Against the Gods - Volume 05 - Primordial Profound Ark

by Mars Gravity

  “Yes.”

  —————————————

  “…A long long time ago, there were two young profound practitioners, one of them was named Zu Kun, the other named Liu Ti. They were of ordinary aptitude, and were frequently bullied and mocked by others. So they worked hard for prosperity, and decided to assiduously train together. Every single day before the sun even came up, as long as they heard the crow of roosters, they would get up from the bed and practice swordsmanship. Day after day, year after year, finally… They both got hit with the bird flu.”

  “What is bird flu?” Feng Xue’er asked very curiously.

  “Mn, it’s a very terrifying virus.” Yun Che said in dead earnest: “This story, is called “Working hard at the first crow of the rooster”. The moral of the story is that we definitely have to keep away from the bird flu.”

  “Uu… This story is so boring. I still want to hear the story of Snow White… After Snow White and the Frog Prince got together, what will happen then? I really want to know.”

  “This…. Let me think about it properly.” Yun Che scratched his scalp.

  “Think of it properly okay… Big Brother Yun, say ahh.” Leaning on Yun Che’s shoulder, Feng Xue’er put her half-eaten dragon meat skewer beside his mouth, and watched him take a big bite out of it with a grin.

  Once the pandora’s box was opened, the former taboo would rip apart a gap ever increasing in size. The Feng Xue’er who would definitely not have any contact with anyone before, was very naturally leaning together with Yun Che, eating the same meat skewer with him under various leads by Yun Che.

  If Feng Hengkong saw this scene at this moment, he’d definitely be angry to the point of hovering between life and death. Slapping Yun Che into mincemeat on the spot would even be considered letting him off light.

  Chapter 423: Leaving Phoenix Perching Valley

  After a long while, Yun Che finally thought of the following storyline. He cleared his throat, and just as he was about to narrate, the Phoenix God Jade hung in front of her chest suddenly flickered with a scarlet-colored light.

  Feng Xue’er took up the Phoenix God Jade, her expression, suddenly became somewhat sullen.

  “Xue’er, what is it?” Yun Che immediately asked.

  Feng Xue’er looked at Yun Che, and said with a pitiful expression in her eyes: “It’s royal father… He’s about to come here right now, then take me back to Phoenix City. Big Brother Yun…”

  “…Why is he taking you back right now? Your royal father making you stay here alone, wasn’t it because he’ll be busy with the matter of the Ranking Tournament and Primordial Profound Ark. But right now should be the time he’s the busiest.” Yun Che said somewhat puzzled.

  Feng Xue’er lightly shook her head: “Royal father had said, this is the first Seven Nation Ranking Tournament ever since my birth, and he’ll take me there on-site. If I’m willing, he can even take me onto the Primordial Profound Ark. Royal father taking me back now, should be because all of the affairs have been properly prepared.”

  “You will go… to the site of the Ranking Tournament?” Yun Che’s heart slightly shook.

  “Mn… Big Brother Yun, quickly leave this place. If royal father sees you here, it’ll be… it’ll be bad.” Feng Xue’er stood up, her expression somewhat panicky. She grabbed Yun Che’s arm, but didn’t push him away, rather, unwittingly gripped tighter.

  There were three days left from the start of the Ranking Tournament; in fact, he should’ve left a long time ago. The reason as to why he hadn’t yet left, he knew very well in his heart… It was because he wasn’t willing to part with Feng Xue’er. Her features, voice, heart, every single look, every single expression in her eyes, were all firmly attracting him, making it as if he were sucked into an endlessly beautiful starry sky, sinking deeper and deeper within.

  In this world, no one can withstand her charm… And Yun Che, due to an accident stemming from many causes, with extraordinary luck, became the first person who could make close range contact with her.

  “It’s indeed time for me to leave.” Yun Che exclaimed in his heart. Attentively watching Feng Xue’er’s eyes flickering with light, he lifted his hand, put it atop Xue’er’s head, as his fingers slowly slid off along the contour of her hair… This unduly intimate action, caused Feng Xue’er’s eyes to only tremble a bit. But, she did not show any signs of rejection: “Xue’er, these days, I will always remember. Thank you, and thank the heavens for letting me meet you.”

  “…Big Brother Yun’s words are so weird.” Feng Xur’er minted her charming lips: “Later, we will still meet again, isn’t that right?”

  “Of course.” Yun Che smilingly nodded: “Because I’ve already promised to take Xue’er to see the endlessly flowing snow. My promise to Xue’er, will never be forgotten.”

  “Mn!” Feng Xue’er nodded, her expression finally becoming somewhat cheerful. Her eyes carried unwillingness to part, yet her hands were gently pushing Yun Che: “Even though, I really hate to part with Big Brother Yun, it really is time for Big Brother Yun to leave… Royal father will arrive here in less than a quarter of an hour. If you still don’t leave, you’ll really be discovered by royal father.”

  “…I’m going.” Yun Che’s hand moved away from Feng Xue’er’s shoulders. After glancing at her with incredible meticulousness, he finally turned around, then called over the Snow Phoenix Beast.

  Snow Phoenix Beast flew up to him, and just as he was about to hop onto Snow Phoenix Beast’s back, Yun Che stopped in his steps. He turned around, his hands quietly clutched tight, and at last he still said in a small voice: “Xue’er, if… let’s say if one day, you found out… I have lied to you about some things, will you hate me? Will you still consider me your Big Brother Yun?”

  “Ah?” Yun Che’s sudden words, made Feng Xue’er a little at a loss: “Why would Big Brother Yun say such a weird thing? How is it possible for Big Brother Yun to deceive me?”

  “I’m saying, just if… if there are some things, I really have deceived you on, would you hate me?” Yun Che’s voice became even quieter; a sentence that wasn’t lengthy, yet was spoken with extraordinary difficulty.

  “I… I don’t know.” Feng Xue’er shook her head, the expression in her eyes was somewhat stumped, as if she couldn’t understand the question Yun Che had put forward. She lightly spoke: “But, in these days together with Big Brother Yun, what I have felt are all Big Brother Yun’s kindness toward me. Snowing for me every day, teaching me how to build snowmen, cooking delicious food for me, telling me many interesting stories… Big Brother Yun’s smile is pretty, and his gaze is also very gentle. These days, I’ve been so happy every day, even the dreams I dream when sleeping, had become very blissful.”

  Yun Che: “…”

  “This kind of Big Brother Yun, I don’t believe he would be willing to deceive me. Even if… even if he really deceived me, then he must’ve had no other choice, and not in order to harm me.” Every single word of Feng Xue’er, was sincere and relaxed; this was the voice coming from her heart: “I will forever remember Big Brother Yun’s kindness, and the matter he promised me… In the future, no matter what happens, I believe that Big Brother Yun will never harm me, and I’ll never do anything that’ll harm Big Brother Yun either.”

  The last sentence of Feng Xue’er, made Yun Che somewhat puzzled. But even more so, it fiercely stirred up his heart. He no longer spoke, because no matter what he said under Feng Xue’er’s gaze that was as pure as snow, it would be incomparably pale in comparison. He leapt onto the Snow Phoenix Beast’s back, took off into the air under Snow Phoenix Beast’s carriage, and directly flew toward Absolute Phoenix Cliff. Feng Xue’er had already told him, that the other three directions of Phoenix Perching Valley all should have people guarding there. If he were to safely leave without alarming anyone, he would still need to go through Absolute Phoenix Cliff.

  “Big Brother Yun, I’ll come here often in the future… I will wait for Big Br
other Yun to appear once again…”

  “Big Brother Yun, you can’t forget the words said between us. After I’m twenty, you definitely have to take me to Snow Region of Extreme Ice…”

  “Big Brother Yun, Little White, I’ll miss you guys very much…”

  The sound of wind howled beside his ears. Feng Xue’er’s voice came from below against the wind; the voice at last, even carried a sobbing tone that was being repressed with effort.

  A few thousand meters in height, wasn’t much for Snow Phoenix Beast. Very soon, Absolute Phoenix Cliff’s summit appeared before Yun Che’s eyes. Yun Che dismounted from Snow Phoenix Beast’s back, and stood beside the cliff. Within the dark green colored valley that was like an otherworldly utopia, he could faintly see that fairy-like beautiful silhouette.

  She was the princess of Divine Phoenix Empire, the most brilliant jewel of the entire Profound Sky Continent. She had been protected to the utmost limit… But at the same time, she was also lonely… Which was why, in these days he had carelessly intruded into her world, she was so happy and excited.

  “Little Chan, do you want to accompany her, by her side?” With his gaze looking down, Yun Che suddenly spoke.

  “Screee…” Snow Phoenix Beast slapped her wings, and let out a quiet cry. Its majestic head continuously made a few… nodding movements!

  Huh? Nodding!?

  With an extremely bitter and unsatisfied expression in his eyes, Yun Che gave Snow Phoenix Beast a fierce stare… Even if Xue’er’s charm can’t be resisted, even if you really want to stay by her side, you are still my contracted profound beast right nowwwww!!! Can’t you be a little bit more reserved, even if you have to fake it a little!

  …Forget it.

  Yun Che’s mouth became askew. He extended his wrist, as the Snow Phoenix Beast’s profound imprint emerged on the back. With a thought, the profound energy connection with Snow Phoenix Beast was directly severed. The profound imprint on the back of his hand, also slowly vanished.

  Snow Phoenix Beast completely recovered its freedom. It spread its wings and took off, and circled and danced above Yun Che’s head, letting out sharp cries that one couldn’t tell whether it was from excitement or unwillingness to part.

  Seeing the Snow Phoenix Beast that regained freedom, what was more in Yun Che’s heart wasn’t sadness, but a sort of relaxed feeling. He said with a faint smile: “Little Chan, go ahead. Staying with me, you will only face hardships and danger everywhere. Accompanying Xue’er, she likes you so much, and will definitely treat you well. You no longer need to suffer laborious hardship with me anymore… Go.”

  Scree~~~~

  A long cry resonantly sliced through the skies. After Snow Phoenix Beast danced and fluttered for a while, it finally descended, and flew toward the Phoenix Perching Valley below. Very soon, those two snow-white colored silhouettes slowly assembled together.

  Yun Che let out a faint laugh. After taking another deep glance in the end, he took two steps back, then put away all of his unwillingness to part, and walked toward the south.

  “Why did you let Snow Phoenix Beast leave?” Jasmine couldn’t help but ask: “You still can’t fly right now. Without Snow Phoenix Beast, what will you do when you need to fly?”

  Yun Che shook his head, and said: “Giving the Snow Phoenix Beast to Xue’er, isn’t just because Xue’er likes it. It is because that I don’t know whether or not I can successfully preserve my own life during this session of Ranking Tournament. If I am unlucky… At least Snow Phoenix Beast doesn’t need to die together with me. Not only can it be saved, it can be considered a tiny bit of repayment to Xue’er… Her heart was sincere toward me, yet I, still have deceived her after all that’s said and done.”

  “Hmph…” Jasmine sneered: “Deceiving girls, isn’t that your habitual method of doing things! You had never been so conscious of your guilt before, isn’t that so.”

  “That’s not the same.” Yun Che curled his lips: “Conquering and deception are two entirely different concepts, a little girl like you wouldn’t understand.”

  “…” Jasmine was disdained to reply, and asked conversely: “On the matter of whether or not you can keep your life, I actually have good news to tell you.”

  “Good news?”

  Jasmine said indifferently: “If I’m guessing correctly, after your Phoenix bloodline was found out by Divine Phoenix Sect, what you dread the most isn’t Divine Phoenix Sect, but the true progenitor of Divine Phoenix Sect… the other Phoenix Spirit, just like the Phoenix Spirit you met at the Ten Thousand Beast Mountain Range back then.”

  Yun Che’s footsteps stalled a little, then he slowly nodded: “You are entirely correct. Back then, when I left the Phoenix’s trial grounds, the Phoenix Spirit had also warned severely, that I must be cautious of the other Phoenix Spirit’s existence. Divine Phoenix Sect’s Phoenix Spirit had always thought the Phoenix Spirit who granted me heritage was killed by it a long time ago. If it found out that the Phoenix’s bloodline in me stems from another Phoenix’s legacy… Then, the one who will be harmed, will not only be myself. The Phoenix Spirit of the Ten Thousand Beast Mountain Range, as well as the Phoenix tribe who just recently broke away from their curse, may also encounter a great disaster.” Yun Che uttered a low sigh: “Yet with the bloodline’s exposure, there would be no other choice but to face Divine Phoenix Sect as soon as possible. Otherwise, the ones who will be implicated would be people at my side… So, on the way here from the Blue Wind Nation, I had always prayed for that phoenix beast to always be residing in the dark, and won’t have any interest to probe into affairs of the Ranking Tournament.

  “About this Phoenix Spirit, there’s already no need for you to worry.” Jasmine said emotionlessly.

  “Why?”

  “Because… it’s already dead!”

  “What? Dead?” Yun Che’s footsteps stopped at once: “Are you sure? Wait! How did you know it’s dead?”

  “Heh…” Jasmine laughed insidiously: “You don’t need to mind how I found out. It shouldn’t be too long since its death, but I am certain that it has already died! However, even though it died, there’s a high chance that the bloodline and memories have been passed on. So, in this world, there are perhaps still people who can discern that your bloodline comes from another Phoenix’s legacy.”

  Yun Che’s spirit was instantly roused up. Words spoken by Jasmine in such a confidence tone, naturally he wouldn’t doubt them: “Very well! If Divine Phoenix Sect’s Phoenix Spirit really has died, then, my greatest worry is also gone! Like this, during the Ranking Tournament, I will be able to perform without any worries of future consequences!”

  “And so? How confident are you to make Divine Phoenix Sect no longer find trouble for you, and also survive?”

  “Seventy percent!” Yun Che said with swelling confidence: “Perhaps, I’d even be able to go for a stroll on that mysterious Primordial Profound Ark!”

  Chapter 424: Phoenix City

  Yun Che descended from Absolute Phoenix Cliff, left the Phoenix Mountain Range, pondered for a bit, and then directly returned to Divine Phoenix City, heading straight toward Phoenix City.

  Phoenix City was located in the south-western area of Divine Phoenix City. While belonging to Divine Phoenix City, it also existed independently, and was a special city within a city. Just like the Divine Phoenix Imperial Palace, Phoenix City was also the core base of Divine Phoenix Sect. The difference being, one was the core of authority, and the other was the core of force. While the two, both possessed incomparably strong deterrence force.

  Within Phoenix City, there was a place called Phoenix Realm, which was the place where the Seven Nation Ranking Tournament had always been conducted at.

  Nearing Phoenix City, a sense of pressure that made one palpate, and a distinctly scorching air surged against one’s face. Above the gigantic city gate was a huge, majestic, awe-inspiring phoenix. Yun Che stopped in his steps, but didn’t walk inside. As a tournament participant, he ought to have
dwelling places that were already arranged, but there would certainly be a great deal of uncertain factors if he moved in here, since his identity was special. Him coming this time, was only to scout out the location. After confirming the location of Phoenix City, he turned around and left, then quickly disguised himself and checked in at a remote and quiet inn.

  From the start of the Seven Nation Ranking Tournament, three last days were left.

  Three days, were enough for him to finish absorbing the Sky Profound Universal Pellet.

  After entering the inn and properly surveying the surroundings before closing the room’s door, Yun Che took out the Phoenix Halianthus, Devil’s Flaming Blood Crystal and the other materials, then quickly refined them with the Sky Poison Pearl. Very soon, an entirely scarlet colored pellet that seemed as if it had just been soaked in fresh blood emerged within Yun Che’s palm. As the pellet took form, a surge of berserking aura also instantly discharged, violently pushing away the surrounding air.

  Lifting up this newly refined Sky Profound Universal Pellet, Yun Che didn’t even think, and threw it in his mouth without hesitation.

  The Sky Profound Universal Pellet melted the moment it entered his mouth, and instantly turned into a lava-like heatwave, flooding into the profound veins and meridians of his entire body. Instantly, a pain as if he was being stabbed by needles came from his entire body. Yun Che closed his eyes, his expression entirely tranquil, as if he felt nothing. This kind of pellet that could forcefully raise one’s profound strength in a short period of time would certainly have an extremely fierce medicinal property, and the risk would often be much greater than the reward. But Yun Che, after all, had the Phoenix Blood and Dragon’s Marrow, with the Great Way of the Buddha as protection; he could even consume and drink an Emperor Profound Dragon’s flesh and blood with the body of an Spirit Profound Realm back then. With a body of the Earth Profound Realm currently, consuming the Sky Profound Universal Pellet would be even less of a concern.