Against the Gods - Volume 04 - Burning Heaven’s Fury

by Mars Gravity

  “I understand. My life is more precious than any gold or silver. I would never allow myself to die here meaninglessly… Since he’s already here, let’s go meet the famous number one in Blue Wind Empire!”

  “Little Chan, let’s go!”

  Carrying Yun Che, the Snow Phoenix let out a long cry, and flew directly towards Ling Tianni. Just as the Snow Phoenix lifted off the ground, a sturdy aura fixated strongly on Yun Che.

  “What? That person is… Ling Tianni? The legendary Sword Saint?”

  Since this was the imperial city, among the older generation, many have seen the former glory of the Sword Saint. Therefore, when Ling Tianni appeared in the middle of the Imperial City, some of the aged shouted his name in shock.

  “Sword… Sword Saint?” Is that the legendary Sword Saint? Oh my heavens! I’m actually witnessing Blue Wind Empire’s legend here!”

  “No wonder someone directly approached with the intent to kill Yun Che…… Other than Sword Saint, who would have such strength and aura.”

  “Yun Che’s in trouble now. No matter how overpowered he is, he wouldn’t stand a chance against Sword Saint. If Yun Che is smart enough, he should hide immediately.”

  “It’s been said that the Sword Saint has not cared about worldly affairs for twenty years. Not only did this incident of the destruction of the Burning Heaven Clan shake the whole Blue Wind Empire, it even alerted him.”

  “It has also been said that the Sword Saint has a personality as straight as a blade. He destroys evil without hesitation and also used to have very close relationship with Burning Heaven Clan’s Grand Clan Master, Fen Yijue. Since Yun Che eliminated Burning Heaven Clan this time, it wouldn’t be weird that he personally took action this time.”

  In the air two kilometres in front of the Imperial Palace, a black figure floated there. His black clothes were making noises in the strong wind. Below him, more and more people gathered and chatter surrounded the whole place. Many people rushed here quickly to admire the figure of the legendary Sword Saint.

  Suddenly, a long cry was heard from the palace and a white figure swiftly bolted past, stopping in front of the black figure. They stared at each other.

  “Ahhh? It’s… It’s Yun Che!”

  “He was actually in the palace… And he even appeared!”

  “Although his strength was sufficient to eliminate the Burning Heaven Clan, facing the Sword Saint… who is fully intent on killing him, he actually dared to appear!”

  “This is going to be a good show.”

  Ling Tianni looked to be around forty years old. Even though he was the Heavenly Sword Villa Master, Ling Yuefeng’s father, he looked to be slightly younger than Ling Yuefeng. He looked largely similar to Ling Yuefeng. However, the sword aura on him was several times sharper than Ling Yuefeng.

  Ling Tianning turned his attention to Yun Che and at that moment… Merely his gaze caused Yun Che have the scary feeling that he had been stabbed several times.

  “You’re Yun Che?” Ling Tianni spoke slowly, his voice calm like water.

  “Junior Yun Che greets Senior Ling. Able to meet the legendary Sword Saint, junior must count himself fortunate.” Yun Che replied respectfully.

  “You’re so young and your profound strength is only in the seventh level of the Earth Profound Realm, yet you’re able to eliminate the entire Burning Heaven Clan. Such achievements at such a young age, you far exceed me.” Ling Tianni complimented coldly. Being able to make the Sword Saint say the four words “You far exceed me”, Yun Che was definitely the first. However, after complimenting him, all he had was a cold killing intent: “With your talent, you could originally become a genius in Blue Wind Empire, become the talent of this generation. You could achieve things that even my Heavenly Sword Villa cannot fathom. If you were to represent Blue Wind Empire in the Profound Sky Seven Nation Ranking Tournament, you might be able to change Blue Wind Empire’s thousand year shame and even obtain glory. However, you’re too cruel and ruthless! Because of personal grudges, you actually massacred all seventy three thousand six hundred people of Burning Heaven Clan! Such actions are truly hair raising!”

  Yun Che smiled slightly and replied: “Senior is too harsh. Although I’m not any kind person, I’m definitely not the ‘cruel and ruthless’ that you mention. Even though I killed many, not one of them is without reason. I eliminated Burning Heaven Clan only because they crossed the line. They deserve it. Also, this allowed me to take this chance to warn anyone who dares to touch my family members… However, this is between me and Burning Heaven Clan, how does it concern you?”

  “Hmph, what happened at Burning Heaven Clan would probably anger even the deities. You’re a vile and vicious beast that deserves divine retribution. Everyone has the right to kill you! Me killing you, is in the name of the heavens!”

  “In the name of heaven? HAHAHAHA!” Yun Che laughed loudly, as his voice suddenly turned cold: “Even if my interaction with the Burning Heaven Clan wasn’t long, I could strongly feel the despicable behavior of the Burning Heaven Clan’s disciples. Such a clan, did countless of despicable acts over the past thousands of years. There were much more than seventy three thousand six hundred people who were being bullied by them due to their influence. People even died directly or indirectly due to them! At those times, where were you? Why did you not punish them in the name of the heavens!”

  Ling Tianni sudden became dumbstruck.

  “I hear that Heavenly Sword Villa and Blue Wind Imperial Palace were very close during their origins. Your first Villa Master and Blue Wind Imperial Palace’s first Emperor were sworn brothers. When they initially created the Heavenly Sword Villa and the Blue Wind Imperial Palace respectively, they swore to stick by each other no matter what happened, supporting one another. However, Heavenly Sword Villa prospered daily, and sought Mighty Heavenly Sword Region for its backing. On the other hand, the Blue Wind Imperial Family suffered through this time. Until today, it is still plagued by dangers. Even the Xiao Sect and Burning Heaven Clan took advantage of the situation to enter the power struggle. The current Emperor of Blue Wind Empire was nearly assassinated as well. With the influence of the Heavenly Sword Villa, there is no way you did not know of the crisis within the Blue Wind Imperial Family. However, why did your Heavenly Sword Villa not intervene at that time! You said you wanted to punish people ‘in the names of the heavens’, yet why do you not possess even the most basic form of moral and justice! Instead, I had to intervene to save the Emperor’s life. If I did not intervene, the Emperor would probably be at his last breath already. If that had happened, how are you going to face your ancestors in your death!”

  Yun Che pointed at Ling Tianni and said: “The ‘in the name of the heavens’ that you mention sounds like a joke to me! You have no right to scold me! If not for the title of ‘Sword Saint’ that you hold, I wouldn’t even be interested in looking at you at all! Instead… Me eliminating the entire Burning Heaven Clan, is not only to quell my hated, but also truly in the name of the heavens!”

  Ling Tianni originally came to demand justice. However, facing Yun Che, who massacred the Burning Heaven Clan, he, who stood on the side of justice had originally wanted to punish Yun Che in the face of the public. However, he did not expect to be chided by Yun Che in public. Furthermore, Yun Che’s words were all straight to the point and struck onto his weaknesses. Ling Tianni did not know how to reply him. He, who had originally come to act “in the name of the heavens”, had now turned into a heartless and immoral person. From the reasons listed, the people gathered all seem to agree with Yun Che.

  Especially those who were often bullied by powerful clans, those who were angry, but dared not to complain; Yun Che’s words were heartfelt. Those who were bullied by Burning Heaven Clan or their outer branches had their fists clenched as their emotions surged. The admiration that had for the Sword Saint had visibly dimmed.

  Ling Tianni sighed loudly: “Not only is your talent amazing and your strength earth shattering, you als
o have a glib tongue. However, no matter how flowery your speech is, you are unable to hide your blood debt. For the seventy thousand souls that died in your hands, I shall deliver judgement with my sword. No matter what reason, you shall not avoid death.”

  “Hah!” Yun Che laughed coldly: “You think that I wasted my saliva talking to you in order to get you to let me off? You’re overestimating yourself. Just you alone, do not have the qualifications to make me feel scared. You definitely lack the qualifications to kill me.”

  Facing someone that wanted to kill him, Yun Che was no longer respectful. He waved his arm and the three meter long Dragon Fault appeared in his hand, causing a stir: “Today, I shall measure you, Sword Saint. Let me see whether your ‘way’ is able to shake my ‘way’!”

  Yun Che descended from the Snow Phoenix and opened Burning Heart. The aura within him exploded immediately. He slashed Dragon Fault from midair towards Ling Tianni with enough might to shake the heavens.

  Ling Tianni looked up slowly as a green longsword appeared silently in his hands. The sword had no shine and its sharpness could not even be told from looking at it. However, in the hands of the Sword Saint, it released an immense pressure.

  When receiving the explosive blow from Yun Che, Ling Tianni did not have any intention of avoiding it. He merely slowly stabbed out.

  That’s right, he slowly stabbed out. No matter Yun Che or anyone below, even a Nascent profound practitioner could clearly see the movement of the sword. However, it was clearly a slow stab, yet it seemed to have leapt through space and even time. Half a breath before, it was still ninety meters away. Half a breath later, it slowly… stabbed towards Yun Che’s chest.

  A strong sense of danger suddenly attacked him. Without warning, an earth shattering pressure soon appeared in front of the defenseless Yun Che. He soon felt intense pain from his chest. Yun Che was stunned for a moment. Without thinking, he executed a Star God’s Broken Shadow to avoid it and rolled onto the ground.

  Upon landing onto the ground, his chest was already filled with blood. Two streaks of long sword cuts half a foot long were deeply etched on it… Yun Che had no clue how the sword had managed to cut him.

  Chapter 358: Phoenix Flames, Frozen End (1)

  “Just now, that was dimensional interference! His sword intent is already strong enough to pierce through space. Even though it’s the lowest grade and barely considered an entry level space interference, it is more than enough against you.” Jasmine coldly said: “Against him… You have no chance of victory!”

  “Space intervention? Interesting!” Yun Che’s finger gently touched his chest as he quickly stopped the blood from flowing out of the wound. “The larger the stepping stone, the wider the world one gets to see. In this world, one can actually stab through space using sword intent… Heh, no wonder he is known as the strongest man in Blue Wind Empire, the Sword Saint.”

  “However, your two slashes only gave me two wounds that neither hurt nor itch… It wasn’t much!”

  Though Yun Che did not speak loudly, Ling Tianni still managed to hear everything clearly. He did not say anything and merely took a step forward in midair. His green longsword slowly pointed forward… Instantly, a two meter long sword beam burst out from the tip of the sword. Then, it instantly split into two, five, ten, numerous sword beams… By the time the sword beams were close to Yun Che, they had already completely filled the skies and spaces around him and completely sealed him in.

  Yun Che lifted his face, then looked down, and furiously slashed Dragon Fault downwards.

  “Overlord’s Fury!!”

  The sound of an angry dragon’s roar rang loudly from within the green sword’s formation, blasting a three meter wide hole among the sword beams. With a Star God’s Broken Shadow, Yun Che escaped from the hole and struck straight towards Ling Tianni.

  Ling Tianni couldn’t help but feel admiration as his own sword formation was broken so easily. However, he soon recovered his indifference and gently pointed his sword outwards.

  Ding!!

  The tip of the green sword and the thick edge of Dragon Fault clashed together. Under the heavy pressure of Dragon Fault, the green sword instantly bent into a crescent shape. Yun Che knitted his brows as he continued using strength. Suddenly, he felt an overwhelmingly frightening strength attacking from his front… The bent sword suddenly straightened, forcefully striking back against Dragon Fault. Yun Che’s arms seemed as though they were struck by a heavy hammer, and they turned numb immediately. Dragon Fault was nearly disarmed from him as his entire body was knocked backwards with the sound of the collision.

  Bang!!!

  Yun Che harshly fell onto the ground, causing large cracks on the ground below him. At the same time, Dragon Fault finally flew out from his hands. There were plenty of wounds on his right arm and they bled profusely. His internal organs were in bad condition and the pain was unbearable, as though he had been cracked into pieces.

  The person in front of him was the person recognized by the masses as the strongest within Blue Wind Empire. Yun Che obviously would not underestimate him. However, only when Yun Che had actually faced him did he realize how strong he truly was. He was much stronger than Yun Che had expected. In strength alone, although the gap between Yun Che, who had strength equivalent to that of someone in the fourth level of the Emperor Profound Realm, and Ling Tianni, who was in the sixth level of the Emperor Profound Realm, was huge, it was not too exaggerating.

  However, the realm in which Ling Tianni was in was completely beyond Yun Che… He was at a level that Yun Che was unable to comprehend even now. His sword intent was overbearingly strong and ever changing. It could be sharp enough to cut through anything, then also as vast as the sea. It could even interfere with space, rendering opponents unable to defend or prepare against.

  Yun Che was completely suppressed in his exchange with him. Even before his Dragon Fault had touched Ling Tianni’s clothes, he had already been wounded several times.

  But how could the arrogance carved in Yun Che’s bones allow him to lose just like that!

  He stood up and stretched out his bloodstained right arm. Dragon Fault then flew up by itself and returned into his hands. Yun Che stared coldly at the Sword Saint in midair. Not only was there no fear coming from him, his intent to battle and anger were enhanced several folds.

  “Not bad at all. You actually forced me to use seventy percent of my strength to defeat you. It’s no wonder you were able to destroy Burning Heaven Clan.” Ling Tianni slowly descended from midair and the green sword in his hands flashed with a cold light that was fearful to look at. “Such a talent, yet his soul is evil. It’s such a waste that I have to eliminate you today!”

  The voice of Ling Tianni when he passed his judgement was low yet impactful. His unusually clear voice allowed half of the Imperial City to hear him. As he finished speaking, his sword’s intent surged and the green sword of his suddenly glowed with seven colors as an overwhelmingly frightening sword’s force enveloped Yun Che.

  Suddenly, a green figure rushed out from the Imperial Palace. The figure was that of a flying Fierce Zephyr Bird. On its back, was a youth with a face filled with worry who shouted anxiously from a distance away: “Grandpa, STOP!”

  Ling Tianni’s sword stopped in midair as his gaze wavered, looking at the youth who suddenly appeared. “Jie’er? What are you doing here?”

  The Fierce Zephyr Bird swept forward quickly, bringing Ling Jie in between Ling Tianni and Yun Che. Ling Jie wiped the sweat on his head in one motion and nervously placed his hands together, begging: “Grandpa, you can’t kill him! I’ve known him for a very long time. He is definitely not the type of evil person Grandpa speaks of.”

  Ling Tianni did not withdraw his sword and the seven colours on his sword glowed exceptionally beautifully, causing one to shudder at the same time. “Instead of obediently staying in the villa, you have come here to protect this evil kid? He massacred more than seventy thousand people. Just this sin, is unred
eemable no matter how many times he dies!”

  Ling Jie shook his head strongly and pleaded: “You’re wrong Grandpa. Although him killing the entire Burning Heaven Clan is a little… a little overboard. But I’m more aware of the entire situation than you, Grandpa. It was Burning Heaven Clan who had been provoking him all along, and even forced him into near-death situation several days ago. He was forced to an extent where he could no longer tolerate it, and therefore eliminated the Burning Heaven Clan in anger.”

  “Hmph! Killing an entire clan over a personal grudge! Even if half of the Burning Heaven Clan are evil, wouldn’t the other half, that were innocent, have died for nothing? You are actually protecting such an evil person? I’m truly disappointed… Quickly stand down!”

  Ling Tianni had supreme in authority in Heavenly Sword Villa and although Ling Jie was a little frivolous and often ignored what his father, Ling Yuefeng said, he did not dared to act presumptuously in front of Ling Tianni. His every phrase was like an immovable mountain pressing on Ling Jie, making him so nervous he could barely breathe. His face was now flushed red as he gritted his teeth and replied stubbornly: “Grandpa… He is the big boss that I recognize and the only person in this world I truly admire. If he was indeed the person that Grandpa think he is, how would I willingly recognize such a person as my boss… Grandpa, I beg you to please stop. Don’t kill him… If you are bent on killing him, you’d have to kill me first!”

  “YOU!” Ling Tianni stared at him, slightly swinging the sword in his hands… Yun Che’s expression was stiff. Never did he expect that Ling Jie would say such a thing in front of Ling Tianni.

  All of these had happened because of Yun Che. Ling Jie ignored all consequences and used his life to protect Yun Che. This made Yun Che exceptionally thankful. However, how could he allow his own matters to affect the relationship between Ling Jie and his own Grandpa? He walked forward a few steps and place a reassuring hand on Ling Jie’s shoulder, and said smilingly: “I will forever remember you standing up for me… However, that’s already enough. This is my own matter and I will settle it myself.”