novel against the - Chapter 2066

Chapter 2066: Confrontation

Senluo Divine Kingdom.

“Your Highness, after searching all six Divine Kingdoms, we finally found a flawless Jade Xia Su Xin Pearl. However, this pearl is in the hands of Pan Buzhuo, the Divine Son of Xiaod ie. Knowing it’s what Your Highness desires, he’s asking for… asking for three Seven-Clear Divine Jades in exchange.”

The man’s voice was tight with barely suppressed anger.

Dian Jiu Zhi, however, remained calm and composed, a faint smile playing on his lips. With a gentle push of his palm, three points of幽碧 (yōubì) – a deep, bluish-green – light floated towards the reporting man. “Go again and make the exchange.”

The man, stunned, received the three lights, his face filled with astonishment. “But, the Jade Xia Su Xin Pearl is merely an ornamental item. How can it be worth three… three Seven-Clear Divine Jades!?”

He, too, was a son of the Senluo Divine Sovereign. In the past, he had often bullied Dian Jiu Zhi. Yet, Dian Jiu Zhi always remembered the kindness shown to him by Hua Cai Li, and after becoming a Divine Son, he remained forgiving and never retaliated against those who had wronged him. This had filled the other Divine Sons and Daughters with guilt and fostered unwavering loyalty towards him.

A rough, soul-shaking voice boomed, “Do as you’re told. This is a birthday gift for that girl Cai Li. Don’t tell me three is too many; even thirty wouldn’t make this kid flinch.”

The two quickly bowed in greeting.

“Hurry up!” Duan Luo, the Senluo Divine Sovereign, flung the man away with a wave of his hand, then stood beside Dian Jiu Zhi. “You brat, as long as it makes that girl happy, you’ll spend anything, hahaha!”

It sounded like a rebuke, but it ended in hearty laughter.

Dian Jiu Zhi smiled faintly. “Father seems in a particularly good mood today. Is there some good news?”

“So-so for me, but great news for you, my boy.” Duan Luo grinned. “Cai Li has returned from her first trial, and she’s already reached the Divine Annihilation Realm!”

“What?!” Dian Jiu Zhi’s eyes widened, his voice rising. “R-really?”

“Can your old man lie?” Duan Luo stroked his sword-like beard. “That girl born of Hua Fuchen is truly extraordinary. You’re a lucky one.”

Dian Jiu Zhi raised his hands, overwhelmed with excitement. “Wonderful! As expected of Cai Li. Not yet twenty, and already a demigod! This is truly unprecedented. All the glory of us Divine Sons and Daughters combined doesn’t equal hers.”

He seemed even more excited than when he’d achieved his own breakthrough.

“Of course!” Duan Luo beamed. “Don’t underestimate my choice of daughter-in-law.”

The Senluo Divine Kingdom and the Zhetian Divine Kingdom would soon be joined by marriage, their fortunes intertwined.

“But there’s one more question I need to ask you, my boy.” Duan Luo’s expression turned serious. “Are you certain you’ll only have that girl for your entire life?”

“Yes!” Dian Jiu Zhi’s response was immediate and unwavering.

He met his father’s gaze directly, showing his unwavering resolve. “Cai Li’s background speaks for itself. Her beauty is unparalleled, her heart pure, and her talent is unprecedented. If it weren’t for her saving me back then, I would have remained mired in self-loathing, and the Great Desolate Divine Vein would never have awakened.

“Once, all my efforts were just to be worthy of a single glance from her. Now… to have her as my wife is a heavenly blessing I could only earn through a lifetime of virtue. How could I ever do anything to defile or hurt her?

“She and I will be together for life, and there will be no third person.”

Duan Luo didn’t get angry, simply saying, “Once you become a Divine Sovereign, the most important thing is succession. Your way of thinking should be considered treasonous.

“However, if it’s Cai Li, it’s a different matter. With your talents, your children will undoubtedly be prodigies, and it’s likely that one of them will possess sufficient Divine Essence to become a successor.”

He patted Dian Jiu Zhi on the shoulder. “The name ‘Jiu Zhi’ I gave you means, in part, ‘to know gratitude.’ Your devotion is excessive, but not bad. Let’s give you three thousand years. If you haven’t produced a successor within that time, we’ll reconsider.”

“But right now, I’m more worried about who the first successor will belong to. I’ll inevitably have to argue with Hua Fuchen about it, hahaha!”

Duan Luo’s laughter echoed, unaware that the threads of fate connecting Dian Jiu Zhi and Hua Cai Li had been silently severed by someone they knew nothing about.

Hua Qingying gave Hua Fuchen twelve hours to calm down.

Twelve hours later, Hua Qingying personally brought Yun Che to the Yi Xin Sword Pavilion.

Before they even approached, Yun Che felt a supreme sense sweeping over him repeatedly. Upon entering the pavilion, Hua Fuchen’s gaze pierced him.

His expression was calm, his eyes devoid of emotion, but to Yun Che, they held countless invisible swords pointed at his eyes and soul.

As soon as they entered the pavilion, Hua Cai Li, without hesitation, clung to Yun Che, her arms tightly around his, her beautiful eyes filled with tension, worry, and a clear hint of alertness.

This alertness deeply wounded Hua Fuchen.

He sighed softly. “Cai Li, go with your aunt. I need to talk to him alone.”

“No!” Hua Cai Li immediately refused, tightening her grip on Yun Che. “These past few months, Yun Gege and I have never been apart. Father, whatever you want to say to Yun Gege, you don’t need to keep it from me.”

“Don’t worry,” Hua Fuchen’s voice was noticeably weaker. “I won’t hurt him.”

Hua Cai Li remained unmoved.

Yun Che gently patted her hand, speaking in a reassuring tone. “Cai Li, some things are better discussed privately between your father and me. Trust me.” Under his comforting gaze, Hua Cai Li slowly released him.

“Okay, I understand.”

“Father, my aunt and I will go out first… please don’t fight.”

Hua Cai Li pulled Hua Qingying out of the pavilion.

Hua Fuchen let out a long breath. His own daughter, whom he had cherished since birth… the same words, spoken by him, were met with refusal, but spoken by Yun Che, she obeyed so readily.

“Junior Yun Che, greets Divine Sovereign Huaxin.”

“Have a seat.” Hua Fuchen waved his hand casually.

Yun Che sat down, and the pavilion fell into a long silence.

Hua Fuchen remained silent for a long time, and Yun Che, as the junior, naturally didn’t speak first. He was the Divine Sovereign Huaxin, a true supreme-ruler ruling a Divine Kingdom. The supreme pressure he exuded was immense.

But even after several dozen breaths, Yun Che maintained his composure, neither disrespectful nor overly submissive, his breathing almost imperceptible. A third-level supreme-ruler Emperor, having never set foot in a Divine Kingdom, yet remaining so calm in his presence… Hua Fuchen began to understand Hua Qingying’s surprised assessment of him.

“Where are you from?” Hua Fuchen finally spoke, his words calm but heavy with the weight of a supreme-ruler.

Under such pressure, who would dare to lie?

Yun Che answered “sincerely,” “Junior has no origin, nor does he know his parents’ whereabouts.”

“No origin, yet you have the audacity.”

Hua Fuchen’s words were as calm as water, yet enough to terrify and tremble the soul of a demigod.

“You did save Cai Li, and I don’t want to make things difficult for you.” He looked directly at Yun Che, somewhat surprised by his calmness. “Therefore, I’ll give you… perhaps the greatest opportunity of your life.”

“State your conditions. What will it take for you to leave my daughter forever?!”

Yun Che stood up abruptly, his voice urgent and sincere. “Divine Sovereign, Cai Li and I…”

“Don’t say these useless things.” Hua Fuchen raised his hand, silencing Yun Che. “Do you think you’re worthy of my daughter?!”

Before Yun Che could answer, he continued, “Cai Li’s background, appearance, reputation, talent… all are top-tier in this world. Even if you turned the entire Abyssal World upside down, you wouldn’t find a woman comparable to her.”

“And you… Cai Li’s aunt told me about you yesterday. She said your future is immeasurable, that your upper limit is no weaker than any Divine Son of any Divine Kingdom, and she even guessed that the ‘Master’ you mentioned might be an ancient supreme soul that surpasses the level of a True supreme-ruler

“But so what? No matter how many secrets and peculiarities you possess, you are ultimately rootless and originless, without even a proper identity, let alone reputation or power to rely on.”

He watched Yun Che’s changing expression. “A rootless wanderer, a peerless supreme maiden. Tell me, how are you a match?”

Yun Che met his gaze directly, bowing slightly. “With all due respect, I would like to ask the Divine Sovereign a question… whether or not we are a match should be decided by Cai Li, not by you or me.”

Hua Fuchen was momentarily stunned.

Yun Che continued, “All beings strive throughout their lives for better choices. Since Cai Li is, in your eyes, the best woman in the world, shouldn’t she have the right to choose?”

“Heh, heh, hahahahaha.” As if a nerve had been struck, Hua Fuchen suddenly laughed, a chilling, soul-shaking laughter.

“Calm and composed, quick-witted… no wonder you’ve charmed Cai Li so. Divine Sovereign Huaxin tilted his head, seemingly unwilling to let Yun Che see his expression. “These words might work on naive youngsters, but to me… they’re all nonsense.”

Yun Che remained silent.

“I’ll ask you again. What will it take for you to leave my daughter forever?”

Yun Che slowly shook his head. “Unless Cai Li abandons me, I will never leave her.”

Hua Fuchen didn’t get angry at his answer, but said calmly, “I heard that when Cai Li first approached you, you chose to leave and never see her again. You’re clearly intelligent and rational.”

“Why are you so foolish now?”

Yun Che answered without subservience, “I knew the gap between us then, and I knew Cai Li had a well-known betrothal. If I gave in to my feelings, it would bring her unimaginable burdens… even disaster, so I chose to leave.”

“But afterward, we faced life and death together. Cai Li said she had already died once and was no longer afraid of anything. She even entrusted her Longevity Pearl to me.”

Hua Fuchen:

“Cai Li’s feelings are so profound. As a man, what reason do I have to escape and fear anymore?”

Hua Fuchen stared at Yun Che for a long time, then softly murmured, “What a… fearless spirit.”

Yun Che: “?”

Hua Fuchen slowly stood up, walking to the center of the pavilion, his fingers gently touching a simple sword imbued with countless strands of True supreme-ruler’s supreme energy.

“Yun Che, let me tell you a story… a story that even Cai Li has never heard.”

Yun Che walked behind him. “Junior is all ears.”

Hua Fuchen closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and began his tale:

“A long time ago, when I was young, I was fearless and even more unrestrained than you.”

“At that time, two successors appeared in my Zhetian Divine Kingdom, myself and Cai Li’s aunt, Qingying.”

“In terms of aptitude and cultivation, Qingying surpassed me, even possessing one more Divine Essence than I did. According to the Kingdom’s succession rules, Qingying should have been the Zhetian Divine Maiden.”

“But Qingying was born a sword fanatic, wholeheartedly devoted to the sword, uninterested in anything else, and utterly repulsed by the idea of ‘ruling the Divine Kingdom.’ And the previous Divine Sovereign was inherently patriarchal, believing that a female successor would taint the Zhetian Divine Kingdom’s lineage.”

Yun Che noticed that Hua Fuchen referred to the previous Divine Sovereign as “the previous Divine Sovereign” instead of “Father supreme-ruler”

“Furthermore, given Qingying’s personality, the previous Divine Sovereign hoped I would inherit the position. But Qingying’s Divine Essence, talent, and cultivation all surpassed mine. If I were solely appointed Divine Son, it would cause dissent. To silence the critics, both ‘Divine Son’ and ‘Divine Maiden’ were appointed.”

“The previous Divine Sovereign repeatedly hinted at this, and Qingying repeatedly stated she would never become Divine Sovereign, so I accepted the inheritance. Until I met… Cai Li’s mother.”

Hua Fuchen paused.

Yun Che could clearly feel that the man, possessing the power of a True supreme-ruler, was silently adjusting his breathing.

“Her name was Qu Wanxin. Her origins were similar to yours… no, even worse. Her parents were dead, her family destroyed, and an indelible mark of sin was placed upon her… because her family inadvertently angered a powerful force, committing an unforgivable crime.”

“I met her in an ordinary place, and unknowingly, I was deeply attracted to her, until I was completely captivated. Her rebellious spirit, her unyielding nature… all of her…”

He didn’t continue recounting their bond, perhaps unable to calmly recall it.

“At that time, I was unrestrained and acted on impulse, thinking it was a fortunate event, never considering it wrong. Soon, the previous Divine Sovereign found out…”

Chapter Comments
◇ After reading this chapter, I have two things to say…

**Translation Notes:**

* **Characters:** Dian Jiu Zhi (殿九知), Pan Buzhuo (槃不卓), Hua Cai Li (画彩璃), Duan Luo (殿罗睺), Hua Fuchen (画浮沉), Hua Qingying (画清影), Qu Wanxin (曲婉心), Yun Che (云澈). These names are transliterated and may vary slightly depending on the chosen romanization system.

* **Terms:**
* **玉霞诉心珠 (Yù Xiá Sù Xīn Zhū):** Jade Xia Su Xin Pearl. This is a fictional item, and the translation aims to capture its likely elegant and precious nature.
* **七清神玉 (Qī Qīng Shén Yù):** Seven-Clear Divine Jades. Again, a fictional item, likely representing powerful and rare artifacts.
* **神灭境 (Shén Miè Jìng):** Divine Annihilation Realm. This is a likely term for a high level of cultivation in this fictional world.
* **神承者 (Shén Chéng zhě):** Divine Successor/Heir. This refers to someone who inherits the power and position of a Divine Sovereign.
* **幽碧 (Yōubì):** A deep, bluish-green color. The specific shade is difficult to convey perfectly in English.
* **神尊 (Shén Zūn):** Divine Sovereign. The ruler of a Divine Kingdom.
* **帝子帝女 (Dì Zǐ Dì Nǚ):** Divine Sons and Daughters. Children of the Divine Sovereign.

* **Cultural Context:** The story is set in a fictional world with a complex system of supreme power and hierarchy. The emphasis on filial piety, the importance of lineage and succession, and the concept of a “Divine Successor” are all elements reflecting aspects of traditional Chinese culture, albeit in a fantastical setting.

* **Alternative Translations:** Some phrases could be translated differently depending on the desired nuance. For example, “狮子大开口 (shīzi dà kāikǒu)” could be translated as “opened his mouth like a lion” (emphasizing greed) or “made an exorbitant demand” (more formal). The choice depends on the desired emphasis. Similarly, the emotional tone of certain phrases could be adjusted to better suit the English reader’s sensibilities.