novel against the - Chapter 2110

Chapter 2110: A Flicker of Gray Flame

supreme-ruler Child’s Temple¹ in the Weaving Dream supreme-ruler Realm. This was Hua Fuchen’s first time setting foot in this place. Beside him was Meng Kongchan, smiling amicably.

“See, dear in-law, I have never mistreated your son-in-law.”

Hua Fuchen glanced at him sideways and said snappily, “As expected of the Dreamless supreme-ruler Emperor, your shamelessness is truly a sight to behold. You even take credit for spoiling your own son.”

“Ah! As they say, a son-in-law is half a son. This can be considered me spoiling your son on your behalf. It’s not too much to ask for a little credit, is it?”

“Ha ha ha!” Hua Fuchen chuckled. He had long discovered that ever since Meng Jian Yuan’s return, Meng Kongchan’s attitude towards him had completely changed. Every time he smiled, his eyes would crinkle with delight. When they were young, Meng Kongchan had been completely devoted to getting close to Hua Qingying, fawning over Hua Fuchen in every way. After they both became supreme-ruler Emperors, Hua Fuchen’s daughter, Hua Cai Li, became the only prodigy of their generation to possess a perfect Divine Essence. Meanwhile, Meng Kongchan had never been able to produce a successor. When they met, he was naturally a head shorter. But now it was different. He, the Dreamless supreme-ruler Emperor, now had two supreme-ruler Children by his side, and one of them even possessed a perfect Divine Essence. This supreme-ruler Child had also captivated his most beloved daughter. The spine that had been bent for half a lifetime in front of Hua Fuchen was now ramrod straight.

Hua Fuchen could already imagine the smug look on his face when he stepped onto the Pure Land and faced the other supreme-ruler Emperors.

Stepping into the hall, Meng Kongchan said with a smile, “Is Yuan’er here?”

Meng Zhiyuan hurriedly greeted them and bowed respectfully. “Reporting to supreme-ruler Emperor, Young Master is currently in closed-door cultivation. It is unknown when he will emerge.”

“Cultivation?” Hua Fuchen’s gaze swept across the surroundings, his expression turning unsightly. “Every single one of his personal attendants is a beauty. I’m afraid he’s too impatient to start a family for your Meng Clan to even have the heart to cultivate.”

“Hey, hey!” Meng Kongchan immediately raised his hand. “Brother Fuchen, you’re wronging Yuan’er. I personally arranged for all the attendants here. Yuan’er has never asked for a single one. As for starting a family… I would be happy to see it happen, but it’s a pity… such a pity.”

Meng Zhiyuan, being extremely intelligent, immediately said softly, “Although Young Master is of noble birth, he never slacks off in his cultivation. He spends more than ninety percent of his time in his cultivation space.”

“The maids and the others, once they enter the supreme-ruler Child’s Hall, belong to the Young Master for life. Young Master treats every one of us extremely well. Not to mention bullying, he has never even spoken harshly to us. It’s just… just that he refuses to touch us at all. The occasional dressing assistance is already the limit.” Towards the end, her voice carried a hint of carefully concealed disappointment. The displeasure on Hua Fuchen’s face vanished. He then looked around, feigning indifference.

Meng Kongchan sighed softly and said, “Over the years, I have advised Yuan’er many times, telling him that he doesn’t need to be so harsh on himself. He listens to everything else, but in this matter, he refuses to yield. And his reason…”

He turned his gaze, looking meaningfully at Hua Fuchen. Although he didn’t speak, it was as if he had said a thousand words.

“Let’s go,” Meng Kongchan pulled Hua Fuchen as they walked outside. “I’ll go call that boy out.”

“No need,” Hua Fuchen raised his hand in refusal. “I was just passing by. It doesn’t matter if I see him or not. It wouldn’t be good if I disturbed him at a critical juncture in his cultivation.”

“Hahahaha!” Meng Kongchan burst into laughter. “Look at you, saying it doesn’t matter, but the concern you have for your son-in-law is written all over your face.”

Hua Fuchen sneered. “Whether he becomes my son-in-law or not is still up in the air. Stop trying to force it.”

“No, it must happen!” Meng Kongchan said resolutely. “I won’t acknowledge anyone else as my daughter-in-law. At most, they can be concubines… Oh right, how is my daughter-in-law’s progress in breaking through the star formations?”

Hua Fuchen glared at him, resisting the urge to slap his smug face. He said proudly, “Half a year ago, Cai Li broke through seven stars in a row. The reason she hasn’t come out yet is that Qingying has added an eighth star formation for her.”

Meng Kongchan was slightly startled, then laughed even louder. “Hahahaha! As expected of the daughter-in-law that I, Meng Kongchan, have personally chosen…”

Hua Fuchen elbowed him in the arm. “Shut up! We haven’t even reached the Pure Land yet, and there’s been no progress from the old man’s side. Behave yourself!”

“Right, right, right. Whatever my dear in-law says. How is Qingying doing lately…”

“Stop trying to pry. Go ask her yourself!”

Meng Zhiyuan watched as the two great supreme-ruler Emperors walked away, her mind filled with thoughts. At the same time, in the depths of the Mist Sea. The pitch-black Devil Flame of Eternal Calamity illuminated Yun Che’s face. The Abyssal Dust in his hand gathered time and time again, approaching the flames, but the reaction he had been waiting for never came.

He had made similar attempts countless times during his time in the Mist Sea. As time passed, his affinity and control over the Abyssal Dust grew with each passing day. As his understanding of the Abyssal Dust deepened, one day, a vague feeling emerged in his mind. He felt that he could somehow draw upon the power of the Abyssal Dust for his own use. This feeling became clearer with time, but no matter how hard he tried, no matter how many times he attempted, it was as if there was an invisible barrier standing before him, one that he could not cross.

The Devil Flame of Eternal Calamity extinguished. He slowly closed his eyes, his left hand ablaze with crimson flames, his right hand encased in ice. Following his thoughts, they reversed and fused, transforming into Ice Phoenix flames.

The Abyssal Dust drifted, passing through the Ice Phoenix flames undisturbed, without any reaction. As the Ice Phoenix flames died down, Yun Che let out a long exhale, his body drenched in sweat.

“What… am I still missing?” he muttered to himself.

“Could it be that my cultivation realm is insufficient… or is my comprehension of the Law of Nothingness still lacking?”

Li Suo’s voice rang out leisurely, “This is already your thirty thousandth attempt. Are you still not giving up?”

“There’s no reason to give up,” Yun Che said softly. “The essence of the Abyssal Dust is the power of destruction that transcends the laws. Just by controlling it, I can unleash chaos upon this world and shatter the perception of all living beings. And if I can detonate its power…”

“Then perhaps… no, it would definitely be the true power to kill supreme-rulers!”

“Since it is the power to kill supreme-rulers, how can it be easily grasped?” Li Suo said.

“Moreover, even if you can truly unleash the power of destruction within the Abyssal Dust, with your cultivation and body, before you can kill a supreme-ruler, you will first destroy yourself.”

Yun Che didn’t refute. How could he not know this? However, the feeling of being able to touch the power of the Ancestral Destruction within the Abyssal Dust had already gone from vague to clear. This was a formless epiphany that stemmed from the Law of Nothingness. Although he could never truly grasp it, it had never deceived him.

Boom! The Hell Monarch activated. He ignited the Devil Flame of Eternal Calamity at its limit and slammed it into the Abyssal Dust that had gathered in his other hand. The devil flames exploded, scattering the Abyssal Dust. Yun Che’s aura also completely converged. After this final attempt, which was more like venting his frustration, Yun Che stood up, gathered the surrounding abyssal mist, and walked towards the depths of the Mist Sea.

The extinguished Devil Flame of Eternal Calamity burned violently for a long time before slowly dying down. No one noticed that within the pitch-black flames, a tiny gray flame, as small as a speck of dust, had strangely appeared. The moment the gray flame appeared, it shot downwards. Wherever it passed, it actually directly severed the terrifying Devil Flame of Eternal Calamity… Moreover, the severance was incredibly clean. The two halves of the black flames burned on either side of the gray flame mark, unable to merge for a long time.

What was even more unnoticeable was that beneath the falling gray star, the incomparably hard ground of the Mist Sea silently melted away like thin ice in early winter, disappearing without a trace… until it reached an unknown depth beneath the abyssal earth.

Pan Buwang’s entire body was enveloped in darkness. Even with the interference of the dense abyssal mist, his aura was still so faint that it was difficult to detect. It also indicated that his compatibility with the darkness profound energy was getting closer and closer to perfection. The Xiaodie supreme-ruler Realm, the only Pure Land in the Abyss that cultivated darkness profound energy. The Pan Clan was the epitome of darkness profound energy in the Abyss. Therefore, in the Pan Clan’s understanding, the violence and difficulty in controlling darkness profound energy was one of its unchangeable essences. Only by becoming a supreme-ruler Emperor could one achieve near-perfect control over darkness profound energy.

However, the darkness profound energy on Pan Buwang’s body was now incomparably gentle. The last time he lost control and devoured himself was more than a year ago, and it was extremely minor, easily suppressed. This was a level of darkness affinity that only appeared in the supreme-ruler Emperors of the past. And all of this came from his master… the Mist Emperor.

Sensing the Mist Emperor’s approach, the darkness on Pan Buwang’s body dissipated. He knelt respectfully and bowed, “Disciple Buwang, respectfully welcomes Master.”

Now, his reverence, gratitude, and admiration for the Mist Emperor all came from the bottom of his heart.

“Disperse all the profound energy in your body,” the Mist Emperor ordered, his voice brooking no argument.

“Yes!” Without any resistance, the dark mist swirling around Pan Buwang’s body quickly dissipated. Even the protective profound energy that was naturally released from his body was completely withdrawn. The abyssal mist churned, as if a human arm was reaching out from within its concealment. Then, a tremendous force suddenly pressed down, pinning Pan Buwang, who had no protection, firmly to the ground.

Even so, Pan Buwang didn’t resist at all. Even the protective profound energy that surged instinctively was immediately withdrawn by him. He lay prone on the ground, sensing his master’s approach. He didn’t raise his head, didn’t speak, and didn’t resist in any way. The abyssal mist enveloped his body, its density rapidly draining his life force. A hand that seemed to hold no warmth pressed against his back. Then, the bones in his back exploded. A force wreaked havoc within his body, ruthlessly piercing towards his profound veins. Pan Buwang clenched his teeth, but he didn’t let out a single groan of pain. He didn’t even turn to escape. Having one’s profound veins pierced by another’s power was something that would terrify any profound practitioner, causing them to resist with all their might… Because the other party only needed a single thought to directly destroy their profound veins. At the very least, their profound veins would be permanently damaged. In the worst-case scenario… they might even become crippled. Pan Buwang’s teeth chattered from the intense pain and instinctive fear, but he still didn’t resist. Not a single sound escaped his clenched teeth. He was a man of extremes, both in his love and hate.

Everything he had now was bestowed upon him by the Mist Emperor. Even if the Mist Emperor wanted to take his life, he would have no complaints.

Bang! Bang! Bang—!

A series of explosions, accompanied by soul-wrenching pain, erupted from his body and profound veins. He could clearly feel his body being ruthlessly torn open, leaving several gaping holes. Finally, the excruciating pain surpassed the limits of his willpower. A hoarse cry escaped his throat, and his entire body was flung far away like a leaking bag of blood.

He lay sprawled on the ground, gasping for breath, his entire body drenched in sweat.

The Mist Emperor said coldly, “Your last Divine Essence has also been forcefully broken open. Now, you possess ten Divine Essence. In other words, you are what the world calls a ‘perfect Divine Essence’ and a ‘child of miracles.’”

Pan Buwang’s trembling abruptly stopped. He abruptly raised his head. He, who rarely showed any emotion, was stunned for a long time, unable to believe his ears. Because those four short words, “perfect Divine Essence,” were incredibly rare in the entire history of the Abyss. And every time it appeared, it was always linked to the word “miracle.”

To be able to become the former Butterfly Owl supreme-ruler Child, his talent was undoubtedly among the top of the current generation. However, he had never dared to hope that he would be able to possess this almost ethereal miracle. But as profound energy flowed through his body, he could clearly sense the extra special profound entrance in his profound veins… It was the tenth Divine Essence named by the supreme-ruler Realm!

He looked at the gray pupils that were constantly distorting in the abyssal mist. After a long while, he finally came to his senses. He struggled to get up and kowtowed heavily. “Disciple Buwang thanks Master for his grace once again.”

He was certain that the Mist Emperor was a human… but he didn’t dare to imagine what kind of person he was.

The difference of one Divine EssenceDivine Essence was an enormous gulf for the supreme-ruler Children of the supreme-ruler Realm. It could even directly affect the prestige of a great supreme-ruler Realm in the next era. Because of the difference of one Divine Essence, a supreme-ruler Realm could abandon a supreme-ruler Child that they had already poured all their efforts and resources into without hesitation, transferring everything to a supreme-ruler Child with a higher level Divine Essence.

And the Mist Emperor… could actually forcefully open Divine Essence! He had raised him from his original eight Divine Essence to nine, and now, to the perfect Divine EssenceDivine EssenceDivine Essence that was considered a miracle in the eyes of the supreme-ruler Realm. This was something that even the Supreme Realm could never achieve.

Just who… just what kind of person was Master… And why did he treat me this way, help me this way…

In fact, Yun Che’s forceful opening of Divine EssenceDivine EssenceDivine EssenceDivine Essence wasn’t something that could be done to all profound practitioners. It was limited to darkness profound practitioners, and it required their bodies, profound veins, and darkness profound energy to have a sufficient level of compatibility. Possessing the Heretical supreme-ruler’s legacy and the darkness profound energy, he was the true master of darkness, able to control any darkness profound body to the greatest extent.

“In another month, the core members of the six great supreme-ruler Realms will gather in the Pure Land. Pan Buwang, tell this emperor, what are your preparations?”

Pan Buwang slowly raised his head, his spine ramrod straight. “In the Pure Land, I will defeat Pan Buzhuo, make my father regret his choice, and take back my title as the supreme-ruler Child in the most unquestionable manner!”

“Is that all?” The Mist Emperor said, “Even if you take back the title of Butterfly Owl supreme-ruler Child, how long will it take for you to have the power to take revenge?”

Pan Buwang lowered his head heavily. “Please guide me, Master.”

The Mist Emperor raised his hand. In an instant, darkness surged, transforming the surrounding space into a world devoid of light.

“This emperor wants you to temporarily set aside your disappointment and resentment towards your father. When you step into the Pure Land, you will fight for the dignity of the Butterfly Owl supreme-ruler Realm. Let everyone see that you are far more worthy of being the Butterfly Owl supreme-ruler Child than Pan Buzhuo. Let the world marvel at the fact that you are a dark miracle bestowed upon the Butterfly Owl supreme-ruler Realm by the heavens!”

“Buwang, remember, the most convenient emotion to exploit in this world is not regret, but guilt!”

“The amount of guilt you can make your father feel towards you will determine when you are qualified to completely control your own fate. It will also determine when you are qualified to point the spear of revenge at Shen Wuya!”

To Pan Buwang, the Mist Emperor was no longer just a master, but a supreme-ruler who surpassed the Abyssal Monarch.

He engraved every word the Mist Emperor said deep within his heart. “I have firmly memorized Master’s teachings!!”

“Very good,” the Mist Emperor praised coldly. “I believe that with your intelligence, you know what to do.”

“For the next seven days, stop cultivating and focus on recovering. After seven days, leave the Mist Sea and head to the Pure Land. However, for this trip to the Pure Land, you cannot follow the Butterfly Owl supreme-ruler Realm. As for how to enter the Pure Land without going through the Butterfly Owl supreme-ruler Realm…”

His voice paused slightly, and Pan Buwang replied resolutely, “Rest assured, Master. If I can’t even accomplish such a small matter, I am not worthy of being your disciple.”

“No,” the Mist Emperor’s voice softened. “This emperor wants you to follow the Star supreme-ruler Realm to the Pure Land, no matter what method you use!”

Pan Buwang was slightly taken aback, but he didn’t ask any further questions. He responded with a heavy voice, “Yes!”

The Mist Emperor raised his hand, and several strange abyss crystals that shimmered with a dark light landed in front of Pan Buwang.

“Even your father cannot completely escape the darkness that devours the heart. How you use them is up to you.” The Mist Emperor’s voice grew distant until it completely disappeared into the darkness. Pan Buwang reached out and carefully picked up the strange abyss crystals one by one. Then, he clenched his fists tightly.

Wuqing… wait for me… No matter if you are still in this world or have already gone to the other side, you must wait for me… Even if it’s only for a fleeting moment of tragedy, I will never let my… our lives be filled with nothing but powerlessness and sorrow… As for the price… From the moment the news of your death arrived, it no longer mattered!