Against the Gods

Chapter 1368 - Returning to the World

“Your Evil God profound veins were created from a drop of the Evil God’s Indestructible Blood, and it was the blood that contained the last of his core origin power. That was why the Evil God profound veins were able to take form inside your body. Moreover, a second drop of Evil God’s Indestructible Blood doesn’t exist in this world.”

“In other words, there will never be a second Evil God profound veins.”

“On the other hand, you still have the Evil God profound veins. The problem here is that it is dead—or has gone completely still, if I were to describe it better. If there is one thing in the world that can reawaken your stilled Evil God profound veins, then it would be… the Evil God’s origin power.”

Yun Che had been listening to Phoenix Spirit’s every word carefully, but its final line caused his brows to furrow all of a sudden, “You can’t mean…”

“I’m sure you’ve noticed it already.” The Phoenix Spirit continued, “Your daughter hasn’t acquired any resources from this mediocre plane, and she definitely hasn’t experienced any extraordinary encounters or luck of the profound way in her life. However, her profound energy has continued to grow at an unconventional rate until she reached a level where countless profound practitioners on this plane dare not even dream to reach in their whole lives. Her growth definitely isn’t something that the Phoenix’s bloodline and the Dragon God’s bloodline alone can achieve.”

“Therefore, the main reason she was able to grow at such a rate is because her profound veins have inherited the Evil God’s divine aura from you.”

Yun Che, “...”

“The only thing that could awaken the Evil God’s profound veins was the living, fresh presence of the Evil God’s divine aura. Not only that, the Evil God divine aura existing in your daughter’s profound veins may be the very last of its kind… and your last chance to reawaken the Evil God profound veins inside your body.”

“...” Yun Che didn’t say anything. He didn’t try to question the Phoenix Spirit more about the method either. In fact, his barely restrained excitement from earlier had completely vanished.

“In short, there is a chance that your dead Evil God profound veins would awaken if I were to extract the Evil God divine aura residing inside your daughter’s profound veins and transfer it over to yours. From what I know of the Evil God’s divine power, the chances that this operation would succeed are around twenty percent… if not higher.”

Right now, Yun Che’s Evil God profound veins were like an extinct volcano. The Evil God divine aura residing in Yun Wuxin’s profound veins was his only chance to reignite their flames.

“The Evil God’s divine power wasn’t the only divine power you possess. To others, it would be a godsend if they managed to preserve even one of the many divine powers you were gifted. However, you were able to coexist with your divine powers perfectly, weren’t you? I’m sure that you have guessed by now that the Evil God’s divine power was ‘probably’ the reason why you were able to wield them all.”

“The Evil God’s divine power is the highest power you possess. If it can be resurrected successfully, the rest of your divine powers may awaken on their own and return you to your former height.”

The Phoenix Spirit’s assessment was correct. The Evil God’s divine power was undoubtedly the most vital and highest of powers that Yun Che currently possessed, and the chances that the rest of his divine powers would awaken alongside his Evil God’s divine power were extremely high.

Moreover, the Phoenix Spirit itself had said that the chance that he might be able to reawaken his Evil God divine power was over twenty percent!

However… Not only did Yun Che not look gladdened by the news in the slightest, his face was so void of emotion that it was scary. He asked, “What would happen to my daughter if the Evil God’s divine aura was extracted from her profound veins?”

“...She would lose all the profound energy she has accumulated up to this point. Her profound veins would also return to mortal level. There is also the chance that she might…”

“...suffer an unpredictable amount of damage from the operation or even be crippled, am I right?” Yun Che replied coldly.

“That’s right,” the Phoenix Spirit said before narrowing its scarlet eyes. “I can tell from your heart and soul that you don’t wish to see this happen, but I still must remind you that you don’t have much time left to hesitate or choose. Your daughter is currently eleven years old, and her profound veins haven’t fully matured yet. Once she reaches sixteen years of age, the Evil God’s divine aura will merge with her fully matured profound veins. By then it’d be too late to extract the Evil God’s divine aura from her, and…”

“And then what!?” The temperature in Yun Che’s eyes went down by several degrees, but then he remembered that the being before him was a benefactor that he might not be able to repay for life, and that all it was doing right now was informing him of a “possibility”. His eyes immediately returned back to normal before he gave the Phoenix Spirit a smile, “Excuse me. I wasn’t expecting the Phoenix God, the one who has inherited the will of the True Gods, to crack a joke with me.”

Phoenix Spirit, “...”

“There is no way I could exchange my daughter’s future for a shot at recovery. No father would be able to do this—” As he was saying this Xing Juekong’s figure suddenly flashed across his mind and caused his eyebrows to sink a couple of centimeters downward, “—barring a certain animal who has lost all his humanity, that is.”

Even if the method had a guaranteed chance of success, even if it turned out that his powers would be multiplied ten times or even a hundred of times over, he still would not be moved no matter what. It was a choice he would never make.

“I’ve never thought myself to be a good person, but I’m no animal who is lower than even a pig or a dog either.” Yun Che’s mortal eyes suddenly flashed with extraordinary chilliness, “I owe Wuxin eleven years of parenthood. I wasn’t even by her side when she was born. Now that I’ve finally regained my daughter… I would exterminate anyone who dared to hurt her down to the last man!”

Yun Che expelled his murky feelings in a breath before turning halfway towards the exit, “Regardless, I must thank you for informing of this ‘method’. I must also thank you for protecting my wife and daughter for twelve years straight with the Phoenix Barrier. I doubt I’ll be able to repay this debt even in my next life.”

“You don’t need to mind it so deeply. Back then, you saved every Phoenix descendant in this place and gave me a reason to free them from their bloodline curse. This is the good karma you rightly deserve.”

“This is fine too. Maybe it isn’t all bad for you to return to mortality, and peace.”

“I’ve impressed upon you a phoenix mark. This means that the Phoenix Barrier here will no longer bar your entry, and you may visit me anytime you wish… you may go.”

Yun Che nodded gratefully at the Phoenix Spirit before bidding it goodbye.

Although the Phoenix Spirit had granted him the special privilege to pass through the Phoenix Barrier any time he wished, Yun Che doubted that he would be able to make use of it without someone to protect him. After all, the Phoenix Clan was situated at the center of the Ten Thousand Beast Mountain Range, and there were countless dangers lurking in its surroundings...

The Phoenix’s scarlet eyes didn’t disappear immediately despite Yun Che’s departure. A long sigh resounded inside the black space after a moment.

“It is just like him to make such a choice… no, it didn’t even count as a choice to him.”

The memory from Flame God Realm’s Phoenix Spirit… the crack that had appeared on the Wall of Primal Chaos… That terrifying aura that frightened even a Divine Soul...

If everything were to happen as predicted… had they truly lost their biggest hope before the battle had even begun…

    …………

After Yun Che had walked out of the Phoenix’s trial room, he discovered that Feng Baichuan, Feng Zu’er, Feng Xian’er, and over two hundred Phoenix clansmen were waiting for him.

It was because they knew that Yun Che was going to leave very soon.

Feng Baichuan looked as relieved as Yun Che after learning that Yun Che had finally escaped the oblivion in his mind. He sighed, “Fate is truly a wonderful thing. To think that the mother and daughter who have lived with us separately for twelve years would turn out to be your family. If we had known about this earlier…”

The old man shook his head. He wasn’t quite sure how to describe his own feelings.

Yun Che smiled at him before giving him a solemn bow, “Senior Feng, thank you very much for your care. I doubt I would’ve made it this far without all of you.”

Feng Baichuan shook his head, “Nonsense. What we did wasn’t even worth a ten thousandth of the favor you did us back then.”

As it turned out, karma did exist in this world after all. Not only was the kindness he sowed so many years ago reciprocated ten fold, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that they had saved his life.

“Big Brother Benefactor,” Feng Xian’er walked forwards with her head slightly bowed before asking disappointedly and timidly, “Will we… meet again?”

Yun Che smiled. “Of course we will. In the future, I should be staying at Demon Imperial City of the Illusory Demon Realm permanently, but I will also be visiting Blue Wind Nation frequently. Both you and Zu’er are already traveling the world anyway, so you may come find me anytime you wish.”

“Rea… really?” Feng Xian’er looked up at Yun Che in excitement. Her eyes actually looked a little misty.

Feng Baichuan couldn’t help but shake his head with a smile. The rest of the Phoenix clansmen were smiling meaningfully as well.

“Oh right, there is one thing I’d like your help with right away, Xian’er,” Yun Che said. “I wish to return to Blue Wind Imperial City first when I leave, but the journey from here to there is quite far, and I don’t have a profound ark. So, can you please escort us there?”

Feng Xian’er looked like she had just heard the word of the heavens. She nodded immediately and said, “I… I will protect Big Bro Benefactor will all my might, and… and…”

She was so excited she couldn’t even speak coherently.

“Er… In that case allow me to accompany you as well,” Feng Zu’er hurriedly said. “There has been a lot of profound beast attacks at Blue Wind Nation as of late, and it’ll be safer if we can both escort you.”

“Cough…” But Feng Baichuan immediately slapped Feng Zu’er back to his place and said, “Xian’er’s cultivation is just a hair away from yours, so she alone is enough to protect our benefactor. However, you should stay at home and focus on your cultivation! You’re the young clan chief, but Xian’er has almost surpassed you! Don’t you find that embarrassing?”

“Huh?” Feng Zu’er wore a dumb look on his face… Big Brother Benefactor’s safety was their first priority, so wouldn’t it be better if they both escorted him back to Blue Wind Nation? How did his cultivation come into question all of a sudden?

“Yun Che, it is wonderful to hear that you’ve walked out of your shadow, so I shan’t keep you here any longer. Whenever you find the time, feel free to visit us anytime you wish,” Feng Baichuan said sincerely.

“I will,” Yun Che nodded.

“Xian’er, you’ll be escorting them back home, okay?” Feng Baichuan instructed before lowering his voice slightly, “Hmm… you haven’t been to Blue Wind Nation for a long while, have you? In that case, you don’t need to hurry back home. It’s fine if you stay there and have fun for a little while.”

“Yes,” Feng Xian’er answered in a small voice.

“Ah!” Feng Zu’er piped up excitedly when he heard their conversation, “Father, I haven’t been to the Imperial City for a long time too, can I…”

“Stay quiet, you!” Feng Baichuan pushed him back down a second time, “You will stay at home and focus on your cultivation! You’re not allowed to go anywhere until you achieved a breakthrough!”

Feng Zu’er, “Eh…”

“Big Brother Benefactor,” Feng Xian’er arrived next to Yun Che before she held his arm softly… She had done the same thing countless times for the past month or so, but right now the gesture was filled with sorrow, “I’ll take you to your destination right away…”

It was at this moment that the sealing formation of the trial rooms suddenly flashed red. A moment later, an identical red light shone on Feng Xian’er.

Everyone turned to stare at Feng Xian’er immediately after that. The girl herself was surprised as she murmured somewhat absentmindedly, “Lord Phoenix God is… summoning me?”

The summons of the Phoenix God was something that almost never happened in the clan’s recognition, so the rare event had excited every Phoenix clansmen within the vicinity. Feng Baichuan urged her, “Quickly, go meet the Phoenix God.”

“Be on your way,” Yun Che said, “I’ll wait for you outside.”

Feng Xian’er nodded and released Yun Che. Then, she hurried her way into the trial room.

“Xian’er greets Lord Phoenix God.”

Inside the Phoenix’s trial room, Feng Xian’er stared at the Phoenix’s divine pupils before kneeling on the floor. Her heart was filled with anxiety and trepidation. Although this wasn’t the first time she had met the Phoenix Spirit, she had never been summoned personally before until now.

“Xian’er,” the Phoenix’s voice resounded beside her ears and deep inside her soul, “I’ve been watching your growth for the past few years. You and Zu’er are undoubtedly the brightest hope and pride of this declined Phoenix Clan.”

“Thank you for your praise, Lord Phoenix God,” Feng Xian’er said anxiously.

“I’ve summoned you today because I wish to make a request to you.”

It was a simple line, but it had caused Feng Xian’er to look up in shock. Even the color in her face had drained away.

The Phoenix God wasn’t making an order or an instruction. It was making a...

Request!?