novel against the - Chapter 2045

Chapter 2045: Ripples

“Amazing, truly amazing.”

In Hua Caili’s eyes, Yun Che had reproduced her Heaven-Breaking Sword Intent after merely sensing it, within just a dozen breaths. This far exceeded what could be described as “amazing” or “genius”; even the word “miracle” seemed inadequate.

Since childhood, she had stood at the pinnacle of the world, with too few instances of “praise” and “admiration” in her life. At this moment, she couldn’t find words or expressions that were fitting.

Even among the Divine Sons and Divine Daughters of the great Divine Kingdoms, none had ever received such words from her or seen such a gaze.

“It’s my master who is truly amazing,” Yun Che said modestly.

Hua Caili’s face showed longing. “Young Master Yun’s master must be an extraordinary person beyond imagination. I feel that his accomplishments in the way of the sword… are even greater than my aunt’s.”

At these words, Hua Qingying’s expression remained unchanged.

Moreover, the “master” Yun Che spoke of was clearly not specialized solely in swordsmanship.

Just what kind of extraordinary person was he…

She had taken the initiative to suggest that Hua Caili and Yun Che travel together, with the main purpose of gradually uncovering the true identity of Yun Che’s “master.”

Nearly half a month had passed, and now, she was somewhat afraid to touch that elusive answer.

She couldn’t help but think of a possibility that was too ethereal—the most improbable one—the Creation supreme-ruler Soul recorded in ancient times, who controlled the elemental Laws.

Hua Caili stepped closer to Yun Che, filled with deep anticipation. “Young Master Yun, I simply cannot understand how you manifested that strand of sword intent just now. Could you perhaps teach me… ah, if you can’t, it’s completely fine. I’ve made an unreasonable request again.”

Those of the Heaven Breaker lineage were all sword fanatics.

In her eagerness, she had blurted out such a taboo question. Realizing it, she hastily stopped speaking, inwardly blaming herself.

“This…” Yun Che showed a troubled expression, pondered for a moment, and said, “It’s not that I’m unwilling, it’s just that…”

“It’s okay, it’s okay.” Hua Caili’s face flushed with embarrassment and hurriedly said, “I shouldn’t have…”

“Big Sister Qu,” Yun Che’s voice was gentle, softly dissolving Hua Caili’s self-reproach. “If it can benefit your cultivation, I would be more than willing, without a moment’s hesitation.”

Yun Che’s gaze and words calmed Hua Caili’s emotions, then inexplicably made her heart beat a bit faster.

“However, the sword I practice is formless and without techniques, relying entirely on enlightenment and seamless integration between oneself and the sword. It cannot be described in words.”

As he spoke, he suddenly seemed to think of something; his eyes lit up, and he said, “However… when Master taught me sword cultivation, he would guide sword intent to flow around my body, allowing me to feel and comprehend it. Unknowingly, I made progress.”

He raised the Heaven Smiting Sword again. “I will manifest that sword intent several more times. Big Sister Qu, you can sense and comprehend from this. If it can help you in any way—even a little bit—it would be my honor.”

After speaking, without waiting for Hua Caili’s response, he closed his eyes, and sword intent began to flow around his body.

Hua Caili quickly focused her mind, her gaze and spiritual sense firmly fixed on Yun Che.

Swoosh!

A streak of sword might pierced the sky, slicing into the ground beneath… It was still the extremely weak Heaven-Breaking Sword Intent but subtly stronger than before.

The sword turned, pointing directly at the heavens. As it trembled, it drew a crimson arc in the sky, and seven feet behind him, a fleeting sword scar appeared.

The sword’s momentum changed again. Just as he was about to demonstrate for the third time, he heard Hua Caili’s soft, hesitant voice, tinged with nervousness: “Young Master Yun, I… I…”

Her lips were unconsciously bitten tightly, and after a while, she released them. Her exceptionally beautiful eyes avoided his gaze. “May I… place my hand on your arm?”

She was not Yun Che; she couldn’t, as he said, simply sense others’ sword intent and transcend sword foundations and techniques to reproduce it with her own sword heart and body.

Therefore, she wanted to touch Yun Che, to truly feel the flow of sword intent within his body.

Yun Che’s expression was suitably stunned… Internally, he was also surprised: She took the bait so quickly? I had planned to demonstrate in various ways for three to five days.

Is she too obsessed with the way of the sword, or did my earlier “preparations” work so well that the distance between us has unconsciously become this close?

“Uh… I…” The usually calm and indifferent Young Master Yun was now somewhat at a loss. “If… Big Sister Qu doesn’t mind, I certainly… it’s okay.”

His rare demeanor made Hua Caili less panicked and added a bit of curiosity and intrigue.

“Then I will continue.” Yun Che quickly closed his eyes again, once more condensing the Heaven-Breaking Sword Intent.

Hua Caili stepped forward, raising her delicate hand. Her slender fingers and fair skin were as white as snow, yet in this dim and murky Endless Fog, they shimmered with pure, supreme jade light.

Her movements were slow. As Yun Che raised his sword obliquely, her jade-like fingers finally touched his arm.

But what her fingers felt was not the pure black, unadorned outer garment but… warm skin.

In countless battles in the Endless Fog, Yun Che’s outer garment had become tattered. Hua Caili’s jade hand just so “coincidentally” grasped a damaged spot.

In reality… Li Suo clearly saw that just as Hua Caili’s fingers were about to land, the garment at that spot silently disintegrated—under the concealment of Abyss Dust—silently and without a trace, which both Hua Caili and the distant Hua Qingying failed to notice.

The warm touch made Hua Caili instantly freeze, and an entirely unfamiliar tingling sensation quickly spread from her fingers, permeating her whole body and soul.

Her beautiful eyes rippled; after a moment of confusion, she realized and hurriedly wanted to withdraw her hand. Just then, a strange sword intent flowed through Yun Che’s body and transmitted through her intimately touching fingers into her consciousness.

Her mind was immediately captivated, instantly suppressing all distractions. She quickly focused, using her sword heart as eyes, striving to sense every strand of sword energy and intent flowing within Yun Che—the so-called seamless integration of sword with body and heart.

Swoosh!

Bang!

Buzz——

Yun Che could barely release a tiny bit of Heaven-Breaking Sword Intent and couldn’t possibly achieve Hua Caili’s silent and invisible level, so each time he would produce different sword humming sounds.

After four sword moves, Yun Che suddenly stopped and let out a long breath. He glanced at Hua Caili, then quickly averted his gaze, somewhat unnaturally saying, “Big Sister Qu, did this… help you gain anything?”

Hua Caili slowly opened her eyes, her sword heart still condensed. Her eyes seemed veiled by a thin mist as she softly murmured, “Nothing, yet it feels like something… ah!”

She exclaimed softly, hurriedly withdrawing her fingers from Yun Che’s arm.

Even though she had moved away, that unusual warmth lingered on her fingertips… Clearly on her fingers, yet it seemed to ignite her heart and soul, causing her heartbeat to inexplicably accelerate.

Aunt said that males are of the yang element, so they are this warm… She thought chaotically… But Father’s palm clearly wasn’t…

Her answer made Yun Che’s eyes light up, and he said, “Really? As expected of Big Sister Qu. This kind of ‘seems to have, seems not to have’ feeling took me many years to grasp, yet you understood it instantly.”

“Eh?” Hua Caili was obviously taken aback.

Yun Che earnestly said, “Master said: ‘Having seems like not having; not having seems like having. Sword intent is no intent; no intent is sword intent.’ Thoroughly understanding this phrase is the beginning of enlightenment. Big Sister Qu’s accomplishments in the way of the sword are truly astonishing.”

“Is… is that so?” Hua Caili doubted herself. She raised her eyes and suddenly noticed Yun Che’s clearly abnormal expression. She asked, “Young Master Yun, why is your aura so chaotic?”

“Uh… cough.” Yun Che’s face suddenly showed an embarrassment Hua Caili had never seen before, even somewhat awkwardly avoiding her gaze.

Not meeting her beautiful eyes, he seemed to calm down a bit. “I… actually… it’s the first time I’ve been touched by a woman, so I’m somewhat… unsure how to react…”

Li Suo: ????

“Ah… ah?” Hua Caili exclaimed twice, looking at Yun Che with a strange gaze she had never shown before. “You’ve been to so many places, had so many experiences, how could you… have never been touched by a woman?”

“For example… that Princess Helian of the Qilin Abyss Realm?” She inexplicably thought of this person and subconsciously asked.

“No, no, absolutely not,” Yun Che denied without any hesitation. “Master taught me that the love between men and women is the most splendid painting in the world but also the most wounding blade. He told me that as a man, I must never hurt a woman’s heart, especially… if I cannot give her a lifelong promise of protection, I must never touch her body.”

“All these years I’ve been in the world, always remembering Master’s words, keeping a distance from women at all times. Although I stayed in the Helian royal family, that Eldest Princess Helian—I never had any contact with her… not even a strand of hair.”

Hua Caili genuinely tried to recall what she had seen at the Qilin supreme-ruler Confrence… At least, in the scenes she could remember, Yun Che and that Eldest Princess Helian did not have any close contact.

“Pfft…”

She couldn’t help but laugh out loud, then felt it was impolite and quickly covered her lips. Seeing Yun Che’s expression become even more embarrassed because of her laughter, she hastily tried to comfort him in the only way she could think of: “Actually, it’s also the first time I’ve touched a man. In this way… does it count as we’re even?”

Father supreme-ruler should… not count, right?

Hua Caili’s words made Yun Che look back in surprise. Their gazes met, and they remained silent for a long time before laughing together.

“Then, in the future, can I often try to sense your sword intent like just now?”

As she spoke, her heart was filled more with anticipation, along with a bit of unease, shyness, and excitement, with hardly any resistance.

“Of course you can,” Yun Che nodded earnestly.

The Endless Fog was dim and windless, deathly still.

Yet ripples were quietly spreading.

High above, Hua Qingying sometimes frowned, sometimes relaxed, and finally let out a soft sigh.

Hua Caili had just begun to comprehend the Heaven-Breaking Sword Intent, yet under an irresistible attraction, she wanted to try to understand the strange sword path that Yun Che cultivated.

This was undoubtedly a major taboo in sword cultivation.

But Yun Che had too many mysterious aspects; perhaps… if Caili truly gained some enlightenment, it would be a tremendous opportunity?

Since she was secretly protecting and absolutely not interfering… then let everything be her decision.

—

Deep within the Abyss, Owl Butterfly Divine Kingdom.

A man walked forward slowly. He was tall and slender, with hair as black as ink, wearing a wide black robe inscribed with the most noble and supreme dark magic runes of the current era.

His face was cold and stern, features like demonic blades, and his black eyes seemed to overlap ten thousand layers of darkness. His steps were slow, but each step seemed to make the entire sky sink a bit.

Because his presence carried supreme might!

The True supreme-ruler of Owl Butterfly Divine Kingdom—[Qi Heng] True supreme-ruler Pan Yusheng.

Behind him followed a thin middle-aged man, also with black hair and black robes, exuding terrifying dark demonic power.

Their gaze fell ahead. Beside the palace gate, a young man was slumped there like mud.

His face was flushed, eyes dull and unfocused, hugging a rather large wine jar in his arms. His whole body and hair were soaked in wine; from afar, one could smell an extremely strong stench of alcohol.

This was the legendary strongest wine, called Thousand Dreams No Return.

However, with cultivation at their level, a slight effort could render even wine a thousand times stronger incapable of intoxicating them.

Yet, this young man was clearly allowing this strongest wine he could find to numb his spirit, as if he only wanted to stay eternally drunk in dreams, unwilling to wake up.

Pan Yusheng’s brows furrowed; the chill he emanated made the man behind him halt his steps.

But immediately, he looked away, as if he hadn’t seen the young man, striding past him with heavy steps.

Suddenly, his footsteps stopped. He abruptly turned his head and shouted angrily, “You worthless wretch! Do you intend to wallow in self-pity until death?”

The supreme-ruler’s furious roar made heaven and earth tremble. Yet the young man only slightly lifted his head, his muddled eyes glancing at True supreme-ruler Qi Heng for a while, as if barely recognizing him. Then he revealed a reckless, drunken smile, muttering:

“So it’s Father supreme-ruler… hic!” He let out a long breath of alcohol, his voice weak and soft, without any respect for the True supreme-ruler, for his father. “Father supreme-ruler, what brings you to bother with a good-for-nothing like me today… hic…”