novel against the - Chapter 2061

Chapter 2061: The Sword Heart Illuminated

“In the very beginning of the Abyss, the land had not yet taken shape, and there was far more terrifying abyssal dust than there is now, causing many true supreme-rulers to gradually fall.”

“Later, Uncle Yuanhuang used a powerful profound artifact to create the first piece of land in the Abyss, allowing more and more supreme-rulers to survive. Then, in order to ensure long-term survival, the supreme-rulers began to reproduce and expand the land.”

“However, likely due to the influence of the abyssal dust, it became extremely difficult for the offspring of supreme-rulers to cultivate into true supreme-rulers. As a result, the number of true supreme-rulers dwindled. If this continued, with the passing of one true supreme-ruler after another, the power of true supreme-rulers might one day disappear from the Abyss altogether.”

“So, Uncle Yuanhuang selected the seven most suitable true supreme-rulers and, before they perished, extracted their true supreme-ruler sources. Through seven special profound artifacts, he created seven supreme cores.”

“These seven supreme cores are what led to the formation of the six supreme nations that have lasted until today.”

Yun Che listened attentively to Hua Caili’s explanation and interjected, “If I understand correctly, after each generation’s supreme sovereign steps down, the true supreme-ruler source they inherit can be directly passed on to the next supreme sovereign through the supreme core?”

“That’s right! Brother Yun is so smart,” Hua Caili praised him.

Yun Che slightly curled his lips. This method of inheritance was essentially identical to the inheritance process of the King Realms. But then again, the King Realms’ inheritance method did indeed originate from the ancient supreme-ruler race.

However, one power is that of a supreme sovereign, while the other is that of a true supreme-ruler. Though the methods are similar, the level and difficulty involved are worlds apart.

“Of course, this inheritance isn’t something done casually,” Hua Caili said, holding Yun Che’s arm, her whole body leaning slightly against his as she continued her explanation. “Not only do the bloodline and profound arts need to be compatible, but the most important thing is… the supreme persona.”

“I’ve heard of the ‘supreme persona,’ but I don’t fully understand it. What exactly is it?” Yun Che had first heard the term “supreme persona” not in the Abyss, but from Chi Wuyao. However, his knowledge was limited, and he only knew that to bear the power of a true supreme-ruler, one must possess at least eight portions of supreme persona.

Hua Caili thought for a moment and explained, “Everyone has 54 profound gates, which open as one’s cultivation level increases. After all the profound gates are opened, subtle changes occur within the profound veins, as if several independent ‘small worlds’ appear, altering one’s ability to control and carry profound energy.”

“The number of these small worlds is what we call the supreme persona.”

“Oh, I see,” Yun Che responded thoughtfully.

“Most profound practitioners possess between three and five portions of supreme persona, with very few exceeding five portions. To become a supreme inheritor of a supreme nation, one must have at least eight portions of supreme persona. If someone with insufficient supreme persona attempts to bear the power of a true supreme-ruler, their profound veins won’t be able to handle it, leading to failure. And the consequences of failure are often tragic, potentially resulting in the complete destruction of their profound veins, or even death.”

“But there are exceptions. The Divine Sovereign of Eternal Night, Wuming, managed to bear the supreme source with only seven portions of supreme persona, miraculously succeeding. However, it wasn’t without a price.”

She is known as the “Blind Empress,” and she renamed her nation “Eternal Night” because she lost her sight permanently.

At this point, Hua Caili sighed and said, “I’ve heard that in a world called the ‘Eternal Pure Land,’ true supreme-rulers have very long lifespans, even longer than the history of the Abyss. However, those who become true supreme-rulers by bearing the supreme source have shorter lifespans.”

“Throughout the generations, the longest-lived supreme sovereigns have not exceeded 50,000 years.”

“Hmm?” Yun Che glanced at her and half-jokingly said, “Are you worried that inheriting supreme power in the future might result in a shorter lifespan than mine?”

“Yes.” Hua Caili nodded directly. “I want to inherit Father’s supreme power early so I can always protect you. But I’m also afraid that if my lifespan shortens and I leave before you, there will be no one to protect you.”

She looked at Yun Che with a serious expression.

“Don’t think about such things,” Yun Che said with a smile, shaking his head. “Do I look like someone who can be easily bullied?”

“But I just want to be with you longer.” Hua Caili shook Yun Che’s arm and then muttered softly, “If only I had the ‘Nine Profound Exquisite Body.'”

Yun Che’s footsteps paused for a moment, and then he naturally asked, “What is the ‘Nine Profound Exquisite Body’?”

“It’s a rare and wondrous talent that only appears in women,” Hua Caili said with some longing. “The supreme persona is said to be a ‘small world’ within the profound veins, but that’s not entirely accurate. However, someone with the ‘Nine Profound Exquisite Body’ truly has a small world within her profound veins, known as the ‘Exquisite World.'”

“Because of the existence of this Exquisite World, the ability to bear and control profound energy far surpasses others. It is said that someone with the Nine Profound Exquisite Body can directly bear any type of true supreme-ruler’s supreme source, even if they don’t have a compatible profound vein or haven’t practiced matching profound arts. As long as their cultivation reaches the Divine Extinction Realm, they can carry it.”

“What’s more, they won’t suffer the life-draining consequences of bearing true supreme-ruler power. Instead, their lifespan will actually increase significantly.”

Yun Che showed appropriate surprise. “There exists such a miraculous, divinely gifted physique in the world? Truly astonishing. So… are there any individuals with the Nine Profound Exquisite Body in the present day?”

Hua Caili gently shook her head. “It is said that in ancient times, one would appear every tens of thousands of years. But for hundreds of thousands of years, none have been seen… although it’s possible someone might be hiding it, not daring to let others know.”

“Why?” Yun Che asked, though he already knew the answer.

“Because… well…” Hua Caili hesitated, embarrassed, but still continued, “It is said that those with the Nine Profound Exquisite Body make the best partners for dual cultivation. In history, the women who had this body were often abducted by people from the supreme nations… and most met a tragic end.”

“During their early cultivation of profound energy, people with this physique release a special Nine-Turn Profound Aura that is easy to identify. But once they reach the Divine Origin Realm, this special aura can be completely hidden. So, given the grim lessons of history, anyone born with this supreme-ruler-given talent, unless they’re in a supreme nation, must do everything they can to conceal it.”

“Indeed,” Yun Che’s gaze grew deep. “A treasure in the hands of the weak invites disaster, even without guilt.”

“Oh!” Hua Caili’s eyes suddenly sparkled. “Brother Yun, would you like to check how many portions of supreme persona you have? I can tell you the method, it’s really simple.”

“Better not,” Yun Che said nonchalantly. “I’m not from a supreme nation, and it’s impossible for me to become a supreme inheritor.”

After the restoration of his Evil supreme-ruler’s profound veins, they had become an endless expanse of starry skies.

Without giving Hua Caili a chance to insist, he quickly pointed ahead. “Look, there’s a small town over there. Let’s head there and find a place to train.”

They had left the Sea of Fog over ten days ago and entered the Abyss’s fertile land.

But even within the fertile land, there were distinctions. The closer they got to the supreme nations, the weaker the abyssal dust, and the higher the status and level of the area. Naturally, stronger individuals were more concentrated there.

Upon arriving in the town, Yun Che used ten small Abyss Crystals to rent a resting place for 300 hours.

This so-called resting place was actually a small, isolated space that could block most abyssal dust, used for renting to profound practitioners who needed to rest or heal. Such places were scattered across the various fertile lands.

For Yun Che and Hua Caili, it was a relatively quiet place to train.

Without releasing their profound energy or using weapons, Hua Caili used her fingers as a sword, and the sword energy she unleashed was still as dazzling as a starry sky.

Yun Che only defended without attacking, using his fingers to break her moves and his strength to counter her sword. They sparred for several hours, testing countless variations of techniques.

Although they had left the Sea of Fog, and Hua Caili had achieved a major breakthrough in her cultivation, Yun Che did not let up on her training. After all, she was still in the midst of the Sword Heart Trial agreed upon by her father and aunt.

With Hua Qingying by their side, Yun Che knew he couldn’t indulge in mere lust with Hua Caili, as it would surely cause her displeasure.

At that moment, a flash of brilliance appeared in Hua Caili’s eyes. She extended her snow-white hand, and the Liyun Sword flew into her grasp, lightly thrusting forward.

There was no sword cry, no visible sword energy. What Yun Che sensed was something faint and elusive, a coldness that seemed to subtly constrict his soul.

He stepped back, but midway through, his movement stalled in midair.

Suddenly, nine sword beams appeared around him out of thin air, all tightly pressed against his body, sealing off any possible movement.

This scene caused Hua Qingying’s gaze to lock on, her eyes fixed without shifting for a long time.

With a soft hum, all the sword energy dissipated into thin air. Hua Caili’s face lit up with joy. She looked at the Liyun Sword in her hand, then suddenly leaped toward Yun Che, hugging him tightly. “Brother Yun, I can finally perfectly control the First Sword of Zhetian! This is amazing, truly amazing!”

Hua Qingying softly murmured, “How can she improve so quickly?”

The shock she felt at this moment was even greater than when Hua Caili had made her major breakthrough.

Each sword of the Zhetian Sword technique was incredibly difficult to comprehend, even harder to control, and advancing was an even greater challenge—Hua Qingying understood this better than anyone.

Yet, it had been less than three months since Hua Caili first grasped the First Sword of Zhetian.

Reflecting on Hua Caili’s cultivation over the past few months, ever since meeting Yun Che, her swordsmanship had…

Hua Caili’s intent became light and pure, her Sword Heart seemingly as clear as a bright, open sky.

Hua Qingying suddenly had a realization.

It seemed that Hua Caili had truly found her reason for wielding the sword.

Yun Che, you must… never betray her.

Unknowingly, this thought in her heart was already a kind of acknowledgment of Yun Che. At the very least, in the choice between Yun Che and Dian Jiuzhi, she had unconsciously leaned toward Yun Che.

“Truly worthy of being my Caili,” Yun Che smiled and praised. “When your father sees you, he will surely be excited for a long time.”

“Just in time… here’s a reward.”

He raised his hand, and in his palm was a small, delicate snow rabbit, exuding the fragrance of sweet rice cakes.

“So cute,” Hua Caili held it with sparkling eyes. “What’s this little creature called?”

“Snow rabbit,” Yun Che replied. “A type of rabbit. This species feeds on ordinary grass and wood and has no offensive abilities.”

“It’s really adorable,” she carefully examined it. “So cute, it must taste delicious.”

With that, she took a bite, and a refreshing fragrance filled the air.

Since they had left the Sea of Fog, Yun Che had made it a point to create a new and delightful surprise for her every day.

Yun Che’s food, especially made from ordinary materials of the fertile land, surprisingly rivaled the rare delicacies of the Pure Land.

“It’s absolutely delicious,” Hua Caili said sweetly. Suddenly, she tiptoed and stuffed the remaining half into Yun Che’s mouth with a playful grin. “The rest is for you.”

“Mm!” Yun Che, caught off guard, was forced to swallow it all in one go.

In one swift motion, Yun Che spun around and, amidst Hua Caili’s startled cry, pinned her down onto the ground. His gaze turned intense, filled with undisguised desire. “Now I want to eat you.”

“No… we can’t,” Hua Caili blushed, her voice timid. “Auntie… will peek.”

Just as Yun Che was about to respond, Hua Caili quickly raised her hand, setting up a sword barrier around them, isolating their surroundings. Her delicate arms then wrapped tightly around his neck.

“Now Auntie can’t see us. Brother Yun is mine—no one is allowed to look.”

A pink flush spread across her snowy neck. Her beautiful eyes avoided Yun Che’s, but her legs gently coiled around his waist, savoring the closeness between them.

Not far away, Hua Qingying quietly withdrew. After a series of complicated emotions flickered across her face, she exhaled slowly.

The danger from the Abyssal Qilin supreme-ruler had made her too cautious to allow any lapse in her vigilance over Hua Caili’s safety. She stayed close by, never venturing too far.

After a long time, when she believed the two had finished, she cast her spiritual sense over the area, piercing through the sword formation. However, what met her senses was Hua Caili’s soft, intoxicating moans. Her spiritual sense recoiled instantly, as if she had been electrocuted.

Hua Qingying’s Sword Heart faltered for several long moments.

She still couldn’t fathom how Hua Fuchen would react if he ever found out that Hua Caili had already given herself to Yun Che…

“Look here, this man is called Xiao Shuai, and this woman is called Xiao Mei. Xiao Shuai’s father saved Xiao Mei’s life, so Xiao Mei’s father promised that when she grew up, she would marry Xiao Shuai to repay the life-saving favor,” Yun Che said, playing with two small wooden figures as he recounted an odd story to Hua Caili.

“But Xiao Shuai was born with crippled profound veins, while Xiao Mei was extraordinarily gifted. If the two got married, people would either call it a beautiful union or see it as wishful thinking.”

“So, did they cancel the engagement?” Hua Caili asked.

“No, Xiao Mei still married Xiao Shuai, but she made it clear that it was only to repay the favor and to save his face, with no emotional involvement. After they were married, they quickly separated.”

“But Xiao Shuai, being proud and ambitious, found a way to restore his profound veins. He trained hard, had many fortuitous encounters, and eventually became strong enough to meet Xiao Mei again. He defeated her, proving that he was worthy of her, not merely out of repayment or pity.”

At this point, Yun Che placed the two small wooden figures together, signaling the end of the story.

“Today’s story is so boring,” Hua Caili sighed, resting her head on Yun Che’s lap. “There’s no ‘wishful thinking’ between us. In this life, I only want you, and you can only be my Yun-gege.”

“Hmm, it is a bit dull,” Yun Che muttered to himself. “Who could have imagined that such a boring beginning would hide so many twists of fate?”