Against the Gods

Chapter 771 – Mighty Heavenly Sword Master

“Even though using these divine crystals violates our ancestor’s prohibition, a transaction like this with such tremendous earnings yet is so low-risk, I can’t find any reason to refuse. This could be said to be the most profitable transaction I’ve done in my entire life. If I miss out, I wouldn’t deserve to call myself a merchant.”

As his voice fell, a spatial ring that flashed with purple light appeared in Zi Ji’s hand. He put the purple crystal spatial ring before Yun Che’s eyes. “In here, are precisely twenty kilograms of Purple Veined Divine Crystals. If you want to back out, there’s still time to do so right now.”

Yun Che didn’t answer. With a push of his hand, twenty Overlord Pellets flew over to Zi Ji. Simultaneously the purple crystal spatial ring in Zi Ji’s hand was drawn over into his hands. He used his conscious to look inside and found twenty kilograms of Purple Veined Divine Crystals stored inside with not a gram more or less.

“Making a transaction with Senior Zi is sure delightful.” Yun Che withdrew the purple crystal spatial ring. “I hope Senior Zi will not forget that these twenty precious pellets can only be used for auction and not pocketed privately.”

With these twenty kilograms of Purple Veined Divine Crystal now in hand added to the twenty five kilograms inside the Sky Poison Pearl… Jasmine’s required thirty five kilograms of Purple Veined Divine Crystals had thus been met!

He had two profound cores already in hand and they were Sovereign Profound Cores, far above Jasmine’s needed Emperor Profound Cores.

The only thing missing was now only the Netherworld Udumbara Flower!

“Hoho, that is a matter of course.” Zi Ji’s profound energy also swept across every Overlord Pellet, then carefully withdrew them with a face full of smiles… This was indeed the most profitable transaction he had made in his entire life. Not only was it easy, Yun Che had obtained more than ten kilograms of Purple Veined Divine Crystals and the entire process only took a short, few days.

The “sum” of the exchange between the two was enormous, yet was easily completed in but a few words and left both sides extremely satisfied.

He was in possession of forty five kilograms of Purple Veined Divine Crystals, an amount that was astronomical whether it was in the Illusory Demon Realm or the Profound Sky Continent and definitely surpassed any Sacred Ground’s reserves! Yun Che knew that him being able to obtain this many Purple Veined Divine Crystals definitely was not based on his own strength, but rather the Sky Poison Pearl’s unrivaled heaven defying power.

But that was merely in terms of reserves. The current Yun Che wasn’t actually in possession of the highest number within the Profound Sky Continent… the ones with the most Purple Veined Divine Crystals were actually the Divine Phoenix Sect!

The death of the Phoenix God and having fifty kilograms of Purple Veined Divine Crystal were two secrets the Divine Phoenix Sect had to protect with their lives! Either being leaked out could attract a huge catastrophe. In order to cover up those secrets the Divine Phoenix Sect spared no effort in pursuing their cruel war with the Blue Wind Nation.

“Well done!” The Sovereign of the Seas was also evidently pleased about this transaction. Her face that was always stiff had even smoothed somewhat. “Asgard Master Yun, you are indeed an extraordinary person of talent. Since this transaction is complete, Zi Ji, you can now take Yun Che to Moon Slaughter Devil Nest.”

“However, Asgard Master Yun, this sovereign must still remind you again that Moon Slaughter Devil Nest’s seal will only be open for one hundred breaths! After a hundred breaths of time, the seal will automatically close and definitely can’t be forced open again. Thus, after entering Moon Slaughter Devil Nest, you must leave within a hundred breaths regardless of the outcome or else you will die inside, eternally trapped! Furthermore, the yin energy in the Moon Slaughter Devil Nest is extremely strong. Not only will it substantially suppress profound energy, it will also decrease one’s life essence. Forget about you at your current strength, even this sovereign would not last a day before dying as a cripple if trapped inside. Being able to stay in there for a five hundred years before leaving at its next opening is complete nonsense.”

“Don’t worry, when we get there, I will go inside the devil nest along with him. No need to wait for a hundred breaths, once fifty breaths have passed, I will forcibly bring him out.” Zi Ji said as he chuckled.

“That’s for the best, you may go!”

……………………

Together, Yun Che and Zi Ji left Ocean Imperial Palace. Feng Xue’er, who was waiting outside quickly walked to Yun Che’s side. “Big Brother Yun, are you alright?”

“Of course I’m alright.” Yun Che smiled as he held Feng Xue’er’s hand then extended the other one, gesturing toward Zi Ji, “This is Supreme Ocean Palace’s Senior Zi Ji.”

“Divine Phoenix Sect’s Feng Xue’er greets Senior Zi.”

Zi Ji smiled as he nodded with a peculiar expression in his eyes. “Princess Snow’s name has long passed through my ears. To have met you in person is a great fortune.”

“Xue’er, I’m going to enter the Moon Slaughter Devil Nest with Senior Zi. Go accompany your royal father first, I will be back before you know it.” Yun Che said to Feng Xue’er.

“You’re going in now?” Feng Xue’er knew that the main objective for Yun Che’s visit to Supreme Ocean Palace was to enter the Moon Slaughter Devil Nest, she just did not expect it to happen so quickly. She automatically replied, “Then I am definitely going to be accompanying Big Brother Yun as well. After all, I already promised all the Junior and Senior Masters that I would definitely be keeping watch over you at all times.”

“Alright then.” Yun Che had expected such a reply so he did not try to talk her out of it. He gripped Feng Xue’er’s tiny hand even tighter than before and said sincerely, “It is very likely that there will be unforeseen dangers that lurk in that place, so you must definitely listen to my every word while we are inside. You must definitely not endanger your own life trying to protect me.”

“I know! I’ve always been really obedient to Big Brother Yun you know.” Feng Xue’er said with a sweet smile.

The intimacy shared between the two of them caused Zi Ji’s mood to immediately grow complex. He raised his hand and spoke, “The Moon Slaughter Devil Nest is extremely close to our Ocean Palace. If you travel seventy-five kilometers south in a straight line, you will reach your destination. So Yun Che, unless you have any other things to settle, let us make haste.”

“Alright! I’ll have to trouble Senior Zi to lead the way then!”

Just as the three people took to the sky, they saw a faraway figure rushing towards them at an extremely fast speed, as if that person was really eager to catch up to them. Yun Che halted in mid-air before letting out a low yell, “Yuanba! What are you doing here?”

Whoosh!

A rush of wild wind blew in Xia Yuanba’s wake as he rushed over. He bent over to catch his breath as he gasped for air. He said, “My teacher has already settled in, so since I have nothing better to do, I went to look for Brother-in-law. Ah? Mister Zi? You… are going somewhere?”

During the last Seven Nation Ranking Tournament, Ancient Blue had brought Xia Yuanba to the Divine Phoenix City, and the first place they had paid a visit to was the Black Moon Merchant Guild. The purpose of that visit was to see Zi Ji. So even though Xia Yuanba had never been to Supreme Ocean Palace before, he still recognized Zi Ji.

“We are going to the Moon Slaughter Devil Nest. Yuanba, do you want to come with us?” Yun Che knew that the reason Xia Yuanba had rushed over in such a hurry was because he was worried for Yun Che’s safety. Now that they were going to enter the Moon Slaughter Devil Nest, Xia Yuanba would definitely want to come along, and they could forget about chasing him away.

“Ah? We’re going now? Of course, I’m coming along! I’m actually also very curious to see what that place is like.” Xia Yuanba said with much excitement.

“Sigh.” Zi Ji laughed as he shook his head as he simply let out a sigh, “Let’s be off then. Once we reach that place, remember to always be on your guard.”

Standing guard over the Moon Slaughter Devil Nest was the reason behind the existence of Supreme Ocean Palace in the first place, so it was natural that they would not be located too far apart. And to the four of them, seventy-five kilometers could be said to be a short stroll in the park.

Before long, they had reached the southern border of Supreme Ocean Palace.

A human figure appeared in their path.

Even though they were still several kilometers away from that person, Yun Che, Feng Xue’er, Xia Yuanba and Zi Ji all began to slow down simultaneously as the look in their eyes subtly changed.

“That person… has an incredible aura! Despite the fact that he is still so far away, I’m actually finding it hard to breathe.” Xia Yuanba exclaimed as he sucked in some air. He continued in a low voice, “It seems like he is even stronger than my master!”

As they drew closer to that person, his figure grew clearer in their vision. The man was wearing simple green robes, his body was lithe and limber, his long black hair bound into a simple ponytail which reached his waist. He was floating more than thirty meters above the surface of the ocean and despite the howling of the seabreeze around him, neither his clothes nor his hair moved a centimeter. Even the surface of the ocean beneath his feet was completely calm and still, not a single ripple that could be seen.

It seemed as if the space that existed around him had been completely frozen and sealed.

The man did not move a muscle and his body did not release any profound energy. As Yun Che’s party approached him, a soundless pressure descended upon them and it felt as if a metal plate that was growing thicker and thicker was being pressed against their chests.

“Senior Zi, who is that person?” Yun Che asked in a soft voice. The soundless might and pressure that this man was exuding definitely exceeded the might and pressure that Duke Ming had displayed at the Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley!

Zi Ji did not reply, striding forward to address the man that stood in front of them, “Sword Master Xuanyuan, what brings you here? To think that we would find you surveying this part of the ocean by yourself. Could it be that you have attained some form of enlightenment in recent days?”

Sword Master Xuanyuan!

These four words caused the hearts of Yun Che and his two companions to tremble.

“So he is the Sword Master of Mighty Heavenly Sword Region… Xuanyuan Wentian!?” Xia Yuanba said in a low whisper.

“…” Yun Che’s hand curled inwards as it began to tighten into a fist. It was only after a good amount of time had passed that it finally relaxed a little.

Mighty Heavenly Sword Region… the ones who had caused the crippling of his parents and the death of his grandfather! It was also Mighty Heavenly Sword Region who killed Xiao Yun’s birth father, causing his birth mother to die of sorrow, and thus plunging Xiao Lie into despair and agony for more than twenty years….

The tragedies that stuck both his and Xiao Yun’s families all those years ago could be said to have been orchestrated by Duke Ming, but if Duke Ming had schemed up the whole thing, then Mighty Heavenly Sword Region had been the ones who had wielded the executioner’s blade!!

The green-robed man slowly turned around. His face was thin and sunken, his features were completely ordinary. His gaze raked across all four of them before he gave a weak smile and spoke, “Ah, so it was Mister Zi.”

After he had muttered those words, his gaze directly fell on Yun Che.

“If my guess isn’t wrong, the person to the right of Mister Zi should be the Yun Che who has sent shockwaves through the Profound Sky Continent in recent months.”

Yun Che, “…”

“Hoho, it is so. But who would have thought a supreme existence like Sword Master Xuanyuan would take such great notice of a junior.” Zi Ji replied in an even tone.

“That is only natural.” A bland smile that was filled with deep meaning spread across Xuanyuan Wentian’s placid face, but his eyes remained fixed on Yun Che, “As the most outstanding youngster of his generation, I would hope that you, Asgard Master Yun, will make it a point to come for the Devil Sword Conference that is being held in three days. The Devil Sword Conference would lose much of its luster if you choose not to grace us with your presence.”

Yun Che, “…?”

“It looks like Mister Zi and Asgard Master Yun still have some important things to attend to, so I won’t inconvenience you any further. Please.”

A mysterious smile was draped across Xuanyuan Wentian’s face as he slowly ascended into the sky. After that, his body blurred as he flew towards Supreme Ocean Palace. He had not asked them where they were heading to… as if that held no interest whatsoever.

“That was the Sword Master of Mighty Heavenly Sword Region—Xuanyuan Wentian. I never thought we would meet him in such a place.”

Zi Ji said this rather casually, but once he had finished speaking, he took to the air once more as he continued to travel south.

Yun Che’s brows sank and his spirit suddenly felt a lot heavier. After a period of silence, he spoke out in the recesses of his mind, “Jasmine, during the period that we are staying in Supreme Ocean Palace, it is highly likely that I will have need of your strength… because I can’t shake the feeling that something just isn’t right.”

“Hmph!” Jasmine gave a bland and cold snort, “If I do not want you to die, ten thousand Xuanyuan Wentians would not be enough to kill you. But I am rather curious about one thing, why did you make such a bad bargain with Supreme Ocean Palace?”

“Because I have been having this inexplicable feeling of uneasiness ever since I arrived at Supreme Ocean Palace.” Yun Che said as his voice grew solemn, “I am afraid that some variables will appear during the Devil Sword Conference, so it would be best if I settled all my business first. Moreover, the gaze of that Xuanyuan Wentian… makes me feel as if I am completely naked before him.”

“I just hope that it’s just my overactive imagination… but no matter what, I definitely need to proceed with extreme caution now.”

……………………

“Father, the Toxin Immortal has arrived.”

The one who spoke was blue-robed young man with a thin and sunken face. His features and his figure resembled Xuanyuan Wentian very much.

The man who stood in front of him was the Xuanyuan Wentian who had just returned to Supreme Ocean Palace.

“Very good.” Xuanyuan Wentian said with a curt nod of his head, “I hope that his venomous insect poison works just like it does in the legends. If all he has is an empty reputation and he is of no use to us whatsoever, then there is no need for him to remain on this earth.”

“Is Father going to see him now?” The young man asked.

Xuanyuan Wentian did not give the go-ahead. Instead he spoke in a slow and deliberate tone, “That Yun Che didn’t disappoint me after all. He is already within Supreme Ocean Palace. I actually just met him.”

The young man threw his head back in delight as a dangerous smile played across his face, “That’s just wonderful news.”

“During the past hundred years, I have been obsessed with my preparations regarding the Devil Sword. I had originally planned to pay a visit to the Illusory Demon Realm again after I unsealed the Devil Sword so I could seize the Mirror of Samsara. But who would have thought that it would actually deliver itself up to me just as the Devil Sword is about to be unsealed. Truly even the heavens are on my side!” Xuanyuan Wentian said as he soundlessly laughed, his face raised to the heavens.

“Does that Mirror of Samsara really hide the ‘secrets of the Divine Profound’?” The young man asked.

“The secrets of the Divine Profound?” Xuanyuan Wentian said as his eyes faintly narrowed, “That was only a lie that the Illusory Demon Realm’s Duke Ming invented so he could make use of us. Hoho, that Duke Ming probably still naively believes that his intelligence and cunning was truly so peerless and unmatched that he managed to use the invented secret of the Mirror of Samsara to manipulate us into helping him achieve his ambition. Little does he knew that without my intervention and exhortation all those years ago, the other three Sacred Grounds would not have so easily bent to his will and commenced the invasion of the Illusory Demon Realm.”

“Since the so-called secrets of the Divine Profound are fake, then why does Father still have such a strong desire for the Mirror of Samsara? The young man asked very sincerely.

“I asked the Devil Sword about the Mirror of Samsara at that time, and it told me that the Mirror of Samsara was one of the ‘Heavenly Profound Treasures’, an item that even the gods of the Primordial Era desired to obtain. So even though I do not know exactly what it can do, something that even the gods themselves desired definitely is a hundred thousand times more valuable than those so-called ‘secrets of the Divine Profound’!”

“It was something that I definitely had to obtain once I unsealed the Devil Sword. And now that it has delivered itself to my doorstep, then how could I miss this opportunity to gladly receive it!!”

“Wendao, this matter is a secret that is to be kept solely between us, father and son.” Xuanyuan Wentian said as he cast a sidelong glance at his own son, “Furthermore, this is Supreme Ocean Palace, not the Sword Region, so do not mention even a single word of this again.”

“This son understands!”