Against the Gods

Chapter 2178 - Bound Heart, Jade Gift

Inside the Divine Son Palace, Mo Su and Yun Che had been drinking heavily for over two hours. Shattered wine jars lay scattered haphazardly across the floor, and the rich, potent aroma of alcohol filled the air. Even a faint whiff was enough to intoxicate the senses and leave one half-drunk.

Bang!

Another jar was drained as Mo Su slowly lifted it from his lips. His face was flushed crimson, his eyes completely glazed over, and a lingering intoxication was etched between his brows. Even the smile at the corner of his mouth carried a lazy, dreamlike air, as if he had momentarily forgotten the cares of the world.

At this moment, he bore no trace of the Abyssal Monarch’s majesty, nor a shred of His divine, icy demeanor. Instead, he was a mere mortal soul who had cast off the shackles of many thousand autumns and allowed himself to sink into the embrace of intoxication.

He exhaled a long, heavy breath and gazed up at the sky with a wistful sigh. “Wandao often said that three cups of cheap wine can dispel a thousand sorrows. I’ve always thought that it doesn’t apply to me, but turns out, I’ve simply never found the right drinking companion... hahahaha....”

He burst into unrestrained laughter, “Such exhilaration, such lightness—it’s been far too long since I’ve felt this... Gulp....”

Yun Che laughed along with him and flicked his fingers. Two more large jars of wine immediately crashed onto the table. “I have had a thousand jars of wine in my palace, and I’ve never found a soul that I could share them with—until today. Finally, I am able to drink my fill and get thoroughly drunk.

“Feel free to visit often from now on, Big Brother. As the revered Abyssal Monarch, you are more entitled than any other being in the world to indulge in the pleasures of life... even if it’s just to steal half a day of joy and leisure.”

Mo Su gave no reply. His expression suddenly stiffened, and even the air around him seemed to solidify.

He slowly rose to his feet. In that single moment, all traces of intoxication and the scent of alcohol vanished from his body, and the haze and confusion that clouded his eyes cleared entirely, leaving them as clear and deep as an ancient, icy abyss.

Even the wine that had soaked half his body a moment ago was completely dispelled. What remained was only an air of majesty and composure that looked down upon all the heavens and scorned all living beings.

Slightly taken aback, Yun Che rose to his feet as well. After dispelling the scent of alcohol and the tipsiness affecting his body as well, he let out a sigh that was tinged with resignation. “Are you heading back, Big Brother?”

“Mm.” Mo Su nodded slightly. He gazed intently at Yun Che before breaking into a faint smile. “I will not deny that this past half-day has been exhilarating. It felt as if I’d been reborn. But just the same, it’s too much of a luxury—and too great a burden of guilt, for me.”

As he spoke, as if by instinct, his fingers brushed against the pitch-black bracelet on his wrist. He did not remove them for a very long time.

Yun Che’s lips twitched. In the end, he sighed and spoke frankly, “Are you saying that, as long as she remains unconscious, every moment of joy you experience is a sin you shouldn’t have and cannot bear, Big Brother?”

Mo Su’s smile remained unchanged, but he posed a rather cruel question. “If you were a member of her clan, would you forgive her?”

Yun Che paused briefly to consider, then gave his most honest answer. “Though no one can truly walk in another’s shoes, if I try to put myself in the shoes of the devil clan, paternal or maternal, no matter how much they had previously pampered and praised her, after what happened... I would surely feel nothing but the greatest resentment and hatred toward her. Assuming that the dead retain their consciousness, and they were to witness the devil race’s ultimate fate from the othershore, the hatred and resentment they must feel would likely be impossible to resolve even in death, let alone forgive.”

Mo Su’s expression did not waver in the slightest at Yun Che’s blunt words—it was an answer he knew all too well, after all.

He continued, “Then, suppose there was a woman—like Xiaodie—who went to such lengths to save your life... If your life was saved at the cost of her committing a crime that could not be forgiven, even if an eternity has passed, could you convince yourself to accept it with a clear conscience?”

“......” Yun Che did not answer; he could not answer.

“It is easy to forgive others, but so difficult to forgive oneself. Given what she has done, what right do I have to....”

Before he could finish, he shook his head and smiled, “Yun Che, you are still young. You should live life to the fullest and follow your heart’s desires, just like Brother Ni Xuan had. I should not have spoken such gloomy matters to you so frequently.”

Yun Che looked at him with sincere eyes. “There is nothing between us brothers that we cannot speak of. Besides, I believe that there is none you would share these words with except me.”

Mo Su turned away. His handsome, sky-reaching profile bore a faint, almost divine glow, yet it was also tinged with an ancient, unyielding sorrow, as if the earlier intoxication had been nothing more than a fleeting, extravagant dream.

“This life has been one of hardship and desolation, yet I have been blessed to meet you, Brother Che. It was only right that we had drunk to our hearts’ content. Yet my heart remains bound to the abyss, and I can never fully open it to you.

“That said, when the Eternal Pure Land finally breaks through the clouds and the light returns, then we shall drink ourselves into a blissful stupor, until the end of time.”

“Very well!!” Yun Che offered no consolation, merely nodding firmly. “The Eternal Pure Land is now within arm’s reach. The radiant light you have long yearned for must be within reach as well. I shall gaze upon your figure from afar and quietly await the arrival of that day.”

Mo Su closed his eyes briefly. When he opened them again, a faint smile still lingered on his lips. “Knowing Xiaodie, she would surely take a great liking to you as well. When the day comes... the wait is almost enough to drive me mad. Brother Che, do not forget our journey to the Pure Land ten years from now.”

By the time he repeated that seemingly superfluous reminder, Mo Su had already risen into the air.

“Big Brother!”

Yun Che suddenly called out to him. However, he hesitated for a good few breaths before he finally spoke up again, “Big Brother, can you please leave me a Sound Transmission Stone—or something similar—that would allow me to contact you at any time?”

“Oh?” Mo Su turned to look at him, a smile in his eyes. “Given the temperament you inherited from Big Brother Ni Xuan, you would naturally scorn any form of protection. I suppose there is some unresolved matter?”

Yun Che replied, “Your insight is as bright as a torch, Big Brother. That is correct. Before Maser passed away, he had entrusted a precious object to me. Since meeting you, I’ve felt that this item might be better suited in your hands, but... since I haven’t yet fulfilled Master’s request, I just can’t help but feel hesitant about this matter.”

Mo Su said nothing more and did not press the matter. Instead, he tapped his finger lightly and sent a faint, pale glow drifting down into Yun Che’s hand. It coalesced into a luminous white jade stone, wrapped in a faint aura of soul light and warm to the touch.

“Crush this jade, and I shall appear. No matter the time, and no matter the situation[1].”

There was no doubt that, if Yun Che so desired, the jade could serve as a lifesaving talisman capable of defusing any peril he might encounter in the Abyss effortlessly.

With a solemn expression, Yun Che put it away. “Very well. When I’ve made my decision, I’ll certainly invite you for a meeting.”

Mo Su gave a slight nod, and his figure vanished into the sky. He left not a single ripple of profound energy behind.

Yun Che did not immediately dispel the barrier. Instead, he stood motionless in place, lost in deep thought for a long time.

Li Suo murmured softly, “The myriad beings of the world are nothing but mere chaff to him, yet his affection for Pan Xiaodie runs as deep as blood and bone. Is he a heartless man, or a man of profound devotion?”

Yun Che replied slowly, “Their union was, to a large extent, the catalyst for the downfall of the god race and the devil race. The burden Mo Su bears goes beyond that—there is also the heinous crime Pan Xiaodie committed for his sake... I am not Mo Su, so I cannot truly empathize with him. However, I’ve been reflecting deeply on his life as of late, and I’m beginning to realize that, having endured such experiences, it’s hardly surprising that he turned out to be such an extreme individual.”

“Will he come here often from now on?” Li Suo asked with a hint of concern. Clearly, she feared that Yun Che would inadvertently reveal some of his secrets... his opponent was Mo Su, the Abyssal Monarch after all.

“He wouldn’t,” Yun Che declared with a fair amount of certainty. “I wasn’t surprised in the slightest that he came looking for me on his own. After all, given my ‘status’, I am the only person in the entire world he is willing to lower himself to be close to. After more than three million years of solitude, he was bound to feel an uncontrollable surge of emotions. But... this will likely be his first and last visit. It’s because he’ll soon realize that every moment of comfort he felt while he was intoxicated will only turn into deeper guilt when he is sober.

“As long as Pan Xiaodie remains unconscious, he’ll never be able to feel at ease.”

“So...” Li Suo seemed to understand something. “You intentionally made that remark to provoke him?”

“You could say that,” Yun Che replied. “Even if I hadn’t deliberately provoked him, he would have tormented himself with guilt once he sobered up anyway. I merely accelerated the process. After all, I couldn’t dispel the effects of the alcohol by any means while I was facing him, and if I had kept drinking... I feared that I would truly lose control of my tongue.”

Mo Su might be able to allow himself to drink until he had lost all sense of self, but he absolutely could not.

Suddenly, Yun Che’s soul sea stirred unnaturally.

“What’s wrong?” Li Suo asked immediately.

“......” Yun Che shook his head slightly before answering, “It’s nothing. Just my heartstrings being tugged by a flood of emotions.”

Li Suo knew he wasn’t being honest, but didn’t press the matter.

That feeling of being watched again....

The soul injuries I’ve received from the punishment of devouring rage had already healed, yet the feeling that I’m being watched is still present—be it here or the Endless Fog.

Even just moments ago, while drinking with Mo Su....

But Mo Su hadn’t shown any reaction.

Was it so subtle that even he couldn’t detect it, or did it not exist, and is all just my imagination....

Or perhaps....

Just then, he sensed Meng Jianxi’s aura approaching rapidly. It was tinged with urgency.

Yun Che dispelled the barrier and ordered, “Laisheng, please escort Divine Son Jianxi to the palace. There is no need to report this.”

Very soon, Meng Jianxi walked up to Yun Che and cut straight to the point. “Brother Yuan, the head of the Night Patrol Officer of the Eternal Night Kingdom of God, Shenwu Mingque, is visiting in person. However, she has requested an audience not with Father or the Chief Lord, but with me. It is most unusual.”

“Oh? She’s requesting an audience with you?” Yun Che wore a puzzled expression. After a moment of thinking, he narrowed his eyes slightly and murmured, “Is she here for that dragon-shaped abyssal crystal?”

Meng Jianxi’s lips parted slightly, and a heartfelt sigh of admiration escaped him. “As expected of you, Brother Yuan. I’ve been racking my brain for quite some time, and I too believe that is the most likely scenario. Assuming this is indeed the case, you are the one who obtained the abyssal crystal. Thus, any decision regarding it should be left to your judgment.”

Yun Che feigned a look of deep thought while Meng Jianxi waited patiently. A long time later, Yun Che said in a calm tone, “To come calling so soon after fostering such deep animosity—and for the head of the Night Patrol Officers to show up, no less—it stands to reason that the one desperately in need of this dragon-shaped abyssal crystal is none other than the Lightless Divine Regent.

“Given the Lightless Divine Regent’s temperament, she will never give up if she fails to obtain it. We know nothing about this abyssal crystal’s secrets or uses. It would be better to simply hand it over to her, but....”

He paused, then turned his gaze toward Meng Jianxi. “Remember this well: One, this abyssal crystal was accidentally discovered by one of your subordinates in the Endless Fog. It must not be linked to me, and definitely not Long Jiang. Two....”

A cold glint of undisguised malice flashed in his eyes. “Considering our past grievances and present demands, what reason do we have not to... make exorbitant demands of her, am I right?”

Meng Jianxi understood his meaning and nodded silently.

......

Upon returning to his residence, Meng Jianxi immediately sensed that distinctive, gloomy aura unique to the Eternal Night Kingdom of God long before he reached the room. He swiftly composed himself and, upon entering the room, bowed in a hurry and said, “Your presence at my humble abode fills me with awe, Senior Shenwu. I was away attending to trivial matters and was unable to greet you in person. This is truly a breach of etiquette; I humbly ask for your forgiveness.

Shenwu Mingque turned around and said plainly, “There is no need for such formalities, Divine Son Xi. The reason I have arrived unannounced is that I have a matter in which I seek your assistance.”

Meng Jianxi replied hastily, “You flatter me, Senior. If it is within my power, please simply give me your orders and avoid putting the burden of a request on me.”

Shenwu Mingque’s eyes were dark and inscrutable... yet it was not the profound, icy aura typical of those in high positions, but rather the dim, lifeless glow of one whose dignity had been trapped upon for untold years, and belief that had long since been warped and corrupted.

She looked at Meng Jianxi, her heart filled with sighs... Dreamweaver and Eternal Night had just incurred a deep enmity with each other in the Pure Land. It was a fact that was known to nearly the entire world. Yet the Dreamweaver Divine Son before her was impeccably courteous and unflappable, almost as if there had never been any rift or grudge between their two kingdoms.

Such youth and character, such composure and depth of calculation... she could not help but marvel at it. Yet, standing above him was another man who was immeasurably more extraordinary than he, Meng Jianyuan.

The Dreamweaver Kingdom of God’s future was immeasurable, but the Eternal Night Kingdom of God’s future was....

She pushed aside the distracting thoughts and said bluntly, “If that is your request, then I shan’t beat around the bush. I heard that you have recently obtained a dragon-shaped abyssal crystal. You have been sending people far and wide to search for records and uncover its secrets because you are unaware of its uses. I wonder if you have found anything, Divine Son Xi?”

Meng Jianxi looked up with a perfectly measured look of surprise, “Could... Could it be that you have come here solely for that strange abyssal crystal that is shaped like a coiled dragon, Senior? Um... to tell you the truth, no one in the entire Dreamweaver Kingdom of God recognizes it, and despite our searches, we have yet to find any answers. Since you’ve brought it up, could it be that you recognize this abyssal crystal?”

While keeping an eye out for every flicker in his eyes, Shenwu Mingque said slowly, “Of course I do. Its name... is the Coiling Dragon Seven Profound Crystal.”

Meng Jianxi’s eyebrows twitched slightly, and surprise flashed behind his eyes... Shenwu Mingque had caught every single one of these reactions.

“It would seem that you have heard this name before, Divine Son Xi.”

Meng Jianxi had gone to great lengths to commit every piece of intelligence gathered at the Xuanji Hall to memory. Though the name “Coiling Dragon Seven Profound Crystal” existed only on the fringes of countless reports, it still came back to him with crystal clarity the moment he heard it.

A breath of consideration later, Meng Jianxi replied honestly and with remarkable composure, “To tell you the truth, this junior has indeed heard that name, Senior. Moreover, it originated from the Eternal Night Kingdom of God. It must have been discovered by chance by someone from the Xuanji Hall. If I have offended you, I humbly ask for your forgiveness.”

“Hmph!”

Shenwu Mingque let out a faint, cold snort. “Everyone under the heavens is aware that the Xuanji Hall’s capabilities are unmatched in terms of intelligence-gathering. Since that is the case, I see no need to beat around the bush.”

Her demeanor carried the solemn authority of a senior addressing a junior, and was accompanied by a subtle yet undeniable sense of pressure. In a cold, detached voice, she said, “Only we of the Eternal Night know of the name of the abyssal crystal you found. Naturally, only we are aware of its purpose and usage as well. In your hands, it will merely become a worthless, useless crystal.

“To avoid wasting such a precious treasure, it would be best if we of the Eternal Night were to handle the Coiling Dragon Seven Profound Crystal. But of course, I won’t ask you to part with it for nothing, nor would I belittle its value simply because you know nothing of it, thereby reducing our own dignity.”

As she spoke, a flash of white light—so pure it was almost blinding—appeared in Shenwu Mingque’s hand. It instantly captured Meng Jianxi’s gaze.

“I shall offer an intact Divine Jade of Revelation in exchange for it.”

Meng Jianxi’s eyes fell on the Divine Jade of Revelation, eyes widening in astonishment as if he was deeply shocked.

His reaction actually caused Shenwu Mingque to breathe a silent sigh of relief. Her demeanor remained unchanged, but her voice carried an added edge of authority, “I happened to hear that three years ago, you lost the Divine Jade of Revelation bestowed upon you due to certain circumstances. With it, you have also lost your path to ascension. It is truly a pity.

“Yet, this regret can be remedied today, Divine Son Xi. Exchange your useless crystal for my Divine Jade of Revelation. In my opinion, you have no reason to refuse this.”

1. Not a mistake. I suppose I could’ve translated this as, ‘No matter the matter what is troubling you, or the matter that is occupying me, but that’s so much more long-winded. ☜