novel against the - Chapter 2104

Chapter 2104: Waiting for Dawn in the Eternal Night

Eternal Night Divine Nation.

Seven profound formations¹ interlocked and revolved, various profound crystals² radiating intensely dazzling profound light within them. The sheer number and high level of these profound crystals were enough to leave any profound practitioner³ in stunned disbelief.

Four women stood at each direction of the formations, the terrifying power of the Divine Extreme Realm swirling in their hands. These seven profound formations were driven by these four immensely powerful Divine Extreme forces. The energy within the profound crystals was being drawn out almost frantically, releasing a raging spiritual energy⁴… an energy violent enough to easily obliterate a profound practitioner who had just entered the Divine Extinction Realm⁵ and possessed a demisupreme-ruler body.

Yet, within this terrifying profound formation sat a woman.

Her long hair and outer robes were whipped about wildly. Her exquisite features contorted incessantly… a reflexive reaction to extreme pain. Yet, her expression remained calm, stubbornly refusing to reveal the slightest hint of suffering.

Gradually, her jade-like skin lost its color, replaced by an unnatural pallor. After an unknown period, a streak of shockingly crimson blood slowly trickled down her lips.

Shen Wu Youluan’s breath hitched. Her eyes flickered with conflict, and she finally whispered, “Your Majesty⁶, this intensity… even a late-stage Divine Extinction Realm practitioner wouldn’t be able to endure it for long. Even if Wu Yi possesses the Nine Profound Exquisite Body⁷, this has surely surpassed her limit. If this continues…”

“Silence!”

A cruel, hoarse voice, devoid of warmth, cut off Shen Wu Youluan’s plea. “This Majesty will intervene when it is time.”

Shen Wu Youluan dared not speak further, only continuing to maintain the seven profound formations, driving the spiritual energy within the profound crystals.

Shen Wu Yi’s current cultivation was at the fifth level of the Divine Extinction Realm. If any other profound practitioner of the same level were subjected to the spiritual energy storm within the seven profound formations, their profound veins would surely burst within a hundred breaths, with unimaginable consequences.

Yet, she had already endured it for a full quarter of an hour.

This was because she possessed the Nine Profound Exquisite Body, a constitution existing only in legends and unseen for ages. As the Exquisite World within her gradually awakened, her profound veins and body’s ability to withstand power and laws far surpassed that of ordinary profound practitioners.

In the past twenty years, her cultivation had soared from the peak of the Divine Master Realm to the fifth level of the Divine Extinction Realm. Even if other supreme nations had vaguely heard of this terrifying progress, none would believe it.

Even fewer knew the cruel methods used to force such advancement.

Shen Wu Yanye had relentlessly piled all of the Eternal Night Divine Nation’s most precious resources onto Shen Wu Yi. In the same amount of time, she consumed more profound crystals than all the other Divine Sons and Divine Daughters combined. However, the process was by no means something other Divine Sons and Divine Daughters could replicate or endure.

Shen Wu Yanye was a complete lunatic, in every aspect. This was known to all the supreme nations, and even more so within the Eternal Night Divine Nation.

Another full quarter of an hour passed. Shen Wu Yi’s face was completely drained of color, and every part of her body spasmed with increasing intensity. Yet, her expression remained calm, as if she felt no pain, no fear.

Shen Wu Youluan had long since closed her eyes, unable to bear the sight.

Finally, Shen Wu Yi’s body began to tremble violently. Several narrow, long bloodstains split open on her waist and chest, and her aura completely collapsed.

Puff!

Her consciousness scattered, blood spraying from her lips as she slowly fell backward.

A withered hand reached out from a black curtain. In an instant, the profound light of the seven profound formations vanished, all the spiritual energy suppressed and extinguished.

“Wu Yi!”

Shen Wu Youluan flashed forward, catching Shen Wu Yi in her arms. After a long moment, she saw Shen Wu Yi’s pupils regain focus.

“Hmph, useless thing!” Shen Wu Yanye’s icy voice rang out. “The so-called Nine Profound Exquisite Body is nothing more than this!”

“Wu Yi, listen well. Before you go to the Pure Land⁸, you must reach the sixth level of the Divine Extinction Realm. Otherwise, I will not forgive you.”

Shen Wu Youluan turned, wanting to speak, but felt Shen Wu Yi gently squeeze her hand, stopping the words at her lips.

Shen Wu Yi struggled to rise from Shen Wu Youluan’s embrace. Her voice was weak, yet still respectful and resolute, “Mother supreme-ruler⁹ has poured all her resources and heart into me. If I fail, I cannot forgive myself.”

“Good that you know.” Shen Wu Yanye said coldly. “Get out and recover! Return here in seven days!”

Shen Wu Yi whispered, “Rest assured, Mother supreme-ruler Five days will suffice.”

She raised her eyes, her weak voice carrying a conviction that seemed to emanate from her soul. “Mother supreme-ruler does not wish for women to be beneath men. In the Pure Land, Wu Yi will defeat all the Divine Sons and make them kneel before Eternal Night. Only then can I live up to Mother supreme-ruler’s wishes and repay a fraction of her grace.”

“Therefore, Mother supreme-ruler need not worry about Wu Yi… This body can perish, but Mother supreme-ruler’s… wishes cannot be betrayed.”

As she finished speaking, her body swayed, blood trickling from her lips again. She collapsed unconscious in Shen Wu Youluan’s arms.

Silence… After a few breaths, Shen Wu Yanye spoke coldly, “Youluan, take her back.”

“Yes.” Shen Wu Youluan hastily responded, carrying the unconscious Shen Wu Yi and hurrying away.

“All of you, get out!”

With her terrifying voice echoing, the Eternal Night Divine Hall emptied, returning to a suffocating silence.

The withered hand fumbled in the darkness, opening a secret tome. Just now, after months, another layer of abyssal dust had been meticulously removed, allowing another page of the tome to be opened.

A withered finger lightly touched the aged text, still covered in a faint layer of abyssal dust, her acutely sensitive senses deciphering the inscription.

Ice Snow Glazed Heart¹⁰…

This page contained records of the Glazed Heart.

Ice Snow Glazed Heart… Condensed from the purest primordial qi at the beginning of chaos… The purest and most immaculate heart and soul in the world… Several legends speak of it receiving the protection of the Heavenly Dao… Knowing the truth… Able to perceive heaven and earth… Able to sense the hearts and souls of all things… Its heart is pure like pristine ice and snow, immaculate like glazed glass, untainted… Therefore, its affections, its intentions, its heart, its thoughts, its… Once engraved, they are eternal, never to be betrayed…

The withered fingers began to tremble. She let out a near-shriek. “Its affections… eternal… never to be betrayed… Haha… Hahaha…”

“Where is true affection in this world?! Where is loyalty?! False… Ridiculous… All false… Haha… Hahaha… Hahahahaha…”

She laughed, a crazed laughter like a deranged ghost. Yet, clear tears streamed down her withered, bark-like cheeks.

Carrying Shen Wu Yi back to her chambers, Shen Wu Youluan didn’t pause for a moment. She frantically retrieved several healing pills and quickly set up a healing profound formation.

A gentle profound light enveloped Shen Wu Yi. Looking at her deathly pale face, Shen Wu Youluan slowly closed her eyes, desperately suppressing her welling tears.

“I’m sorry… Wu Yi,” she murmured. “If I had known this would happen, I…”

“Aunt, you never need to say those words to me.”

The sudden voice startled Shen Wu Youluan. Her eyes flashed with momentary panic before she composed herself. “Wu Yi, you… are awake?”

“I’ve been awake the whole time,” Shen Wu Yi whispered. “I’ve worried you, Aunt.”

Shen Wu Youluan was clearly taken aback. Then, she said quite naturally, “Being awake can accelerate your recovery, which is good. My words just now… were just ramblings. You don’t need to mind them.”

“I know,” Shen Wu Yi said softly.

Shen Wu Youluan had just breathed a sigh of relief when she heard Shen Wu Yi continue, “I’ve always known that the person who saved me was Aunt Youluan.”

As if struck by lightning, Shen Wu Youluan abruptly stood, her hand instinctively reaching out to set up a soundproofing barrier in her alarm.

Shen Wu Yi, as if anticipating this, gently pressed down on her arm as she raised her hand. She was far too weak, causing Shen Wu Youluan to halt her action.

“If you set up a soundproofing barrier, it will only alert her. She should be reading the secret tome now. Don’t worry, Aunt.”

Shen Wu Youluan’s eyes widened, staring at Shen Wu Yi as if seeing her for the first time. Then, she lowered her voice, “Wu Yi, you mustn’t speak such things!”

She left the healing profound formation running and took a step back. “You focus on healing. I’ll pretend I didn’t hear anything just now, and you must never utter a single word of this again.”

With that, she fled the room as if escaping.

Just as she was about to step out of the hall, she heard Shen Wu Yi’s gentle whisper from behind, “There is no true eternal night in this world. Even the darkest night will eventually break into dawn.”

Shen Wu Youluan stopped dead in her tracks.

“Aunt, you are the Azure Phoenix hidden in the darkness.”

“And your ‘Phoenix,’ even after enduring all manner of humiliation, did not flee the darkness alone.”

“When the eternal night breaks, the Azure Phoenix will surely sing together again.”

Shen Wu Youluan’s body trembled. She clenched her teeth, yet the tremors wouldn’t cease.

She turned her neck, but the movement stopped halfway, stiff and hesitant. Because at this moment, she suddenly dared not meet Shen Wu Yi’s gaze.

After an unknown amount of time, she finally turned around with difficulty. She saw Shen Wu Yi gently raise a finger to her lips, telling her: There’s no need to say anything.

Shen Wu Youluan nodded slightly, tears suddenly streaming down her face.

The two words “Mist Emperor” swept through every corner of the abyss like a storm. This time, it was a thousand times more violent than all the previous instances combined.

Moreover, when abyssal profound practitioners spoke of the “Mist Emperor,” there was no longer the usual doubt, debate, or mockery. Instead, there was unprecedented terror, shock… and unspoken suspicion.

Even every grain of abyssal dust seemed to be in unusual turmoil.

Only the Pure Land remained as tranquil as ever, without any ripples… and without any of the disturbances everyone had anticipated.

Shallow Mist Sea.

Yun Che had altered his appearance and attire, his aura muddled under the influence of the Inverse Abyss Stone¹¹. Even if Hua Caili were to brush past him at this moment, she wouldn’t be able to recognize him by his appearance or aura.

He had maintained the same posture for eight or nine hours straight, and he had been repeating this same action for more than ten days.

Finally, he opened his eyes, letting out a long breath, and leaned heavily against the black stone behind him.

A white shadow appeared, a jade hand covered in supreme light reaching towards Yun Che’s forehead, bestowing the most sacred profound light in the world.

“Twelve days,” she said softly. “What are you searching for? Doing this every day, even your soul will find it hard to bear.”

Yun Che closed his eyes and remained silent for a good while before the deep fatigue finally eased somewhat. However, he didn’t answer Li’s question, instead saying with a faint smile, “Twelve days, and I still haven’t heard you scold me. I’m more curious than you are.”

“Scold?” Li Suo was puzzled. “Why?”

Yun Che tilted his lips. “To demonstrate the Mist Emperor’s ability to control the might of the Mist Sea, I caused the people of an entire region to lose their homeland. I don’t know how many will die from abyssal erosion because of this. With your sacred heart, you should find this unacceptable and should have lectured me already.”

Li Suo remained silent for a long time.

Just as Yun Che closed his eyes again, preparing for a short nap, he heard Li Suo’s ethereal voice, light as a cloud, by his ear. “You are too lonely.”

“Hmm?” Yun Che looked at the ethereal figure before him, her features impossible to discern. “Not really. Don’t I have you with me all the time?”

Li Suo whispered, “I am not He Ling. I cannot know your heart, follow your will, and comfort your soul like she did.”

“Moreover, I cannot manifest a physical body like He Ling and appear to comfort you when I sense your loneliness and soul’s wounds. Therefore, faced with your inescapable loneliness and soul’s torment, I can only feel ashamed and cannot bring myself to scold you.”

“Uh…” Yun Che reached up and unconsciously rubbed his nose, his voice rather weak. “The ‘comfort’ you’re talking about… isn’t the kind I’m thinking of, is it?”

Li Suo: “…”