novel against the - Chapter 2063

Chapter 2063: The supreme-ruler Kingdom of Zhetian

Yun Che thought for a moment and smiled, saying, “Big matters like bringing disaster to the world can’t be rushed. I first need to deal with my future father-in-law. Otherwise, if I don’t completely ruin you, the Zhetian supreme-rulerdess, how can I bring disaster to the entire Abyssal Realm?”

Hua Caili, whose hands were tightly wrapped around his waist, gently pinched him on the lower back, half shy and half playful: “Look at what you’ve done to me; it’s already such a mess, and you say it’s not complete. If my father supreme-ruler finds out about the bad things you’ve done to me, he’ll definitely break your legs first.”

“Is it too late for me to run away now?” Yun Che pretended to be fearful.

Hua Caili leaned closer, pressing against him: “Hehe, of course it’s too late. Even if you really want to run, my aunt will catch you back.”

Hua Qingying: (Not really)

“Alas.” Yun Che sighed lightly, as if worrying about his fate. But immediately, he restrained all deliberate expressions and shifted back to a gentle yet determined gaze. “Actually, I’m not afraid at all. Even if your father supreme-ruler really wants to break my legs, it should be because of Caili. As long as you’re with me, I can face anyone and anything without fear.”

“I… I know.” This sudden declaration made Hua Caili’s eyes warm with tears.

“So,” Yun Che said, “you’re not angry anymore, right?”

“Huh?” Hua Caili blinked, then lightly hit him: “I wasn’t angry when I saw your supreme-ruler Kingdom of Zhetian. I just wanted to see how you would comfort me. In the end, you actually said you were some kind of demon lord.”

She lay on Yun Che’s chest, seemingly trying hard to hold back her laughter.

“When you’re angry in the future, how would you most like me to comfort you?” Yun Che asked.

Hua Caili thought for a moment and looked up, saying, “I want to play in the snow.”

“Okay.” Yun Che raised his hand lightly, and instantly, snow began to fall all around them. In a moment, a thick layer of snow was spread around the two.

With an excited squeal, Hua Caili released Yun Che and dove into the pure, pristine snow. She kicked off her shoes, removed her stockings, and stepped into the snow, leaving behind tiny footprints.

After playing for a while, she allowed her body to fall back, immersing herself completely in the snow, letting the refreshing cold and purity envelop her. She sighed contentedly, “If only everything in the world could be as simple and pure as snow.”

These words stirred Yun Che’s heart momentarily. Yes, if only all people and matters were that simple.

She lay in the snow, squinting her beautiful eyes, with her legs bent. Her delicate feet, whiter than the snow and beautifully curved, swayed up and down, stirring up little clouds of snow dust.

Yun Che gazed fixedly, his eyes becoming entranced without him realizing it. When he finally came to his senses, he found that the delicate, exquisite feet he had been admiring were now in his hands, soft and smooth to the touch.

“Hmm, it tickles a bit,” Hua Caili giggled, playfully wiggling her feet in Yun Che’s embrace, feeling his fingers glide gently along the beautiful curve of her calves.

Yun Che instinctively averted his gaze. Clearly, he had built an impenetrable barrier deep within his soul, yet this dangerous sense of attraction was becoming more frequent, and he couldn’t deceive himself any longer.

However, even if his heart were to break and his soul torn apart, he absolutely could not…

Amid his chaotic thoughts, a soft voice drew near. Suddenly, Hua Caili jumped up and knocked him down, both of them falling into the snow.

Their gazes locked, and her beautiful eyes seemed to contain waves of mist, rippling with a captivating allure that could leave one breathless. Her lips curled into a gentle smile, delicate as blooming petals, yet evoking a charm that belonged solely to him—one that no myriad of flowers could compare to.

She didn’t get up, instead lying on top of Yun Che, her eyes sparkling with brilliance. With a voice that shouldn’t belong to the Zhetian supreme-rulerdess, she softly murmured, “Today, I want to be in the snow.”

The falling snow quickly gathered, forming a curtain of snow on all sides, enveloping the space where the two were.

The white snow reflected a crystalline glow, like the first rays of moonlight, exuding endless purity and illuminating the filth beneath the snow curtain…

In the Eternal Night Kingdom.

The gates of the temple slowly creaked open. This was the main temple of the Eternal Night Kingdom, yet it was dark and silent, like the depths of a ghostly prison. Even a demisupreme-ruler stepping into this place would be chilled enough to hold their breath.

A woman slowly entered, her complexion pale and her body smeared with filthy blood. Despite this, her steps were still light, and her weak breath was strenuously kept steady.

Amidst the oppressive atmosphere, she halted and gradually knelt down. “Wuyi… I pay my respects to the Mother supreme-ruler”

Suddenly! The dark curtain was violently torn apart, and a terrifying wave of energy surged out, slamming into Shen Wuyi. She spat out a mouthful of blood, being directly thrown back to the temple gates.

“You still know how to come back? Wuyi, you are truly something. Now you even dare to disobey my orders!!”

This hoarse voice was incredibly rough and unpleasant, with each word cutting like a knife into the intestines.

The already heavily injured woman took a long time to struggle to her feet, but she made not a sound of pain. Instead, she knelt once more on the ground. “Wuyi has returned late by ninety-seven hours, and is willing to accept any punishment. I only ask the Mother supreme-ruler to allow Wuyi a few words.”

“Shut up!” The terrifying voice pierced her ears. “No matter the reason, this is the first time you have disobeyed my orders! If this continues, you might as well want to become the second Shen Wuqing!”

“Wuyi has no such thoughts,” Shen Wuyi said anxiously. “The Mother supreme-ruler is Wuyi’s only family in this world. My heart and soul have always belonged solely to the Mother supreme-ruler; how could I…”

“Get out of here! Soon enough, you will know the price of disobedience.”

“Understood.” Shen Wuyi respectfully bowed. “Please, Mother supreme-ruler, calm your anger and do not let your own health suffer because of my mistakes.”

“Get lost!!” A roar erupted from behind the curtain, one that could make even spirits tremble.

Shen Wuyi dared not say more. After another bow, she dragged her heavily injured and bloodied body and slowly exited the Eternal Night Temple.

Not long after leaving the temple, a woman in black flew towards her from the sky. Upon seeing Shen Wuyi, she quickly descended, her expression filled with concern. “Wuyi, are you alright?”

Shen Wuyi was extremely weak, clearly having sustained new injuries. The woman immediately understood the situation, and her expression turned complicated.

“Aunt Youluan.” Despite her severe injuries, Shen Wuyi maintained her composure. “I returned late, causing the Mother supreme-ruler to become angry. I hope you can comfort her well. If the Mother supreme-ruler is driven to anger and suffers because of me, I… will find it difficult to find peace.”

There was no complaint, no sense of injustice or pleas for sympathy in her words or demeanor; all her thoughts were with the Mother supreme-ruler who had just harmed her.

Youluan raised her hand and gently pinched Shen Wuyi’s wrist. “Your Mother supreme-ruler is just angry; she will recover soon. You should go and heal yourself; there’s no need to worry about the rest.”

“Yes, thank you, Aunt Youluan.”

Shen Wuyi slowly left, and as Shen Wuyoulan watched her retreating figure, she let out a silent sigh. Little did she know that at the moment she turned around, the worry and fear in Shen Wuyi’s eyes vanished without a trace. In her slightly lowered gaze, only a sense of calm as still as stagnant water remained.

“Master, Youluan requests an audience.”

“Come in.”

Shen Wuyoulan stepped into the dark and oppressive temple, moving closer to the curtain before bowing slightly. “Master, there is good news.”

“Speak.” The single word was curt, as grating as metal scraping against metal.

In other supreme kingdoms, being able to meet with the supreme-ruler was the highest honor. But in the Eternal Night Kingdom, it felt like the deepest nightmare.

Shen Wuyoulan held up a jade box with both hands. As she opened the box, it reflected a pure, dark radiance reminiscent of obsidian.

In the silent temple, a few slightly heavy breaths could be faintly heard, followed by a storm that burst forth from behind the curtain, sweeping past the jade box in Shen Wuyoulan’s hands.

Immediately, a trembling roar echoed from the darkness: “A complete… Obsidian Purification Crystal!!”

“Yes!” Shen Wuyoulan replied instantly. “Over the years, we have searched all six supreme kingdoms, and the Obsidian Purification Crystals we found were all incomplete. But this time, when Wuyi ventured into the Fog Sea, she unexpectedly encountered a demisupreme-ruler Obsidian Beast.”

The Obsidian Beast was not a corrupted abyssal creature formed from the Abyss Dust that had invaded the Xuan Beast, but rather a pure abyssal beast directly condensed from the Abyss Dust. It only dwelled in the depths of the Fog Sea, existing in very few numbers, and was far more terrifying than ordinary abyssal beasts of the same realm.

The Obsidian Purification Crystal could only condense within high-level Obsidian Beasts.

“Wuyi’s current experience had already tripled the targets set by you, Master. However, for the sake of this Obsidian Beast, she chose to remain in the depths of the Fog Sea.”

“With Wuyi’s cultivation, she could barely contend with this Obsidian Beast. If she used too much force, she risked damaging the Abyss Crystal within its body. Yet, if she held back, it would be akin to putting herself in danger. Wuyi struggled with it for a full half month, sustaining serious injuries multiple times before finally defeating it.”

Shen Wuyoulan remarked, “Perhaps it was Wuyi’s sincere heart that led to this. Not only does the Obsidian Beast contain the Obsidian Purification Crystal, but it is also flawless.”

“When I found Wuyi, she had just acquired this crystal but was heavily injured. Fearing that her serious wounds would make her vulnerable to unexpected dangers, she entrusted the Obsidian Purification Crystal to me. Just after bringing her back, she hurried to seek your forgiveness, disregarding her own injuries.”

In response, there was only a suffocating silence.

She slightly raised her head and continued, “Thus far, among the six exotic treasures recorded in the [Secret Classics], we have obtained four. The day you see the light again is now within reach.”

The presence of the Obsidian Purification Crystal faded, clearly having been received by the Unenlightened Deity.

“In that case, shouldn’t you quickly dispatch servants to search for the remaining two exotic treasures?”

There were no praises, no rewards; her tone remained as icy and piercing as ever.

“Yes.” Shen Wuyoulan responded. She took a step back, her brows slightly furrowing in struggle, before she finally said to the supreme-ruler Kingdom of Zhetian:

“Master, Wuyi’s late return is all for the sake of this Obsidian Purification Crystal. The three exotic treasures sought before were also for this purpose; Wuyi has risked her life time and again, truly valuing your safety far above her own life.”

“Are you speaking on her behalf?!”

The hoarse and cold voice made Shen Wuyoulan’s anxiety suddenly intensify. “No, Youluan is merely—”

“You worthless fool!!”

The curtain parted violently, and a wave of energy struck Shen Wuyoulan’s face. The sound of her cheekbone breaking echoed in the silent temple.

“What I hate most in my life is betrayal! And disobedience is the first step toward betrayal! No matter the reason, it is unforgivable!”

Shen Wuyoulan trembled as she stood up, kneeling on the ground, too afraid to tend to her injuries. “Master, please calm your anger; it is Youluan’s folly for speaking out of turn.”

“Get out! Tell Wuyi she is to be confined to her chamber and must not step outside even half a step!”

“Yes.” Shen Wuyoulan slowly retreated but remembered something and paused. “Master, I have one more thing to report. Now, the Fog Sea and the surrounding realms are all abuzz with news that a person claiming to be the Fog Emperor has appeared in the Fog Sea.”

“Such trifles come to report to me?! Get out now!”

Shen Wuyoulan dared not say more and quickly withdrew. As she exited, she kept her head lowered, afraid to raise it, fearing that even the slightest lift would allow the terrifying perception of the Unenlightened Deity to touch the hatred deeply buried in the depths of her gaze.

The temple returned to its dead silence. But before long, the presence of the Obsidian Purification Crystal emerged once more from behind the black curtain. A withered hand reached out, touching the crystal that shimmered with obsidian radiance, rubbing it again and again, almost greedily.

Beside her hand lay a thick [Secret Classics], with swirling Abyss Dust rising from its surface.

Returning to her chamber, it was equally dark and cold. Although she was the Eternal Night supreme-rulerdess, there was no one to accompany her.

She moved slowly, each step measured as if subjected to extremely rigorous scrutiny.

After a moment, she halted in front of a bronze mirror, gazing silently at her reflection in the dim light.

Who am I…

Who exactly am I…?

My talent surpasses all whom I have seen.

My spirit does not wish to be beneath anyone.

My schemes can be so frenzied…

Why is it that I cannot find any trace of my past in this world?

She raised her hand, her delicate fingers like jade, yet at the tips of these jade-like fingers, there was clearly a faint ring of Abyss Dust swirling around.

Why am I able to wield Abyss Dust…?

Outside the temple door, a familiar presence drew closer, accompanied by the voice of its owner: “Wuyi, may I come in?”

The Abyss Dust at her fingertips silently dissipated, and the calmness of her face was touched by a hint of weakness and some heartache from her injuries. “Aunt Youluan, please come in.”

Shen Wuyoulan stepped inside and quickly approached Shen Wuyi, her gentle aura brushing over her, allowing Wuyi to feel a slight relief. She comforted her, saying, “Wuyi, the Master has instructed me to inform you that you are to be confined here for three months.”

“Ah?” Shen Wuyi raised her gaze, surprise evident on her face. “This… is the punishment from Mother supreme-rulerdess?”

“Yes,” Shen Wuyoulan nodded, a faint smile lifting the corners of her mouth. “Though the Master is angry, everyone is well aware of your sincerity towards her, and the Master knows it too. It’s just that the Master cannot tolerate betrayal or disobedience, hence this punishment.”

Shen Wuyi pressed her lips together, taking a long time to suppress her emotions before softly saying, “The kindness Mother supreme-rulerdess has shown me, I can never repay in ten lifetimes. As long as Mother supreme-rulerdess can calm her anger, I am willing to accept any punishment, no matter how severe.”

“Foolish child,” Shen Wuyoulan said, patting Shen Wuyi’s arm.

“The words of the Master have been conveyed. You should focus on healing and resting; I won’t disturb you any longer.”

As she turned around, a flicker of pain and complexity crossed her eyes.

As they approached the Kingdom of Zhetian, the concentration of Abyss Dust rapidly decreased. In the distance, a gigantic barrier seemed to cover the entire vast domain like a shroud from the heavens, isolating the inside and outside into two distinctly different worlds.

The isolation barrier of the Divine Kingdom was markedly different from that of various mortal realms. It was constructed from the power of true supreme-rulers, capable of nearly perfect separation from the Abyss Dust, rendering it so thin within the supreme territory that it was almost negligible.

Yun Che stood still, gazing in awe at the Kingdom, filled with all the astonishment one should feel upon first arriving in a supreme realm.

Over a month ago, they could have reached the Kingdom of Zhetian. Yet, once faced with reality, everything thereafter slipped beyond their control. Hua Caili pulled him around, and only as the final deadline for returning to the supreme realm approached, did she reluctantly have to return to this place.

In her homeland, which she was so familiar with, she felt a sense of trepidation for the first time in her life.

“Are you afraid?” She turned around, her eyes sparkling as she looked at the man she had resolved to be with for life.

“A little.” Yun Che replied in a relatively calm voice.

“So am I.” Hua Caili gradually tightened her grip on Yun Che’s hand, sensing the comfort that came from him.