Against the Gods - Volume 07 - Heaven Smiting Shakes the World

by Mars Gravity

  “Three… Three… Three thousand!?” This old man who had stayed bland and calm for several hundred years, actually fiercely bit his own tongue.

  “Mn.” Yun Che still nodded in a very calm manner, and leisurely said. “Currently, this junior is already the Asgard Master of Frozen Cloud Asgard, so naturally, I have to take responsibility of Frozen Cloud Asgard. Although not a single person in Blue Wind Nation dares to offend Frozen Cloud Asgard, in the range of the entire Profound Sky Continent, it is still too weak. Not only was it bullied all the way to its doorstep, Grand Asgard Mistress and the former Asgard Mistress both died under poisonous hands one after another. Hence, this junior has no choice but to use some extraordinary methods to raise the strength of all Frozen Cloud disciples, to prevent them from being bullied by despicable people.”

  “But, because their profound levels are too low, and are unable to withstand the medicinal powers that were of too high a level, my mentor said that for the time being, he could only refine these low-level medicinal pellets to help raise their strength, allowing me to similarly eat them whenever I want, and also use them to exchange for profound coins or purple crystals… Oh, I never expected that I can actually exchange one for at least a kilogram of Purple Veined Divine Crystal, heheh!”

  “Three thousand”… “Low-level medicine pellets”… “Eat them whenever I want”… The knowledge Zi Ji had adhered to for a thousand years was instantly shattered into smithereens, and every single of his nerves in his body was convulsing uncontrollably.

  He had attentively inspected the medicinal power of the Overlord Pellet earlier. He was incomparably sure that, if it’s three thousand of them… No, forget about having three thousand of them, even if three hundred of these pellets were to flow into the Four Great Sacred Grounds, during the next generation, there would be an immense transformation to the structure of the Four Great Sacred Grounds! And if only one of the Four Great Sacred Grounds were to obtain them, then, the balance within the Four Great Sacred Grounds would be completely destroyed. The Sacred Ground which possess these treasured pellets, would be able to completely suppress the other three Sacred Grounds, becoming a peak extraordinary existence of the time!

  And three thousand pellets…

  This extremely terrifying amount, brought about an incomparable impact on Zi Ji.

  And, from Yun Che’s description… As long as the ingredients were sufficient, that terrifying teacher of his was basically able to refine any number of them! And the treasured pellet which he claimed “one being sufficient to shock the entire world”, was merely a “low-level pellet” in the hands of that teacher of his!

  Yun Che had been observing Zi Ji, and he was incomparably satisfied with his reaction. With a smile, he said. “But, Senior Zi, please be at ease. Although to me, these pellets are as normal as they can be, I’m not that naive to not understand what these pellets mean to profound practitioners… especially to large and strong sects such as the Four Great Sacred Grounds. That’s why, most of them will only be used for Frozen Cloud Asgard, while the rest will be used to exchange for Purple Veined Divine Crystals…”

  Yun Che slowly raised out three fingers. “Only thirty of them! Not a single bit more! Because no matter how precious something is, if there’s too many of them, then it’s no fun.”

  Zi Ji silently looked at the three fingers Yun Che raised. After a long while, he then let out a faint sigh, and gently nodded his head. “About the rumors of your respected master, although it came from Sun Moon Divine Hall, this old man still had only believed seventy percent of it, while thirty percent of suspicion still existed… But now, not a single bit of that suspicion is left. The realm attained by your respected master, I’m afraid it’s already the fortune from seizing the heavens and earth, and a profound mystery approaching the sun and moon. It’s no longer something a mortal like me can possibly understand… Frozen Cloud Asgard of Blue Wind Nation was initially a very small sect comprised of women, but its luck is as high as the heavens. With the aid of your respected master, I’m afraid before long, it will soon become the fifth Sacred Ground.”

  “Senior Zi is taking this too seriously. My Frozen Cloud Asgard simply wishes for sufficient strength protect itself, and to not be bullied by others. We have never thought of becoming a Sacred Ground or whatever. And the two words ‘Sacred Ground’, heh…” Yun Che let out a mocking laugh. “They don’t seem to be that sacred. They might even be extremely dirty and unclean. It’s best that my Frozen Cloud Asgard stay forever untainted.”

  “Haah…” Zi Ji unknowingly let out a short sigh, before he calmly said. “This old one was simply worried that a large amount of these treasured pellets would flow into the Profound Sky Continent earlier, afraid that it would cause an earthshaking shock and change to the profound world. If there’s only… thirty pellets, then that’s fine as well.”

  An evident pause appeared in Zi Ji’s words. Because a treasured pellet of this level was sufficient enough to shake the Sacred Grounds, and no matter one looked at it, the word “only” shouldn’t be used to refer to thirty of such pellets.

  “Alright.” Yun Che immediately nodded, and then, with a wave of his hand, he had already returned all of the thirty-three Overlord Pellets on the table into the Sky Poison Pearl. “When the suitable time comes, I will naturally come again to discuss with Senior Zi about the matters of auctioning them. As for the pellets outside of the original thirty… I hope Senior Zi will keep them a secret.”

  “Hoho.” Zi Ji smiled. “You’re definitely not someone who speaks thoughtlessly, yet, you were actually completely frank in front of this old one… This old man has lived for more than a thousand years, naturally, I’m not someone who does not know what’s good for me.”

  “Black Moon Merchant Guild has been established under the name of ‘trust’ for several thousand years, and Senior Zi is even the core pillar of Black Moon Merchant Guild, so this junior can be completely at ease when speaking ‘thoughtlessly’ in front of Senior Zi, and not be worried that this information would be leaked to others in the slightest. Oh right, I have yet to ask what’s the auctioning fee for Black Moon Merchant Guild?”

  Just as Zi Ji was about to speak, he suddenly paused for a moment. After pondering for a while, he lightly smiled, and said. “The auctioning fee for Black Moon Merchant Guild is much higher than any regular merchant guild. But, if you’re willing to accept this old one’s request, then the fee for auctioning thirty of these treasured pellets can be waived under this old one’s authority.”

  “Oh? What ‘request’ could Senior Zi be referring to?”

  “It’s simple.” A scorching fire could be faintly felt from within his calm gaze. “Sell ten of these treasured pellets to my Black Moon Merchant Guild. The price shall follow what this old one has determined before. Ten treasured pellets, and this old one will immediately give you ten kilograms of Purple Veined Divine Crystals!”

  Purple Veined Divine Crystals… ten kilograms of them!!

  This was definitely a heavenly number shocking enough that even a powerful profound practitioner could pass out from.

  Even if it was the Four Great Sacred Grounds—Absolute Monarch Sanctuary, Supreme Ocean Palace, Sun Moon Divine Hall and Heavenly Mighty Sword Region, it would still take them at least one or two hundred, or even three hundred years, to accumulate ten kilograms of Purple Veined Divine Crystals.

  A single Overlord Pellet could be exchanged for a kilogram of Purple Veined Divine Crystals… this was an estimate given by Zi Ji. However, during an actual auction, there might be a possibility that it would be lower than a kilogram, or even higher than a kilogram… And with the extent of how precious Purple Veined Divine Crystals were, at the very least, Yun Che felt that the possibility of it being worth lower than a kilogram was higher. Yet, if the Black Moon Merchant Guild were to immediately exchange ten kilograms of Purple Veined Divine Crystals for ten of these pellets, not only could his auctioning fee be waived, the price being suggested was d
efinitely not a loss for him either… And in regards to Zi Ji’s words, he seemed to be giving him ten kilograms of Purple Veined Divine Crystals right on the spot.

  Waves slightly surged in Yun Che’s heart, however, his expression was calm. He did not immediately give a reply. After pondering for a moment, he lightly nodded. “Fine. But, Senior Zi must accept one of this junior’s requests as well.”

  “Oh?” Zi Ji looked at him with lifted eyebrows.

  “It’s simple…” Yun Che used the same tone as Zi Ji earlier. “Tell this junior… the location which the Netherworld Udumbara Flower appeared in a thousand and three hundred years ago.”

  “This…” Zi Ji was dumbfounded, shaking his head immediately after. “It’s not that this old one isn’t willing. That place is no trivial matter. I’m simply unable to tell you.”

  “Oh, in that case, then this junior will naturally not make it difficult for Senior Zi either.” Yun Che did not reveal a disappointed look. “Then there’s no need for Senior Zi to bring up the matter of waiving the fee either. Even if esteemed merchant guild wishes for up to twenty percent of the auctioned price’s fees, this junior will still be afford it.”

  “…” Zi Ji was speechless. He opened his mouth, seemingly wanting to persuade Yun Che, however, looking at his calm expression and eyes that were as deep as a black hole, he swallowed the words which he had quickly thought of to persuade him, and in the end, turned them into a long sigh. “The Netherworld Udumbara Flower was extremely dark, sinister and evil, recorded as the most terrifying flower in existence. Simply by approaching this flower, one’s body would be invaded by a dark aura, damaging one’s soul. At best, they would fall into a long lasting coma. At worst, however, they would turn into the living dead. If one’s profound strength is low, then a life would be immediately lost. Other than this, from what this old one has seen and heard, I have never heard of any use of this flower. Why are you so persistent on searching for this flower?”

  “This junior naturally has a use for it.” After a short pause, Yun Che added. “And it’s for an extremely important usage.. I must find a stalk of it at all costs! Even if I have to pay a huge price!”

  “…” Zi Ji closed his eyes, and did not speak for a long while.

  The seventh floor of Black Moon Merchant Guild momentarily turned silent.

  “He’s sending profound energy sound transmissions.” Jasmine suddenly voiced out.

  “Mn…” Yun Che lightly responded. “Could it be, he’s transmitting to that mysterious guild leader of Black Moon Merchant Guild…? Oh! He’s sending profound energy sound transmissions, instead of using sound transmission talismans. In that case, that Black Moon Merchant Guild leader… is close by?”

  The silence continued for nearly a hundred breaths, and only then did Zi Ji slowly open his eyes. Yun Che did not speak up to break the silence, and instead, calmly looked at him just like that.

  “That place is… much more terrifying that you can ever imagine.” Zi Ji slowly said. “It can only be entered once every five hundred years. And, even if it is a powerful Monarch, the amount of time one can stay there cannot surpass fifteen minutes, otherwise, that person will either die or become crippled!”

  Zi Ji’s words, caused Yun Che to reveal a shocked expression. “Such a place still exists on Profound Sky Continent?”

  “…To be precise, that place, is not located on Profound Sky Continent.” Zi Ji said.

  “…?” Yun Che was even more confused.

  “And, since you’re searching for the Netherworld Udumbara Flower with such vigor, you should know that it will only bloom once every twenty-four years, and it will then wither three days after. If you truly wish to enter that place, the time you can stay there, is incomparably short as well… A stalk of Netherworld Udumbara Flower truly exists in that place, and the possibility of it blooming at such a coincidental timing, is slim to the point of being close to none!”

  “Then after, it can only be entered exactly after five hundred years.”

  “Furthermore, an incomparably frightening existence lies in that place… With your current strength, if you were to enter that place, it’s completely no different from courting death.”

  Zi Ji’s words, sounded more terrifying with every subsequent sentence, but Yun Che could discern that, there wasn’t a single bit of falsehood and exaggeration in his words. Zi Ji looked at Yun Che, revealing a persuasive gaze. “Even if that’s the case, will you still insist on finding out the location of that place?”

  Yun Che, however, unhesitantly said. “Senior Zi, please tell me.”

  Although he had guessed of this outcome, Zi Ji still let out a helpless, bitter laugh. He slightly raised his head, and with a fleeting tone, said. “That place, is named ‘Moon Slaughter Devil Nest’.”

  “Moon… Slaughter… Devil… Nest…” Yun Che softly muttered… He flipped through his memories, and even Ye Ziyi, Feng Huwei’s memories, yet, he had never heard of this from anywhere, nor had he seen such a name.

  Chapter 696: Ocean Palace’s Secret

  Zi Ji looked at Yun Che’s reaction and slowly continued, “It is completely normal that you have not heard of this name. Even if it is the other three Sacred Grounds aside from Supreme Ocean Palace, there are very few people who know about it.”

  “Then where is it? Senior Zi mentioned just now that it is not located in Profound Sky Continent, what does that mean?” Yun Che tightened his eyebrows and asked.

  Zi Ji extended his finger and pointed directly to the south, “It is located to the south of Profound Sky Continent, above the endless Southern Ocean.”

  “Southern Ocean?” Yun Che looked surprised.

  “Have you ever been to Supreme Ocean Palace?” asked Zi Ji.

  “No,” Yun Che said. “”But I know that Supreme Ocean Palace is located one thousand five hundred kilometers south of the southern edge of Profound Sky Continent, above the Southern Ocean”. That was where the name ‘Ocean Palace’ came from. Could the Moon Slaughter Devil Nest that Senior Zi said be related to Supreme Ocean Palace?”

  “That’s right,” Zi Ji nodded his head slightly. “Everyone spread the news and all knew that the Four Great Sacred Grounds each have their guardian responsibility. They guarded the safety of the Profound Sky Continent for tens of thousands of years, thus being bestowed with the divine name of ‘Sacred Grounds.’ However, out of the Four Great Sacred Grounds, only Supreme Ocean Palace have been upholding their guardian mission.”

  “That place called ‘Moon Slaughter Devil Nest’ is the place that Supreme Ocean Palace has been guarding for generations?” Yun Che asked.

  Zi Ji nodded his head once again. “Supreme Ocean Palace is one thousand five hundred kilometers away from the edge of the continent. Not only do they need to be prepared for oceanic disasters all the time, there are also a lot of inconveniences everyday. But Supreme Ocean Palace has existed for tens of thousands of years and have never moved onto land. The only reason behind that is the Moon Slaughter Devil Nest.”

  “What kind of existence is the Moon Slaughter Devil Nest exactly? Why would Supreme Ocean Palace do whatever it takes to stay at Southern Ocean and guard it? And this name…” As he listened to Zi Ji’s description, more and more questions piled up in Yun Che’s mind.

  Zi Ji closed his eyes slightly, organized his thoughts, and continued to say, “I can only give you the simplest description about Moon Slaughter Devil Nest. About more than ten thousand years ago, when seven ancestors of Supreme Ocean Palace were touring Southern Ocean, they suddenly found a large area of ocean water that was dyed black. The pitch-black ocean region was very wide, and there were countless corpses of oceanic beasts of the same color. After that, they found the center of this pitch-black ocean region… which was an island that was completely dyed black.

  “That island released an extremely thick yin energy, and it was the reason that a large ocean region such as that became a dead region. After that, the ancestors of Ocean Palace came to the
pitch-black island and found a large cave on the island. That terrifying yin energy came from within that dark cave. When they entered the cave, the deeper they went, the heavier the yin energy became, causing even their profound strength to be greatly suppressed. In the deepest recesses of this cave, they encountered an incomparably terrifying dark profound beast.”

  “Dark profound beast?” Yun Che felt more bizarre the more he heard about it.

  “That dark profound beast called itself the Moon Slaughter Devil Sovereign. It hates light and is especially afraid of the moonlight. Aside from that, nothing is known about it. The strength and aura of that dark profound beast isn’t very strong; it should be around the early stage Tyrant Profound Realm. The profound strength of all seven of Supreme Ocean Palace’s ancestors had reached great heights. Each of them were in the late stage Sovereign Profound Realm and stood at the summit. However, within that cavern’s depths, their profound strength had been suppressed down to the Emperor Profound Realm. In front of the Moon Slaughter Devil Sovereign, they could not retaliate at all. Out of the seven ancestors, only one escaped. The other six ancestors had all lost their lives in the Moon Slaughter Devil Nest.

  “After the sole survivor escaped out of the cave, the Moon Slaughter Devil Sovereign didn’t give chase. It was afraid of the daylight’s radiance and the night’s moonlight. The Moon Slaughter Devil Sovereign would perhaps never leave its nest. However, the dark yin energy the nest released was endless, and when that Ocean Palace ancestor finally managed to get out, he personally heard the roars of the Moon Slaughter Devil Sovereign. It said, ‘The time the entire world is submerged in darkness is the day when it would come out.’”

  “Moon Slaughter Devil Sovereign… such a monster actually exists?” Yun Che grew more and more frightened. If it wasn’t Zi Ji telling him this personally, he would’ve just treated it as some story a random person fabricated. “After that, did the Ocean Palace ancestor use some kind of method to seal that nest to keep the dark yin energy from leaking?”