Against the Gods - Volume 08 - Cloud's End Mirage

by Mars Gravity

  When the Little Demon Empress had just left Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley, her Golden Crow’s Record of the Burning World had only reached the third realm. But today, it had reached the fifth realm. Because the golden-colored flames sword she had just used to attack Ye Meixie was astonishingly the Golden Crow’s Record of the Burning World fifth realm’s attack, “Golden Annihilation”!

  In other words, the current Little Demon Empress was far stronger than the Little Demon Empress who had once again descended upon Demon Imperial City after leaving Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley!

  The flame sword carried an extremely extraordinary locus of fire as it sent out mediocre slashes, its movement appearing to be exceptionally slow. Yet it accurately landed on Ye Meixie’s sword that was moving as swiftly as a hurricane… With a soft ring, Ye Meixie’s sword soundlessly melted away. The enormous profound energy that had been gathered in the blade was like a current of water that had been cut in two as it flowed to the left and right before dissipating completely.

  Ye Meixie’s pupils widened by more than ten times, because he could smell the incomparably clear stench of death swiftly approaching. His vision had already been completely filled up by that life-stealing golden glow. His survival instincts kicked in, causing him to desperately use all of his energy in a bid to retreat as swiftly as possible…

  The golden light slashed into his right shoulder and after a moment of resistance, it completely slashed through it.

  A miserable cry rent the air and ruptured the ground as Ye Meixie spun away like a spinning top. He held his right shoulder which was missing an arm as he rolled about in agony, his hoarse cries rending the air. His eyes had widened to their very limits and his pupils had similarly expanded to the point where it seemed like they would be unable to shrink back to their normal size. He was an unrivalled and matchless Sacred Master… he was unable to accept or believe that everything that had happened was real…

  Chapter 841: Boundary Between Life and Death

  The Little Demon Empress’ divine energy came at the cost of her life. The consequence of releasing her flame energy entirely, was the shortening of what remained of her initially meager lifespan. Unless left without choice, she definitely would not choose to go into this state, however, her current killing intent and rage had already reached their peaks. Yun Che was even hovering between the boundary of life and death where he could lose his life at any moment, so how could she still possibly scruple about such consequences?

  Earlier, under the collaboration of the three Sacred Masters, they could still match the Little Demon Empress and even had a slight advantage over her. However, with the Little Demon Empress’ fully released flame energy, in the blink of an eye, Huangji Wuyu was defeated in a single exchange and Ye Meixie had even had an arm sliced off.

  Qu Fengyi was instantly dumbfounded. Her entire body stiffened, not daring to take another step forward. Ye Meixie’s sliced off arm was completely engulfed by the Golden Crow flames and before it could land on the ground, it had already been burnt to ashes, disappearing without a trace.

  Bang!!

  The ground next to Ye Meixie exploded as Huangji Wuyu surged into the skies. Grabbing onto Ye Meixie, he extinguished the Golden Crow flames that were crawling on the rest of his body and loudly roared, “Run!” With his full speed, he and Qu Fengyi fled far away at lightning speed.

  Just as the Little Demon Empress was about to give chase, Feng Xue’er’s excited voice suddenly sounded behind her. “Big Brother Yun, you’re… you’re awake!!”

  The Little Demon Empress’ figure paused and her rainbow figure had already returned next to Yun Che in a blur.

  The profound energy the Little Demon Empress inserted into his body earlier had probably taken effect, however, Yun Che’s life force was still utterly weak. Presently, his eyes were half-opened and the light in his eyes was dim, without the slightest trace of focus.

  “Caiyi… Is it… you?” Yun Che moved his dried lips, letting out a voice as frail as a mosquito’s buzz. He had recovered a bit of his consciousness and opened his eyes but what came into sight was a dark blur. He was able to figure out that the Little Demon Empress was by his side from that warm Golden Crow energy he could feel in his body.

  “Don’t speak.” The Little Demon Empress tapped on the center of his forehead with one of her hands, while she placed the other on his utterly tattered chest. The purest of Golden Crow origin energy endlessly poured into his body… However, her energy was unable to find any life veins she had to desperately protect.

  Because his life veins had all been completely shattered.

  To be capable of staying alive this long in a state where his organs and life veins were destroyed and to be capable of recovering a little of his consciousness even just barely, this was already an impossible miracle to the knowledge of common folk.

  “It’s no use… It will only… wound your vitality… for nothing…” Yun Che’s fingers lightly trembled, looking like he was struggling. He clearly knew where the Little Demon Empress got her powers from. Rather than saying she was gifting him her origin energy, it would be more accurate to say she was desperately giving him her own life. However, the present him was basically powerless to stop her. As he was unable to clearly see a thing even if he squinted, he slowly closed his eyes and bitterly said. “In the past… No matter how heavy my injuries were… As long as I had a single breath remaining… I would have the confidence that I would definitely survive…”

  “But this time… I might… really…”

  “Big Brother Yun! You will be fine… For sure!” Feng Xue’er desperately shook her head as she interrupted his words with teary eyes.

  A faint layer of golden flames floated above Yun Che’s body. The Little Demon Empress retracted her two hands and gently said. “Don’t speak too much and waste your energy. Take this opportunity while you’re still conscious to immediately summon the Primordial Profound Ark, then we shall return to Illusory Demon Realm together. I will bring you over to the Golden Crow Divine God. As an omnipotent divine spirit. It will definitely have a way to save you.”

  “Alright…” If there really was something in the world that could save him, then it could only be the Golden Crow’s soul. Even if not for this reason, he could no longer continue staying in the Profound Sky Continent. “We have to bring… Grandfather and the rest…”

  ——————————————

  Every word Yun Che spoke was evidently extremely difficult for him. He focused his mind with all his might and following after a stir in spatial ripples, the Primordial Profound Ark appeared. Then, under Yun Che’s will control, the three of them were sent into the inner world and it disappeared right after.

  Carrying Ye Meixie, Huangji Wuyu and Qu Fengyi fled wildly the entire time. Three mighty Sacred Masters were like frightened birds and they were already several hundred kilometers away in an instant. Confirming that the Little Demon Empress did not chase after them, they finally slowed their speed and stopped after a while. However, they were still greatly shaken.

  “That person… really was the Little Demon Empress?” Qu Fengyi said, alarmed. Next to her, Ye Meixie was sitting in a meditative posture tending to his injuries. However, his face was painfully twisted. He was still unable to accept that he, who should have been unbeatable under the heavens, would lose an arm to someone else, becoming a single-armed Heavenly Monarch.

  “I don’t believe it either.” Huangji Wuyu’s expression sank. “However, the flames she used were clearly Golden Crow flames. In this world, the only person capable of releasing Golden Crow flames of that degree, can only be the Little Demon Empress of the Illusory Demon Realm! Sss… The Demon Emperor who died a hundred years ago clearly should have been the strongest expert in Illusory Demon Realm but his strength was still weaker than any single one out of us four. How can the Little Demon Empress’ strength be powerful to such an extent!?”

  What he could not be unfearful of was the po
wer the Little Demon Empress suddenly exploded forth at the last moment, which had evidently surpassed the power the berserk Ye Mufeng had a thousand years ago!

  “No… It’s definitely impossible.” Qu Fengyi pondered for a moment and still shook her head in the end. “My Ocean Palace had secretly left spies in Demon Imperial City a hundred years ago. According to the reports they send back, the Little Demon Empress’ profound strength was at the sixth level of Sovereign Profound Realm at most. That person definitely couldn’t be the Little Demon Empress.”

  Following after, Qu Fengyi seemed to have suddenly recalled something, as she softly said. “But, the final report sent by the spies we left at Demon Imperial City was a year and a half ago. Could some sort of an immense change have happened after that? That’s not right either! Even if the Little Demon Empress’ aptitude is ten times stronger, it’s impossible to increase her strength to such an incredibly abnormal extent in such a short period of time.”

  Huangji Wuyu silently muttered to himself for a while and then suddenly spoke up. “It seems we have to ask Xuanyuan Wentian regarding this matter. Since he’s capable of grasping all of Yun Che’s secrets, he must definitely be aware of many other things as well. From his words, we should be able to directly judge if that person is actually the Little Demon Empress… But, no matter who she is, we should all be cautious regarding this matter.”

  “Huu…” Huangji Wuyu spat out a long sigh. “I have always thought that I was invincible under the heavens but after a short span of a few days, that red demonic girl came and now someone who possesses terrifying Golden Crow flames appeared as well. It seems like after walking on the way of the profound for several thousand years, I am still yet a frog in a well. But fortunately, she was unlike the red demoness. If we gather power from all the Sacred Grounds, she might not be impossible to deal with.”

  The Primordial Profound Ark did head over to the Illusory Demon Realm. Under Yun Che’s guidance through his will, it transferred to Flowing Cloud City.

  “This is Flowing Cloud City, Big Brother Yun’s birthplace.” Carrying Yun Che, Feng Xue’er introduced the place to the Little Demon Empress as she walked out of the Primordial Profound Ark. She had always been very curious about the Little Demon Empress but though she was finally able to meet her in person, it had to be during a time when her mood was in its most downcast state. Her entire mind was focused on Yun Che, to the point where she did not spare that many glances on her either.

  “…” The Little Demon Empress’ eyes lightly swept through the surroundings. She immediately sensed Number One Under Heaven’s approaching presence and he then appeared in her line of sight.

  Seeing the Little Demon Empress appear all of a sudden, Number One Under Heaven’s pupils shrank and he had almost fell down the sky from the shock. Under extreme astonishment and fear, Number One Under Heaven seemed to have even forgotten how to fly, as he stumbled his way towards the Little Demon Empress from the sky. “Number One Under Heaven welcomes the Little Demon Empress…”

  Before he even finished his words, the intense smell of blood subconsciously caused his line of sight to shift towards Yun Che, who was in Feng Xue’er’s embrace. In an instant, his expression gravely changed and he basically forgot to give the Little Demon Empress a bow as he charged right up in a flash. “Brother Yun! What happened to Brother Yun? What happened!?”

  “Big Brother Under Heaven.” Feng Xue’er said in a bleak tone. “Hurry and call Grandfather Xiao’s family over. Big Brother Yun will bring us back to that Illusory Demon Realm place.”

  “Make haste!” The Little Demon Empress sharply said.

  “…I understand!” Number One Under Heaven did not probe any further and hurriedly flew back to the Xiao Clan’s courtyard.

  When Feng Xue’er and the Little Demon Empress descended from the skies, Number One Under Heaven had already charged right out while bringing along Xiao Lie, Xiao Lingxi and Xiao Yun and his wife.

  “Little Che… Little Che!!” Seeing the bloodied figure in Feng Xue’er’s embrace, Xiao Lingxi was startled. Then, as though her mind had instantly collapsed, she came rushing towards him in tears.

  “Don’t approach him!” With a wave of the Little Demon Empress’ hand, a strong breeze forcefully pushed Xiao Lingxi away. On Yun Che’s body, the Golden Crow flames used to seal his remaining vitality could not harm Feng Xue’er but it was definitely enough to kill Xiao Lingi at the moment of contact.

  “What happened… Who is it… Who harmed big brother!?” Xiao Yun’s face was miserably pale as voice trembled.

  “Just what is going on? Right… What about Big Brother Yun’s master?” Number Seven Under Heaven anxiously said.

  “I don’t know… I really don’t know.” Feng Xue’er shook her head with teary eyes. “I wasn’t even able to clearly see who injured Big Brother Yun and he became like this all of a sudden…”

  “Xue’er, Little Aunt… don’t cry…” Yun Che, who was still holding onto his consciousness, let out an incomparably frail voice. “Follow me… together… back to… Illusory…”

  Yun Che’s voice gradually grew more frail than before and then he was completely quiet. His eyes which he had kept half-open with all his strength had also powerlessly closed as well.

  “…” The Little Demon Empress’ lips slightly moved. She saw that as Yun Che’s consciousness sank, the Primordial Profound Ark which was controlled by his will had also disappeared on the spot as well.

  “Little Che!!” Yun Che’s silence caused Xiao Lingxi’s little face to pale even more out of fright. In the past, when Yun Che had countlessly landed himself in dangerous situations and even had notices of his death, she had only heard of them and had never personally witnessed them. This time however, when she saw Yun Che’s body which was covered entirely in blood and his chest which was basically in an utterly tattered state, she collapsed and cried out loud. “Little Che… Wake up, hurry and wake up… Uuu… I beg you, nothing must happen to you…”

  “Silence!!”

  A cold roar, carrying both might and chilling intent, instantly stopped Xiao Lingxi’s cries. The Little Demon Empress’ face was still as ice-cold as before, not a single surge of emotion could be seen. Her empress might had even silenced a crowd of Monarchs in Illusory Demon Realm, let alone other people.

  “Even if you cry to death, it isn’t of any use to his injuries! If you have the strength to cry, might as well spend it on thinking how to save him!” The Little Demon Empress’ ice-cold voice had seemingly condensed the air of the entire Flowing Cloud City.

  “I…” Xiao Lingxi bit her lips, her body powerlessly trembled.

  Number Seven Under Heaven hurriedly supported Xiao Lingxi off the ground and gently consoled. “Little Aunt, she’s the Little Demon Empress whom we have often told you about. In Illusory Demon Realm, she’s comparable to everyone’s goddess and at the same time, she is Big Brother Yun’s wife. She will definitely know of a way to save him. Also… Also, I don’t believe in the slightest that Big Brother Yun, who was even able to defeat that terrifying Duke Huai, would fall like this.”

  “We must immediately return to Illusory Demon Realm.” The Little Demon Empress looked to the front and seemed to be muttering to herself. Like Yun Che, the only hope she could think of was the Golden Crow’s soul.

  Xiao Yun scratched his head in frustration and then, he suddenly raised his head and anxiously said. “Little Demon Empress, did you use the Space Splitting Ring to get to the Profound Sky Continent?”

  As the former young master of the Yun Family, Xiao Yun naturally knew of the existence of the Space Splitting Ring. Twenty odd years ago, Yun Qinghong and his wife relied on this very Space Splitting Ring and descended unto the Profound Sky Continent behind the Four Great Sacred Grounds’ back.

  “Yes.” The Little Demon Empress slightly nodded. “However, because I was in a rush to get here, I only had the Yun Family insert sufficient energy for the trip here and there isn’t any additional energy f
or a return trip. Initially, I had thought that we could return through Yun Che’s profound ark. However, his profound ark evidently corresponds to his will. In his unconscious state, outsiders are basically unable to use it.”

  “Then… What do we do?” Feng Xue’er said in a fluster. With Yun Che’s current injuries, as each second drags on, a part of their final hope would be severed as well.

  The Golden Crow flames floating on Yun Che’s body gave the Little Demon Empress feedback on the condition of his body, allowing her to clearly understand that for every second more Yun Che survived under these incomparably terrifying injuries, it would be a miracle that could destroy common sense itself.

  In such a state, holding onto the final bit of one’s life was already a miracle that was hard to come by. If they really wanted him to regain consciousness again before the true moment of his death, then it would truly be even difficult than ascending to the heavens itself.

  The Little Demon Empress silently stood there and stared blankly into space. All of the sounds and colors in the world seemed to have all floated away from her consciousness. After maintaining this condition for a long while, she finally spoke, “Where can we find a place with extreme degrees of pure fire elements, or pure ice elements?”

  “This…” Xiao Yun scratched his head and desperately pondered. However, it had only been a short while since he returned to the Profound Sky Continent and he rarely left Flowing Cloud City as well. His understanding of the Profound Sky Continent had basically stopped at the explanations Yun Che or Xiao Lie gave him. This problem was too difficult for him and after pondering for a long while, he stuttered. “A place with active fire elements… Should be a volcano… But when taking purity into account, it’s a little…”

  “I know of a place!!” Feng Xue’er suddenly said. “At Frozen Cloud Asgard, there’s a place called Frozen Cloud Wintry Spring. Big Brother Yun once said that it was the core of the land veins of Snow Region of Extreme Ice. It’s a place with the heaviest ice energy in the Blue Wind Empire or even more so the entire the Profound Sky Continent.”