novel against the - Chapter 2113

Chapter 2113: The Nameless Tower

The sound of two supreme ships cleaving through the air shook the sea of clouds. The auras and supreme presence of the two supreme-ruler Venerables were even more imposing, dominating the heavens and the earth. Yet, each person felt as if the world they inhabited was exceptionally quiet.

Their gazes and souls seemed to be torn away by an irresistible, invisible force, drawn to the figure of Zhetian supreme-rulerdess beside Hua Fuchen.

In the past, she was the moon in the sky, the snow among the clouds—beautiful yet distant, giving rise to the illusion that she might be within reach.

But now, she was the moon in a dream, the snow beyond the heavens.

She had shed her last vestiges of naivety, fully releasing the splendor that had once been concealed by it. Every inch of her snow-white skin, every line of her features, was so flawlessly beautiful that it seemed an impossible luxury, even in a realm of fantasy.

Wherever her beautiful eyes landed, every flicker of her gaze seemed to stir the brilliance of the entire sky. Even the stars dimmed, and the bright moon hid in fear.

Having passed the age of twenty and reforged her determined sword heart, she gradually took on the cold, aloof, and otherworldly air of Hua Qingying… to the point that when Yun Che’s gaze touched her, he felt a sense of unreality about their past.

“…” Meng Jianxi, who had been in a daze for a long time, seemed to awaken from a dream. She hurriedly lowered her gaze, letting out a somewhat strained sigh. “Truly worthy of being… the Zhetian supreme-rulerdess. When I first saw her years ago, I was already stunned, but now…”

As intelligent as he was, he stammered for a long time, unable to find a single word that could adequately describe her.

Hua Caili stepped forward and gracefully bowed. “Caili greets supreme-ruler Venerable Wumeng. It has been a long time…”

“Aiya, what supreme-ruler Venerable? That’s too formal.” Meng Kongchan’s eyes, those of a supreme-ruler Venerable, smiled into slits that were far too narrow. “For now… just call me Uncle.”

In the past, Meng Kongchan’s gaze towards Hua Caili was full of admiration and envy. Now, it was naturally quite different. From Hua Fuchen’s perspective, he was looking at his own daughter, which greatly displeased him.

“Yes, Uncle Meng.”

Hua Caili did not refuse, immediately and obediently complying. Then, she took a small step forward, her hands, like fine jade, holding a small, exquisite inkstone. “Caili heard that Uncle Meng enjoys calligraphy and often practices writing to refine the heart and cultivate the soul through ink. Caili happens to have a piece of Taoqing jade, known as the ‘king of inkstones,’ so I used it to make this inkstone as a gift for Uncle Meng. I hope you like it.”

“This was personally carved by Caili using the Liyun Sword~” Hua Fuchen’s words clearly carried a tone of gritted teeth… He was really letting this old man off easy.

“Ah… Caili is truly thoughtful, so thoughtful.”

Meng Kongchan reached out to receive it. The dignified supreme-ruler Venerable Wumeng was practically grinning from ear to ear.

“Such a complete and smooth Taoqing jade is truly a rare find. And for Caili to have personally carved it, it’s a priceless treasure unique in the world.” Meng Kongchan praised, using all the flowery language he could muster. He put away the Taoqing jade inkstone and searched his body several times, unable to find a suitable gift in return. He could only awkwardly say, “Look at me, I was in such a hurry that I forgot to prepare a gift for Caili… Caili, this is your Uncle Meng’s fault. After this trip to the Pure Land, Uncle will definitely prepare a big surprise for you.”

A gift…

Such obviously unusual words and demeanor…

Meng Jianxi’s eyebrows twitched uncontrollably, and then he quickly suppressed the absurd thought that had suddenly surfaced.

Hua Caili lowered her head slightly, a smile blooming on her face. “As long as Uncle Meng likes it. Besides, Uncle Meng has already given Caili the best gift in the world.”

“Ahem, ahem, ahem!” Hua Fuchen seemed to have choked on the wind. He straightened his expression and said, “supreme-ruler Venerable Wumeng, we have important matters to discuss. Yun Che, you come too.”

“Yes.” Yun Che obediently approached. Just as he reached Meng Kongchan’s side, Hua Fuchen waved his hand, and an isolation barrier instantly formed.

It was quite reasonable for supreme-ruler Venerables to create an isolation barrier when discussing important matters.

How could Hua Fuchen not notice that from the moment Hua Caili saw Yun Che, she had been suppressing her emotions… But the fluctuations in her heart and soul were simply too intense. Her so-called sword heart and pure soul were utterly collapsing, gradually becoming so chaotic that it made his scalp tingle.

Sure enough, the moment the isolation barrier formed, Hua Caili’s immortal composure completely crumbled. Like a swallow returning to its nest, she threw herself into Yun Che’s arms, her jade arms tightly hugging his waist, almost using all her strength.

“Brother Yun, I… I really missed you so much…”

Before she could finish, her words dissolved into sobs.

“Me too,” Yun Che said softly, holding her jade back.

Hua Fuchen turned his back, his face as black as charcoal.

“Haha, young people’s feelings are so direct and passionate, it’s truly enviable,” Meng Kongchan said with a chuckle.

He walked to Hua Fuchen’s side. As he moved, the Brahma Sound Stone¹ at his waist made a clear, calming Brahma sound.

Hua Fuchen glanced sideways. Before he could speak, Meng Kongchan nodded with a serious expression. “As expected of Brother Fuchen, you recognized at a glance that this is the Brahma Sound Stone that Yuan’er gave me.”

Hua Fuchen: “???”

“Oh,” Hua Fuchen responded faintly, then casually glanced at the tri-colored Brahma Sound Stone at Meng Kongchan’s waist.

For a supreme-ruler Venerable, this thing was really not even worth mentioning as “ordinary.”

And it was this casual glance that made Meng Kongchan turn around with a “whoosh,” his expression lively. “This Brahma Sound Stone is most beneficial for those of us who cultivate the soul. In order to gather these three colors of Brahma Sound Stone for me, Yuan’er spent a full two years searching. Its shape, its form, its texture, were all personally carved by Yuan’er. Every time they collide, what enters the ear is the clear Brahma sound, but what enters the soul is Yuan’er’s silent concern. This is the so-called connection between father and son.”

supreme-ruler Venerable Huaxin’s eyebrows slowly formed two black lines.

Meng Kongchan continued talking non-stop, “If Brother Fuchen is envious, I can have Yuan’er make one for you someday. After all, you are his future father-in-law. It’s just that gathering three colors might be a bit difficult, and this…”

Hua Fuchen finally couldn’t take it anymore. He turned around and roared, “Are you two going to separate or not? We’re still here! What kind of behavior is this, being so lovey-dovey!”

“No!” Hua Caili hugged Yun Che even tighter, almost wishing she could melt into his chest.

“Aiya, aiya, Brother Fuchen, I have to say something here,” Meng Kongchan said, reaching out to stop him. “The two kids haven’t seen each other in years. It’s only natural that they can’t control their feelings. Just like you and Qu Wanxin back then, you two were much closer than these two juniors every time you met.”

Hua Fuchen’s mouth twitched, and he flung his sleeve, no longer speaking.

“When will we have the showdown with Old Dian?” Meng Kongchan’s voice sounded again, his tone now serious.

Hua Fuchen furrowed his brow slightly and said, “After the matter of the Pure Land is settled.”

“Just as I thought,” Meng Kongchan said, standing beside him, looking down at the desolate abyss below. “If this Pure Land meeting doesn’t lead to any major complications, let’s just resolve it directly… Speaking of which, we’ve been testing and hinting at Old Dian in various ways these past two years. Has he really not sensed anything?”

Hua Fuchen said, “If it were anyone else, they might have thought deeply about it and thus been mentally prepared. But he is, after all, Old Dian.”

“His personality is as straight as iron and as fierce as fire. He always goes straight to the point and despises beating around the bush. Moreover, he may subconsciously never want to believe, nor accept, that the two of us would do something that would…”

He paused for a long time, finally uttering those two words, “betray his trust.”

“Betrayal?” Meng Kongchan’s expression became somewhat heavy.

He wanted to say that feelings between a man and a woman are difficult to control and shouldn’t be bound by a few words, especially since Hua Caili never had romantic feelings for Dian Jiuzhi… But if he switched roles, if he were Dian Luohou and Meng Jianyuan were Dian Jiuzhi, could he truly accept it calmly, without any resentment?

He couldn’t.

And the marriage contract between Hua Caili and Dian Jiuzhi was something Hua Fuchen had actively promoted… The pressure he was under was undoubtedly far greater than Meng Kongchan’s.

“When the time comes, I will go to Senluo alone,” Hua Fuchen said calmly, clearly having thought about it. “I will speak frankly.”

Meng Kongchan said, “I will go with you.”

“No,” Hua Fuchen refused. “If the two of us go together, Old Dian’s emotions will only worsen. Don’t worry, I have a plan. The best outcome is that Old Dian goes to the Pure Land with me and we jointly request the Abyss Emperor to dissolve the marriage contract. The worst outcome… I am also prepared for that. After my matter is settled, it will be your turn.”

Meng Kongchan thought for a moment, nodded slightly, and then let out a heavy sigh. “No matter what, we have wronged Old Dian.”

Both of them knew very well that after everything was revealed, no matter what happened to their relationship, it could never return to how it was in the past.

“Caili, how many soul stars that I left you do you have left? Or did you use them all long ago?”

“Actually, I haven’t used a single soul star.”

“Huh? Does that mean… you actually didn’t miss me that much?”

“That’s not it. These past three years, although I’ve been in the sword array, every sword shadow I’ve wielded reflected your image. When I closed my eyes, my mind was filled with different images of you. So, even without the soul stars, I could always feel your companionship.”

“And these soul stars, each one carries a part of your soul. Even if it’s just a little bit, I couldn’t bear to let them dissipate.”

The scalps of the two supreme-ruler Venerables simultaneously tingled with an unbearable numbness.

Their toes even unconsciously wanted to dig into the ground.

“The thing you have tied on your hand… is it the cloth strip I left behind before?”

“That’s right! This is the first… gift you ever gave me. Of course, I have to treasure it.”

“But such a crude cloth strip really doesn’t suit you…”

“Hmph! You have the nerve to say that! What ‘meeting is the best fortune, why brew longing…’ I’m going to keep it with me all the time, to always remind you of the bad thing you did back then, hmph!”

“I’ve already promised you hundreds of times… Alright, alright, I’ll promise my Caili one more time…”

The two supreme-ruler Venerables simultaneously inhaled, then exhaled deeply.

Having completed the same action in perfect synchrony, they looked at each other, understanding each other perfectly.

“supreme-ruler Venerable Wumeng, let’s leave it at that for today,” Hua Fuchen said loudly, his voice penetrating the barrier, clear enough for even those outside to hear.

Meng Kongchan similarly said loudly, “This conversation with supreme-ruler Venerable Huaxin has been enlightening. For this Pure Land meeting, we await the world-dazzling sword prowess of the Zhetian lineage.”

Yun Che and Hua Caili were simultaneously separated by the power of the two supreme-ruler Venerables. The barrier dissipated, and the two supreme-ruler Venerables each took their children back to their respective ships, completely ignoring the reluctance of the two juniors.

“Father is really something.”

Back beside her aunt, Hua Caili was still full of resentment, her beautiful eyes frequently turning to the already distant Zhìmeng Divine Ship.

Hua Qingying said softly, “Life is long. There is no need to indulge in temporary pleasures. The obstacles between you and Yun Che are gradually weakening. More importantly, your heart is only for him, and his heart is only for you. This is already better than the many fickle, false, negative, indifferent, and infatuated yet unattainable feelings in the world.”

“Once all obstacles are removed and you are married, you can be together for tens of thousands of years without anyone stopping you.”

The word “marriage” was too beautiful for Hua Caili at this moment. It drifted from Hua Qingying’s lips into her heart and lingered there for a long time.

She leaned against Hua Qingying, her hands cupping her fragrant cheeks. Lost in thought, her cheeks gradually turned pink, and she smiled softly.

The young girl’s tender thoughts seemed to touch Hua Qingying. Looking at the girl’s increasingly infatuated eyes, the corners of her lips also moved, ever so slightly, for a fleeting moment.

Wanxin, their beginning filled me with deep worry… But fortunately, your daughter has finally escaped the trials and tribulations you suffered.

Perhaps the heavens want to bestow upon your daughter all the blessings they owed you… She and Yun Che will surely be safe and harmonious, and they will surely make up for the regrets you and your brother had, many times over.

The speed of the Zhìmeng Divine Ship began to slow down.

And the concentration of Abyss Dust suddenly decreased dramatically.

Not only the Abyss Dust, but even the elements quickly became exceptionally pure. Gradually, for the first time since falling into the abyss, Yun Che smelled a sense of freshness in the air of this world.

Yun Che opened his eyes, stood up, and looked into the distance… It seemed that the Pure Land was near.

The presence of Abyss Dust made visibility in the abyss world very low. To Yun Che’s surprise, he saw a huge black mark rising vertically from the ground below, piercing straight through the sky.

And that sky was not stained with gray, it was pure to the point of being almost luxurious, almost illusory.

As the Zhìmeng Divine Ship approached, the black mark rapidly magnified in his vision, from a few miles to tens of miles, then to hundreds of miles… And it was at this moment that it finally revealed its true appearance in Yun Che’s vision.

It was actually a gigantic tower reaching the sky.

“supreme-ruler Child Xi,” Yun Che asked with a frown, “The Pure Land… could it be on top of this tall tower?”

“Of course,” Meng Jianxi said with a strange look. “Brother Yuan didn’t know?”

Yun Che shrugged. “I always knew that the Supreme Pure Land² was suspended high in the sky, so I naturally assumed it was a floating supreme land. I never imagined it was actually on top of a sky-reaching tower.”

Meng Jianxi also laughed. “It’s only natural for Brother Yuan to think so, having never been to the Pure Land. This tower has existed since the beginning of the Abyss Emperor’s creation of the world. It is said that the Abyss Emperor built it with his own hands. And it is this tower that has always held the Pure Land high in the sky, looking down upon all worlds.”

Yun Che naturally asked, “Even if the Pure Land is large, with its resources and the abilities of the supreme officials, it should be easy for it to float eternally. Why is this tower needed?”

Meng Jianxi said, “Does Brother Yuan also want to ask what exists within this giant tower?”

Yun Che nodded.

“Hahaha,” Meng Jianxi laughed. “Actually, I’ve asked my father these questions before, and my father’s answer has always been ‘I don’t know, and there’s no need to know.’ After all, it is the Pure Land.”

“I understand,” Yun Che smiled and nodded, no longer asking.

Floating cities, not to mention in the supreme-ruler Realm, even the lower realms he came from could achieve this. He really hadn’t expected that the Pure Land, existing high in the sky, was not floating above the world but was supported by a tall tower.

Without a doubt… it was extremely incongruous.

“This tower is called the Nameless Tower,” Meng Jianxi said, looking into the distance. “Literally. This tall tower has no name. Because the Abyss Emperor never named it. And as a tower built by the Abyss Emperor himself, naturally no one below the Abyss Emperor has the right to name it. So it has always been called the ‘Nameless Tower’.”

The Pure Land was getting closer, and the sky and atmosphere were becoming increasingly pure. Gradually, the surroundings began to take on a kind of white vastness that seemed out of place in this world. Within the white glow, faint hints of golden light could be seen.

Finally, the Zhìmeng Divine Ship stopped.

In front of them, three men in brocade clothes stood side by side.

“We respectfully welcome supreme-ruler Venerable Wumeng. Welcome, esteemed guests from the Zhìmeng Divine Kingdom. We have been waiting for a long time. Please enter the Pure Land as our guests.”

The three bowed in salute. Being close to the Pure Land, even in the face of a supreme-ruler Venerable from a Divine Kingdom, they were neither servile nor overbearing.

“Thank you,” Meng Kongchan nodded faintly and stepped forward. “Your Highness, please.”

Stepping out of the Zhìmeng Divine Ship, in front of them was a huge light barrier.

Beyond the light barrier was the most revered and exalted place in this world, the Supreme Pure Land in the mouths of the people.