novel against the - chapter 1984

ATG 1984 – ChatGPT Translation

“Time silently flowed by until a cautious figure appeared in Yun Che’s line of sight. It was a young boy who appeared to be just over ten years old. His face was thin, his skin lacked the smoothness of youth, and instead had a rough and darkened appearance.

He saw Yun Che lying there, battered and bruised. His neck tensed up, but he didn’t immediately leave. His gaze quickly scanned the surroundings. After hesitating for a moment, he gathered the courage to ask, ‘Excuse me, sir… do you know where Senior Ling Zhu is? I heard she has returned.’

Yun Che turned his gaze towards him and said gently, ‘She has indeed returned, but she’s not here. She must be meeting with her ‘Master’ as she mentioned.’

Disappointment immediately filled the young boy’s face upon hearing this, but he still politely responded, ‘I see. Thank you for letting me know.’

From his cautious demeanor, it was evident that he had sneaked out. Although his hopes were dashed, he dejectedly turned away. However, Yun Che stopped him and said, ‘But she should be back soon. If you really want to see her, you can wait here for a while.’

The young boy’s eyes lit up, and he nodded eagerly, saying, ‘Alright! I’m willing to wait as long as it takes to see Senior Ling Zhu.’

Then, he lowered his head and added in a soft voice, ‘…as long as I’m not discovered.’

Bidding farewell to Ku Xian, Helian Lingzhu, Yun Che’s intended return to the imperial capital with Mo Cangying was delayed as he decided to greet Yun Che before leaving, citing the necessity of maintaining royal courtesy.

Mo Cangying could only reluctantly agree.

As they approached, they overheard Yun Che’s conversation with the young boy.

‘…In our Lin Yuan Realm, around 90% of people primarily cultivate earth profound energy and cultivate wind profound energy as a secondary. I am a primary earth and secondary wind practitioner. I can already stir up quite a large amount of sandstorms.’

‘My master said that the Lin Yuan Realm attracts and gathers all those who cultivate earth profound energy, as it is the place with the most concentrated and active earth profound energy. People from the outside rarely cultivate earth profound energy, and even… my master said they look down on earth profound energy cultivation, considering it the path of cowards… but it’s not like that!’

The young boy’s voice carried a hint of resentment. ‘There are many outstanding individuals who cultivate earth profound energy! Right here, we even had a Abyssal Knight!’

As he mentioned the ‘Abyssal Knight,’ a fervent admiration and respect blazed in the young boy’s eyes. ‘I heard he was chosen by the Abyssal Emperor and became a pioneer in searching for the ‘Eternal Pure Land.’

‘His name is Mo Beichen, the Abyssal Knight ranked 779th, with the title ‘Dust-Sealing Guardian.’ He’s from our Lin Yuan Realm!’

Every word the young boy spoke was filled with pride. To Yun Che, these scenes were mundane, something that no one would care about or mention in his world. However, in the young boy’s eyes and words, it was a world that belonged only in dreams, too beautiful for any Abyssal being to dare believe in.

‘Is there really an ‘Eternal Pure Land’ in this world?’ The young boy’s voice changed, becoming slower.

‘Heard that in the Eternal Pure Land, there is no abyss dust. Everywhere, you can see green grass, tall trees, and something called ‘flowers’ that can bloom in many colors.’

‘Heard that the sky there is blue, and the children don’t need to be ‘protected’ from birth. Even if they don’t diligently cultivate, they won’t be eroded, and they won’t be abandoned because of poor talent. All children can grow up freely.’

‘Does such a place really exist?’

What he described was an utterly ordinary scene in Yun Che’s understanding, so ordinary that in his world, no one would pay attention to or mention it. However, in the young boy’s eyes and words, it was a world that should only exist in fantasies, too beautiful for any Abyssal creature to dare believe in.

‘Of course, it exists,’ Yun Che replied confidently.

Outside the hall, Helian Lingzhu couldn’t help but stop in her tracks.

The young boy’s eyes flickered with a strange light but quickly dimmed. It was clear he didn’t believe it. ‘Do you… have you really seen the ‘Eternal Pure Land’ with your own eyes?’

Yun Che smiled and said, ‘It’s not about whether I’ve seen it or not. It’s about believing in its existence.’

‘Believe?’ The young boy, who had never experienced the world outside the ‘protection,’ looked bewildered.

‘Because ‘belief’ is an extraordinary power,’ Yun Che said with a gentle and sincere expression. ‘If you need a miracle, it can only happen if you believe in it. If you yearn for the ‘Eternal Pure Land,’ you must firmly believe in its existence and work towards it. Perhaps one day, it will truly appear in your life.’

‘Even if in the end, you still can’t find the ‘Eternal Pure Land,’ the beautiful persistence and effort you put into it throughout your life might create a place in your soul that is eternally your own ‘Eternal Pure Land.”

The young boy’s eyes shone like stars, and this time, they didn’t dim for a long while.

Outside the hall, Helian Lingzhu remained frozen in place.

It was only when Mo Cangying took a step forward and pushed open the hall door that the young boy turned around and saw Helian Lingzhu. He couldn’t contain his excitement and shouted, ‘Senior Ling Zhu!’

He rushed towards her with excitement, but Mo Cangying firmly held him back, his brows furrowing deeply. ‘Qichuan! Did you sneak out without knowing how dangerous it is to leave the palace’s protective barrier with your current cultivation?’

The young boy held Mo Cangying in great awe. ‘I… I just really wanted to see Senior Ling Zhu.’

‘Hmph!’ Mo Cangying’s expression grew stern. ‘Then you should work hard on your cultivation. When you reach the Divine Soul Realm, you can leave the palace for half an hour every three days. With your current cultivation, you have no qualification to leave the palace. Acting recklessly for your own desires will only lead to disappointment.’

‘Don’t forget, if you don’t achieve the Divine Tribulation Realm within a quarter of a century, you will be abandoned! At that time, not even your ‘Senior Ling Zhu’ will protect you!’

Yun Che was deeply moved by this revelation. Achieving the Divine Tribulation Realm at the age of fifteen was considered a remarkable talent in any star realm within the supreme realm. Yet here, it was only enough to barely qualify for not being abandoned. There was no room for mercy or tolerance here. Every individual born here had to face the cruelest laws of survival. This was true for everyone except the chosen sons of the supreme-rulers.

Yun Che suddenly recalled something from Mo Beichen, he had learned that his two daughters had been “abandoned” and perished under the influence of the Abyss Dust. So, he should harbor nothing but resentment for this place.

“Alright,” Helian Lingzhu walked over and shielded the scolded young boy with her hand. “Qichuan is still just a child; there’s no need to say such harsh words to him.”

Mo Cangying responded, “Indulgence is what harms him. Useless people have no right to survive. Laziness and recklessness are paths to death! These are the laws they should engrave upon themselves from birth.”

“I… I know,” the young boy spoke up, not defiantly but with shame. “I just miss Senior Ling Zhu so much. She’s like my deceased sister, my only family in this world. I just want to see her, just like… my sister is still alive.”

“I promise not to be willful at other times and will make the utmost effort to cultivate. And… I seem to have found a direction for my efforts just now.”

Helian Lingzhu, glancing at Yun Che, smiled and said, “That’s the best, of course. Qichuan, you will definitely become an amazing person in the future. Losing your right arm at such a young age can damage your talent. Now, go back. The next time you return to the Heavenly Sovereign Palace, I will make sure to visit you.”

With that, she gently patted the young boy’s shoulder. However, this light pat caused the young boy’s arm to suddenly retract, and he let out a sharp hiss.

Helian Lingzhu was taken aback, and Mo Cangying’s brows furrowed deeply. Suddenly, he grabbed the young boy’s right arm and shattered his outer clothing.

The young boy let out a miserable cry, his features contorted in pain.

At the moment when they saw the young boy’s right arm, Helian Lingzhu’s expression changed dramatically, and Mo Cangying’s face darkened even more.

The skin of the young boy’s right arm was visibly darkened, with several black streaks over half a foot long clearly visible.

“Qichuan, you…” Helian Lingzhu’s voice trembled slightly as she attempted to reach out several times but couldn’t bring herself to touch the young boy’s arm, covered in those black marks.

Yun Che’s gaze froze. Was this the influence of the Abyss Dust?

“When did this happen?” Mo Cangying asked with a cold voice.

“I… I…” The young boy’s face turned pale, not from the pain but from the shock of being discovered. “I’m okay… I’ll definitely be fine…”

His words were even paler than his complexion. Mo Cangying let out a slow breath and said in a deep voice, “With your right arm being corrupted to this extent, it must be severed.”

“Ah! No!” Helian Lingzhu hurriedly stepped forward. “He is far from ready to reforge his arm. Losing his right arm now might… lead to him being abandoned soon.”

“There’s no choice.” Mo Cangying shook his head. “Right now, it’s just his right arm. If we don’t sever it, the corruption will spread throughout his body, leading to a dead end.”

“Our Master can purify him from the corruption,” Helian Lingzhu urgently said. “I’ll go and plead with our Master…”

“You can go and plead, our Master won’t refuse,” Mo Cangying looked at her, his expression calm and solemn. “But, are you really willing to set this precedent?”

Helian Lingzhu’s steps suddenly halted, and she found it difficult to move.

Mo Cangying continued, “Leaving aside the entire Lin Yuan Realm, just within the Huan Heavenly Palace, countless people are corrupted by the Abyss Dust every day.”

“Abyss Dust’s corruption is silent and insidious, and it’s impossible to guard against. As the Crown Princess of the Huan Dynasty, by making this exception for your own desires, are you willing to have our Master intervene every time a junior is corrupted?”

“His remaining lifespan is truly limited.”

“…,” Helian Lingzhu slowly closed her eyes, at a loss for words.

“Senior Ling Zhu,” the young boy reached out and gently pulled at the hem of Helian Lingzhu’s garment. “Your favor, I will remember it for a lifetime. But this is my own fault. I can’t make you uncomfortable, let alone let the Palace Lord suffer for my loss.”

He raised his face, eyes moist, and a faint smile on his face. “Senior Brother Mo is just as they say, he may seem strict, but he is actually a very kind person. I’ve always been afraid that if I were exposed, I would be abandoned immediately, so… Brother Mo severing my arm is actually a form of salvation for me.”

“If you think like this, it’s naturally the best,” Mo Cangying nodded slightly, his gaze steady. “Severing one arm doesn’t mean you’ve severed your life and future. If you can reach the Divine Tribulation Realm with a single arm within a quarter of a century, not only will you not be abandoned, but you will also be held up as an example by the Huan Heavenly Palace.”

“I… will do it,” the young boy’s voice still trembled slightly.

Losing an arm was an unbearable injury for an adult man, let alone a young person with an incomplete understanding of the world. An arm amputation brought not only physical trauma but also emotional wounds, arguably even deeper. Under the cruel laws of survival in the Abyss, losing an arm at such a young age, no matter how beautiful the consolation, the future… could only be seen with boundless pessimism.

His throat moved, and he made an effort to produce a less strained voice. “Brother Mo, please sever my right arm.”

“Very well!” Mo Cangying nodded.

The young boy suddenly closed his eyes, and Helian Lingzhu let out a deep sigh, slowly turning away and closing her eyes.

“Wait a moment,” Yun Che’s voice sounded at this inopportune time. “Let me take a look.”