Yuanba kicked away the chunk of its corpse next to his feet, and then, as he waved about his arms again, he said. “But Brother-in-law, there’s no need to be too worried. There won’t be any profound beasts that are too strong in this vicinity. With brother-in-law’s strength and mine, there’s nothing that can threaten us.”

“If your sister were to find out about your current strength, she would definitely be in for a huge shock.” Yun Che looked at Xia Yuanba, and said very seriously.

“Big Brother Yun!”

At this moment, a clear and spirited voice, as though it was heavenly music to the ears, could be heard behind them. Yun Che paused his steps, and hurriedly turned his head around... This voice, was clearly Feng Xue’er’s voice!

The moment he turned around, he saw the figure of a teenage girl with peerless and illusory-like beauty in the sky. She slowly floated down from the sky, and the beauty of her posture was like a firefly demonstrating an elegant dance. Although she was still wearing the phoenix jade-glazed coronet, Yun Che was still able to sense her joyful feelings. “Xue’er!? Why are you here? Where’s your royal father and the rest of them?”

Feng Xue’er landed next to Yun Che, and said happily. “Royal father and the rest have went to investigate the inner areas of the profound ark, and allowed me to freely move on my own.”

“Why would your royal father allow you to be alone? In the past, he wouldn’t even permit you to leave Divine Phoenix City.” Yun Che said in shock.

“Hehe.” Feng Xue’er smiled sweetly. “I told father the words that big brother Yun had told me back then. I told royal father that I have already grown up, that I have reached the age where I should be independent, and make my own decisions, so royal father agreed to it.”

“Is that so...” Yun Che slightly nodded. Even though he still had doubts that Feng Hengkong would really feel at ease in allowing Feng Xue’er to freely move on her own in this world where unknown dangers could still exist, Feng Xue’er was currently standing right in front of him, so he had no choice but to believe it.

Seeing Feng Xue’er, who was now beside him, Yun Che’s mood naturally lifted. Initially, he had thought that it would be a long time before he could face her at such a close proximity once again; he never expected that he would gain the opportunity to interact with her so soon. With a smile, he said. “Then... Xue’er, do you want to venture with us?”

“Mn!” Feng Xue’er nodded very strongly. If her phoenix jade-glazed crown was removed at this moment, it would be possible to see a pair of eyes which had already curved into bright new moons. She cheerfully said. “Then, Big Brother Yun, you have to protect Xue’er, alright? ...Oh, and Bulky Big Brother, you have to protect Xue’er as well.”

“Bulky Big Brother” had been staring straight at the two of them. Only when Feng Xue’er spoke to him did he regain his senses, and asked with widened eyes. “Brother-in-law, you two... know each other?”

“Mn.” Yun Che nodded. “Xue’er had once saved my life.”

When Yun Che uttered these words, the eyes Xia Yuanba had been looking at Feng Xue’er with instantly underwent a severe change... She had once saved Yun Che. Just by this point alone, forget about her being the Princess Snow of Divine Phoenix Sect, even if she was an extremely vile old demonic grandma, he would still respect her, and be thankful to her all the same. With a pat to his chest, he said. “You have saved my brother-in-law’s life, then that’s the same as having saved my life. Don’t worry, if anyone dares to bully you, no matter if it’s a man or a profound beast, I definitely won’t let any of them off... Eh, wait a minute!”

Xia Yuanba suddenly recalled the evaluation Spiritual Master Ancient Blue had given Feng Xue’er yesterday. His voice came to a sudden halt, and then, he began to stutter a little. “Little miss... Oh, no, no. Princess Snow, is your profound strength... really... half-step from the Sovereign Profound?”

“That’s right!” Feng Xue’er nodded very casually, as though in her opinion, it wasn’t really a matter that’s worth to be proud or mindful of. “When I’m twenty years old, my profound strength should be able to reach the actual Sovereign Profound Realm. Am I really incredible?”

“Incredible... Incredible...” Xia Yuanba strongly swallowed down a mouthful of saliva, and nodded with a stiff expression. He stayed in Absolute Monarch Sanctuary for nearly two years, and had seen countless numbers of experts who he thought only existed in legends. His outlook of the world had long changed from what it was before... However, even in Absolute Monarch Sanctuary, there had never been an appearance of a Monarch below the age of twenty! Forget about Xia Yuanba, even Spiritual Master Ancient Blue was stunned on-site when he found out about Feng Xue’er’s strength.

“You... You’re... You’re really only sixteen years old? How exactly do you cultivate?!” Xian Yuanba couldn’t help but ask.

“That’s a secret, so I can’t tell you that, alright?” Feng Xue’er cheerfully replied, and then came to Yun Che’s side. “Big brother Yun, where should we head to play? In the next twenty-two hours, I’m able to once again pass my time with big brother Yun. I’m so happy.”

“Xue’er, where do you wish to go?”

“Hm... Actually, anywhere is fine! Let me tell big brother Yun a secret, the reason why I left royal father and moved on my own, was in order to find big brother Yun. But this place is really spacious, and my perception range has been terribly reduced as well. Earlier, I had even gotten lost. And here I thought I wouldn’t be able to find you...”

Xia Yuanba, who was left hanging by the side, looked blankly at the two people who were standing affectionately together, and he silently stretched out his hand to scratch his head... Their relationship seemed to look really good. But strange, didn’t Master say that Princess Snow of Divine Phoenix Sect had never permitted anyone to make contact with her...

——————————————

At the same time, in another place.

“Divine Phoenix Great Elder? Why are you here?”

Ye Xinghan turned around, and with narrowed eyes, he looked towards Feng Feiyan who had come to look for him. Yue Ji and Mei Ji beside him had slowly scattered aside as well, revealing a dagger in each of their hands; their expressions had turned icy cold as well. This world within the Primordial Profound Ark was the best place for a murder to take place, because no one else in the vicinity would be able to see or sense if a person was killed here. After the Primordial Profound Ark disappeared, all traces would completely disappear, allowing the murderer to return scot-free. Feng Feiyan was the Great Elder of Divine Phoenix Sect, and even more so, a high-level Overlord who was at the eighth level of the Tyrant Profound Realm. Naturally, Ye Xinghan wasn’t his match.

“There’s no need to be worried. This Divine Phoenix Great Elder is the smartest person in entire Divine Phoenix Sect. The reason he has come to find this young master, can only be for a good matter, and not a bad one.” Ye Xinghan stretched his hand, and took the initiative to walk towards Feng Feiyan. “You didn’t go to investigate with Feng Hengkong and the rest? Could it be that you’re assigned for something else?”

“Hoho.” Feng Feiyan gave a meaningful smile. “I’m of course here to bring Young Hall Master good news... I’m preparing to send Young Hall Master that huge gift. There’s no longer a need to wait for tomorrow or the day after, as it can be done today. And, it can also be done absolutely flawlessly.”

“Oh?” Ye Xinghan’s face tilted upwards.

“Feng Xue’er, whom Young Hall Master wishes to have, did not accompany Feng Hengkong to investigate the deep areas. Instead, she’s moving on her own... and the reason why I didn’t follow them into the depths, was to comply with Feng Hengkong’s intentions. Protect Feng Xue’er from the shadows, and at the same time, kill Yun Che, that rat who overestimated himself!”

Feng Feiyan’s words caused Ye Xinghan’s eyes to release an odd light. Right after, he stretched out both of his arms, raised his head skywards, and began to laugh maniacally...