Against the Gods

“This voice, it can’t be…”

Everyone looked around in attempt to search for the speaker. A godlike figure whose name had become legend a long time ago appeared in everyone’s mind.

“Sun Death… Sword Master…” The words tumbled out of the Blue Profound Spiritual Master’s mouth as his eyes became alight with hope. However, it dimmed immediately when he recalled Yun Che’s unbelievable strength.

They had all tested the Sun Death Sword Master’s strength before, and they knew he was absolutely invincible in the eastern realms. However, Yun Che was so terrifyingly powerful that not even the Sun Death Sword Master was likely to be a match for him.

Unless...

Who was Yun Che, and why was he here… Was it true the eastern region had to crawl beneath his feet?

Yun Che wasn’t surprised at all by his appearance, however. He said in a low and chilly voice, “Finally willing to come out?”

“Yun Che.” The voice wasn’t old, but it was heavy with age and experience. The Sun Death Sword Master said, “The Nine Great Sects have no grudge with you. Why must you push us so? If you insist on defying the natural order, then it’s only a matter of time before the heavens smite you even if you manage to survive your mortal enemies… Stop this now.”

“The heavens will smite me?” Yun Che smiled. To most people, this would sound like a warning or a threat, but to him, it was nothing but the most laughable joke in the whole world. He looked up slowly and stared toward the north. Them, he said with a voice that sounded as deep as the abyss, “Show your face.”

A person appeared in the northern sky. It was a middle-aged man dressed in clean, plain clothes with a broadsword behind his back. His sword was gem white in color even though he was in the Northern Divine Region, a place consisting of dark palettes and darkness profound energy.

“Sun Death Sword Master… it’s the Sun Death Sword Master!”

Shocked cries filled the air like a tempest. It was the name of the number one profound practitioner in the eastern realms!

Sun Death Sword Master was the current sword master of the Sun Death Sword Realm, the strongest out of the nine sects of the eastern realms. He was powerful, and his throne was immovable!

Everyone was sure that he wouldn’t show up today. There were even rumors about him being in secluded cultivation as of late. No one expected him to actually show up, and it seemed like he was hiding nearby from the very beginning.

Yun Che slowly pointed a finger at the strongest profound practitioner of the eastern realms and said, “You only have one chance: submit, or die!”

Yun Che’s threat caused the commotion to die down again. The Sun Death Sword Master was incredibly powerful, and no one would’ve believed that Yun Che could defeat him if he had shown up from the beginning.

But after witnessing Yun Che’s devilish skill with their own eyes, they couldn’t pretend not to notice a terrifying possibility… the possibility that even the Sun Death Sword Master was no match for Yun Che, especially considering that Yun Che’s attitude hadn’t changed in the slightest.

“It looks like further talk will be pointless.” The Sun Death Sword Master lifted his arm and gripped the hilt of his sword, causing a pitch black sword wave to burst suddenly out of the tip of the pure white broadsword.

Air, space, and vision all became distorted at once. A billion invisible swords suddenly appeared inside the slumbering, shaking space, and they felt powerful enough to lay waste to every living being in the world with just a single thought.

The black might that enveloped the world in just an instant caused every onlooker to hold their breath, and every Divine King of the other eight to turn pale.

“This… this is…”

They were all eastern realm locals and members of the nine great sects. They knew the Sun Death Sword Master better than anyone. However, the power he currently displayed far exceeded their imagination. They immediately recalled that rumor and turned even paler than before.

“Did the Sun Death Sword Master actually succeed in his breakthrough!?”

“Divine King Realm… level ten!” The Wan Star Hall Master shouted in agitation. Their terror and despair-filled eyes were suddenly replaced by burning hope.

The Sun Death Sword Master hadn’t just created a new legend in the eastern realms with his breakthrough, he had also brought with him a much brighter light of hope in this crisis!

A tenth level Divine King was literally one step away from achieving Divine Sovereign! It was more than enough to punish this arrogant and tyrannical Yun Che!

As the Sun Death Sword Master’s sword might washed across the defeated Divine Kings, they felt moved enough to shed tears on the spot. This epoch-making breakthrough almost felt like a blessing and salvation from the heavens!

“I would’ve been no match for you before I completed my breakthrough,” the Sun Death Sword Master said while circulating his power. The all encompassing swords’ might of darkness looked like it would grind Yun Che into nothing any moment. “I guess even fate wants you to die.”

“Heh, you think you can kill me?” Yun Che said expressionlessly, “I guess your answer is ‘death’ then!”

“I can easily beat you myself, but I won’t be able to stop you from escaping.” The Sun Death Sword Master’s voice sounded like it was infused with a mountain. It was impossible to doubt the man’s words. “You are both cruel and incredibly young. Our troubles will be endless if you are allowed to escape. That’s why I’ve invited another friend to join me.”

Another… friend?

The Sun Death Sword Master’s words surprised everyone. Ming Xiao was the only one whose eyes had glinted with spirit.

The eastern sky suddenly turned dark without warning.

The profound arks and profound ships flying in the air suddenly sank lower as if they were carrying the weight of a thousand mountains. As a gigantic, black shadow slowly approached from the distance, it was as if the sky itself was pressing toward the ground, crushing everyone’s lungs until they threatened to burst apart.

That’s… that’s a Dark Roc!”

Everyone looked at the sky in shock and amazement. It was definitely a Dark Roc, but this creature was so huge that a single wing spanned dozens of kilometers!

There was no one who didn’t know about the Dark Roc Clan in the eastern realms. However, no one, not even the sect masters or grand elders, had ever seen a fifty kilometer long Dark Roc!

Even scarier was the fact that the pressure it generated was as strong as the Sun Death Sword Master’s dark sword might!

On top of the Cold Cloud Mountain, Ming Xiao’s knees hit the ground loudly as he shouted loud and clear to everyone’s ears, “Your unworthy junior Ming Xiao greets his forefather!”

Everyone was flabbergasted when they heard the title “Forefather” from Ming Xiao’s mouth.

“Fo… Forefather Ming Peng!?” Countless people blurted out the roc’s true identity in fear.

A Dark Roc’s lifespan was far longer than a human’s. It was one of the main reasons why the Dark Roc Clan was able to prosper as long as it had. Since a long, long time ago, it was rumored that the forefather of the Ming Peng Family was still alive… But of course, a rumor was just a rumor. There were very few people who actually checked into it, much less believing that it was true.

But today, when an unprecedented crisis had befallen the nine great sects, a fifty-kilometer long Dark Roc had literally arrived to their rescue. That rumor became certainty when Ming Xiao collapsed to his knees and called it “Forefather”.

Forefather Ming Peng was actually still alive, and the fact that his might was equal to the Sun Death Sword Master’s meant that he was also a level ten Divine King!

He was most likely stronger than the Sun Death Sword Master as well!

This meant that there was a level ten Divine King that had already existed in the eastern realms since long before the Sun Death Sword Master! He hadn’t wanted to get involved with the secular world and became the guardian forefather of the Dark Roc Clan… In reality, he was the true strongest profound practitioner and the first level ten Divine King of the eastern realms of the East Ruins Realm!

The Sun Death Sword Master clearly knew about Forefather Ming Peng. In fact, it looked like they were good friends.

The Soul Cry Grand Elder, Shattered Moon Monastery Master, Wan Star Hall Master, Blood Hand Poison Sovereign, Black Fiend Sect Master, Yaksha Devil Lord, and Blue Profound Spiritual Master… When their shock had passed, everyone saluted Forefather Ming Peng before shouting in reverence and agitation, “Welcome, Forefather Ming Peng.”

This time, the atmosphere had changed completely.

Just now, they had witnessed Yun Che being sealed into the Great Yin Ghost Cauldron, then the seven Divine Kings being trampled by Yun Che like street dogs. But now, the recently ascended Sun Death Sword Master and a hidden master who was even stronger than he was had appeared at the same time.

Sun Death Sword Master, Forefather Ming Peng… two level ten Divine Kings!

The eastern realms had never had a level ten Divine King, but today, two of them had appeared at once!

No matter how powerful Yun Che might be, there was no way he could fight against two level ten Divine Kings!

The situation was now completely reversed.

“Yun… Che…”

Forefather Ming Peng’s voice came from above. There was a powerful threat behind his voice, and every word he spoke sent a tremor through space, “This old one would not appear if all you planned to do was prove your way. However, you crossed the line when you bared your methods and ambitions.”

“The East Ruins Realm is not a place you can trifle with. If you insist on cornering us and putting the eastern realms under your thumb, then don’t blame us for retaliating and burying you here for eternity.”

“It’s pointless to persuade him,” the Sun Death Sword Master said indifferently. “Let’s go.”

The white sword swept through the air, and his entire aura changed completely. Floating in the air with eyes that reflected the light of his blade, he looked like an emperor who looked down on the entire world. In his eyes, all lives including Yun Che were ants. The power and gracefulness of the strongest profound practitioner in the eastern realms were completely bared at this moment.

“This sword is called ‘Sun Death’,” the Sun Death Sword Master said. “The Sun Death Sword Realm is named after it. It has killed almost a thousand Divine Kings, and today it shall drink the blood of a Divine King again!”

Skree!

The blade swung downward, parting heaven and earth with a white rainbow at least tens of thousands of meters long. At the same time, countless sword energies rained toward Yun Che with a piercing howl like dragons.

Yun Che turned sideways and shrouded himself in black light. He threw a punch of pure darkness profound energy—one that wasn’t empowered by any profound art at all—straight at the incoming slash. 

Crack!!

There was a thunderous explosion that sounded like the end of the world, and cracks immediately appeared all over the pure white beam. However, it didn’t crumble on the spot. Pushed on by the sword energy behind it, it shattered into countless destructive beams and rained all around Yun Che.

Dingdingdingdingdingding...

Both sword energy and sword beams fell from the sky like a downpour. However, they were completely dispelled by Yun Che’s protective energy.

A gleam appeared in the Sun Death Sword Master’s eyes as he changed his hand gesture. Thousands of snowy white and abyssal black sword waves suddenly appeared out of nowhere before flying toward Yun Che at the same time.

Sword energy, sword beam, and sword wave… Not only was he using three types of sword power at the same time, they were so powerful that the weather itself had changed before its might. Right now, the wide-eyed onlookers were being shown why the Sun Death Sword Master was the strongest sword profound practitioner of the eastern realms!

Bang!

Bang!

Bang!

Every time a sword wave struck Yun Che, a white or black flash about several hundred meters wide would appear. Yun Che’s expression still hadn’t changed in the slightest, but his protective energy was clearly starting to distort and stagger under the barrage. The longer it went on, the more cracks and depressions would appear on his protective energy.

The sect masters and grand elders of the other eight sects were knocked far, far away by the Sun Death Sword master’s sword energy. All of them were shocked by the sheer power he was displaying… this was the power of a level ten Divine King, a peak Divine King second only to a half-step Divine Sovereign within the same realm!

Riiip!

A shrill noise pierced everyone’s ears as Yun Che’s protective energy was finally torn apart. A sword wave immediately rushed right past his ear and cut off a few strands of hair.

Suddenly, the blue sky became covered in clouds.

It was Forefather Ming Peng. He abruptly flapped his giant wings, and a pitch black storm instantly descended on top of the suppressed Yun Che.

A pitch black whirlpool enveloped the space Yun Che was in immediately.

“Senior Yun!” Dongfang Hanwei let out a bloodcurdling scream. She felt like she could faint at any moment.

Ha… haha!” The Blue Profound Spiritual Master opened his eyes wider and laughed loudly. “Die! This is the consequence of offending the Nine Great Sects!”

Rrrrmb!

But before the Blue Profound Spiritual Master could even finish, a fiery light suddenly burst out of the center of a whirlpool. Fire shredded pitch black wind into bits as the burning Yun Che flew straight toward the Sun Death Sword Master before summoning the image of a howling wolf with his palm again, slashing.

“Well met!”

The Sun Death Sword Master didn’t look surprised by Yun Che’s attack. He didn’t even try to dodge out of the way. The “Sun Death Sword” in his hand turned pitch black, and tens of thousands of black sword beams cut into the Heavenly Wolf’s image. By the time it got close to its target, it had lost more than sixty percent of its power. The Sun Death Sword Master then destroyed it with a single slash.

While Yun Che was attacking the Sun Death Sword Master, Forefather Ming Peng flapped his wings and darkened the sky a second time. This time, absolute darkness engulfed the world for an instant before it was replaced by a fifty kilometer wide black hurricane. However, it started shrinking rapidly when it was descending until it became a three hundred meter long wind blade. It flew toward Yun Che like a lightning bolt.

No one could imagine how it was possible to condense a fifty kilometer long hurricane into a dark wind blade, and they definitely couldn’t imagine the amount of power that was compressed inside it. It could probably cut even the sky in half.

Yun Che was being held down by the Sun Death Sword Master’s sword powers, and the wind blade came right after he unleashed an attack, so in everyone’s eyes the attack was neigh undodgeable.

Yun Che’s eyes grew focused when the dark wind blade got near. He turned around slightly and ignited more scarlet flames. He then broke through both the Sun Death Sword Master and Forefather Ming Peng’s powers by force and soared to the sky with the phoenix wing.

Crack— 

The wind blade passed through the area Yun Che was standing on earlier, causing a pitch black spatial crack to appear. The crack continued to stretch behind the wind blade until it reached all the way to the horizon. It really looked like it could cut even the blue sky in half.

“Well dodged.”

There was praise in Forefather Ming Peng’s voice. “To think that you could break through both our powers by force; you really are impressive. Unfortunately, this won’t happen a second time.”

After observing the earlier battle from afar and trading blows with Yun Che, they almost had his ceiling figured out.

The Sun Death Sword Master pointed his sword at Yun Che and said regretfully, “You would be a most exciting opponent if you were just a passing traveler. However, your arrogance and obstinance won’t allow for anything except mortal enemies. You give me no choice but to kill you here.”

Although Yun Che hadn’t taken any damage from the two level ten Divine Kings, everyone could see that he was at a disadvantage here. In fact, he was lucky he managed to escape from Forefather Ming Peng’s dark wind blade in the nick of time.

Yun Che finally changed his expression after hearing the confident declaration of Sun Death Sword Master and Forefather Ming Peng… a small but utterly disdainful sneer.

The Heretic God Gates that had been closed for a long time opened soundlessly.

“Rumbling… Heaven!”

Rrrrmb!

The stale profound energy inside Yun Che abruptly swelled and went berserk. Ghastly red then mixed with his darkness profound energy into deep red. 

The eruption of profound energy had only lasted for an instant, but it slammed into Sun Death Sword Master and Forefather Ming Peng’s senses like a million-ton hammer. Trembling, eyes bulging, the change in Yun Che’s aura replaced the confident look on their faces with nightmarish shock.

“W… what!?”