Against the Gods

Chapter 1199 - Inner Demon

“Thank you for the reminder, Brother Lengchuan. I’ll be careful.” Yun Che nodded, but he didn’t actually feel much on the inside.

He had witnessed the battle between Shui Meiyin and Meng Duanxi with his own eyes, and he had to agree that her mental powers were extraordinary. Meng Duanxi was powerful, but he was almost completely helpless before her mental powers. If Shui Meiyin hadn’t let up in the end, he wouldn’t have even noticed that he was mind controlled past the point of defeat.

Although Shui Meiyin couldn’t be underestimated, he had four types of divine souls in this body... He was at least confident that he wouldn’t lose to a little girl in terms of mental power.

As for profound strength... Shui Meiyin was without a doubt the weakest out of everyone present. As long as he could suppress her mental attacks, the rest of the battle should be as easy as bullying a three-year-old.

Lu Lengchuan examined Yun Che’s expression shortly before saying, “It looks like you’re pretty confident about tomorrow’s fight. That is good, of course... I still don’t think you can beat Jun Xilei as you are now, but I definitely look forward to your battle against her.”

Lu Lengchuan tossed three glittering items at Yun Che after he said this.

Yun Che caught them and gave them a glance. They were three Time Wheel Pearls.

“They are useless to me now, but you... maybe a few months’ time is enough for you to create a miracle.” Lu Lengchuan smiled.

Yun Che didn’t turn down his offer. He held the Time Wheel Pearls tightly and thanked Lu Lengchuan gratefully, “Thank you, Brother Lengchuan. I definitely need these items.”

“You don’t have to thank me.” Lu Lengchuan turned around before speaking in a low tone. “Thank you, Brother Yun.”

“Why are you thanking me?” Yun Che looked confused.

“There are two reasons.” Lu Lengchuan sounded rueful when he said this, “One, you... purposely separated the two suns before you unleashed Nine Suns Heaven’s Fury, didn’t you?”

“...” Yun Che looked caught off guard, but he didn’t speak up or shake his head in denial.

It was true that he had split the two overlapping suns right before he threw Nine Suns Heaven’s Fury. It was also true that its power was diminished as a result... he had used up all of his profound energy at the time, so he had no way of controlling the two suns once he unleashed them. It was entirely possible that a full powered Nine Suns Heaven’s Fury might kill Lu Lengchuan.

The reason he changed his mind at the last moment and did something that went completely against his own objectives was because of Lu Lengchuan’s slapping of Lu Chenyuan and the things he said yesterday.

“I thought so.” Lu Lengchuan smiled. “You obviously want to win a lot, and yet you still hold yourself back from passing the line of cruelty and ruthlessness. You never brought this up until I asked you about it, which makes it obvious that you’re protecting my pride... despite possessing unparalleled strength and talent, you also have a good nature. The Eastern Divine Region is lucky to have a genius like you.”

Yun Che shook his head. “You praise me too much, Brother Lengchuan. I’m sure you can block the attack even if I hadn’t done so. Plus, I personally don’t think that my nature deserves your praise at all. I’ve done many ruthless things in the past, and about my final attack... I doubt I’ll do that again if I have to repeat myself.”

Lu Lengchuan smiled noncommittally before continuing, “The next thing I want to thank you for... is about the fact that I’m about to hit sixty in a couple of years. Thank you for giving me a battle like this at the end of my youth. I no longer have any regrets left in this part of my life.”

Lu Lengchuan walked away, but not without giving Yun Che a few more parting words, “Feel free to visit Shrouding Sky Realm when you’re free. My father praises you a lot, and I’m sure he’ll be absolutely delighted to meet you.”

How many people in the entire Eastern Divine Region had the honor to be “praised a lot” by the Shrouding Sky Realm King himself?

Yun Che didn’t leave immediately. Instead, he stayed where he was, silently, for a very long time.

“Far beneath, huh...” Yun Che hid a sigh as he recalled Lu Lengchuan’s words.

If even the likes of Lu Lengchuan was “far beneath” Jun Xilei, then there was no way he could beat her as he was right now.

His only ray of hope... was the six months of extra time granted by the Time Wheel Pearls in his hands.

“I must find a way to improve my strength as much as I can in the next two days.” Yun Che muttered to himself before glancing at his left hand. “As for Hong’er... Her power is lagging behind mine already. I remember that she hasn’t finished all the swords Ji Ruyan gave me... but in the end, they are swords from lower star realms. Her power wouldn’t improve drastically even if she ate all of them. I guess I must find another way.”

He looked up into the sky and muttered absentmindedly. “Jasmine, have you seen my fight today?”

--------------

The Eternal Heaven Realm was as quiet as usual. The moment Yun Che returned to his courtyard, he immediately noticed the master and the disciple Huo Rulie and Huo Poyun. It was obvious that they were waiting for him.

“Brother Yun!” Huo Poyun strode towards him excitedly, “The entire Eastern Divine Region has learned that you’ve beaten Lu Lengchuan. I... I can’t believe I missed the match. I can’t even begin to tell you how regretful I’m feeling right now. Er... how are your wounds?”

“Haha, they’re fine, it’s nothing,” Yun Che said casually. He felt relaxed after judging that Huo Poyun was looking a lot better.

“Boy Yun...” Huo Rulie walked over with a chuckle. “Your opponents will only be more and more powerful from this point onwards. They are all the strongest young geniuses of the Eastern Divine Region. No one will question your current achievements, but... I’m sure that everyone of us are looking forward to you reaching even greater heights. Therefore, you must do your best in your next match... everything else can wait until after the Profound God Convention.”

Yun Che nodded. “Don’t worry, Sect Master Huo. I will do my best... including Brother Poyun’s portion.”

“Brother Yun...” Huo Poyun shot Yun Che an emotional look. “Not only did you manage to beat Lu Lengchuan, you even helped spread the glory of our Golden Crow Sect. It should’ve been my duty... but I ultimately failed to live up to everyone’s expectations.”

“Haha, do you understand now, Yun’er? The Golden Crow flame isn’t weak at all, on the contrary it’s very, very powerful. There are none more deserving of the title “strongest divine flame” than the Golden Crow flame. Yun boy’s Nine Suns Heaven’s Fury especially stunned those upper star realm fellows so much that they couldn’t wipe their expressions off their faces for a very long time, hahahaha.”

Huo Rulie couldn’t control his sense of pride and passion and laughed loudly the moment he recalled the moment the world became illuminated by golden flames.

That was definitely the most fame Golden Crow Sect had ever gotten during his lifetime.

“Mn!” Huo Poyun nodded strongly. “Brother Yun defeated Lu Lengchuan, a God Child of the Eastern Divine Region with the Golden Crow flames. The entire Eastern Divine Region has borne witness to its power. I finally understand that my defeat at the hands of Jun Xilei isn’t because the Golden Crow flame isn’t strong enough. It’s because my cultivation is utterly lacking... To think that I had become depressed for such a ridiculous reason... I must have disappointed you greatly, master.”

“Hahahaha,” Huo Rulie waved his hands smilingly, “Of course not. Yun’er, Yun boy was right that day. You’re just a young boy, and it’s only natural for you to feel lost sometimes. The fact that you managed to escape your depression so quickly only makes me proud and happy for your sake. Why would I ever be disappointed by this?”

“Well, hehe... I would’ve been depressed for much longer if it wasn’t for Brother Yun. For the longest time, I thought I was strong enough to hold my own. I even thought that I was good enough to support Flame God Realm’s future already. In the end, I guess I was too young and naive. I’ll do my best to cultivate harder in the future... I’ll cultivate the Golden Crow flames hard and my mind even harder.”

Huo Poyun stretched out his hand and revealed a Time Wheel Pearl. “Brother Yun, this is my last Time Yun Pearl... Please accept this insignificant gift.”

Yun Che accepted the Time Wheel Pearl and looked at him firmly. “Brother Poyun, just you wait. I’ll take back what’s yours from Jun Xilei... using the Golden Crow flames no less.”

Huo Poyun’s eyes flashed once before he nodded firmly.

He had obtained three Time Wheel Pearls from Lu Lengchuan and one from Huo Poyun. This meant that Yun Che had a total of seven Time Wheel Pearls, and could extend fourteen hours to seven months right now.

Huo Rulie and Huo Poyun soon left the area. Neither of them asked Yun Che how he came by his Golden Crow bloodline. Huo Rulie’s explanation was that he wanted Yun Che to focus fully in the next few matches... Everything else could wait until afterwards.

Yun Che’s eyebrows furrowed a couple of times as he gripped Huo Poyun’s gift.

It was obvious that Huo Poyun had pulled himself free from depression and regained his usual spirit, but for some reason he still felt that something was wrong with him.

However, he couldn’t exactly figure out what was wrong with him either. It was just a feeling.

Maybe... maybe he hasn’t completely walked out of his shadow. Although today’s battle has dispelled his doubt about the Golden Crow flame’s strength, the defeat was a terrible shock. I guess he still needs more time before he can truly regain himself.

----------------

It was night. When Huo Rulie returned to his accommodation, he noticed that Huo Poyun had been lowering his head and staying silent all this time.

Huo Rulie’s eyebrows moved. “Yun’er?”

Huo Poyun jolted slightly before looking up. “Ah?”

“What are you thinking about? Are you still regretting that you missed out on Yun boy’s fight against Lu Lengchuan?” Huo Rulie smiled. “It’s okay. Someone must’ve captured that fight using a Profound Imagery Stone. You will be able to watch it.”

Huo Poyun bit his lips slightly before asking, “Master, were you the one who gave Brother Yun his Golden Crow bloodline and Golden Crow Divine Soul?”

Of course, this wasn’t the first time someone asked him this question. Huo Rulie shook his head immediately. “Of course not. Yun’er, do you remember? The Golden Crow Divine Spirit once mentioned that there was another Golden Crow inheritance in a certain place beyond the God Realm.”

Huo Poyun looked surprised. “Master, are you saying...”

Huo Rulie nodded. “The fact that he’s able to unleash such pure and refined Golden Crow flames proves that the Golden Crow blood he bears is no ordinary inheritance. It can only be the Golden Crow origin blood just like you.”

Huo Poyun, “...”

“The Golden Crow Divine Spirit presented its final origin blood and divine soul to you, meaning that there is no Golden Crow origin blood or Golden Crow divine soul left in this world. Therefore, his Golden Crow bloodline can only come from the other Golden Crow inheritance.”

When Huo Rulie looked up, his eyes were shaking with excitement. He sighed. “Maybe this is the Golden Crow Divine Spirit’s guidance. Although he isn’t a Golden Crow Sect disciple, this is the first time the Golden Crow flame was glorious as this in the Eastern Divine Region. After today, all Golden Crow Sect disciples will come to respect him greatly, and the elders cann’t stop praising him for his actions. It doesn’t actually matter where he came to earn his Golden Crow bloodline now, hahahahaha...”

Huo Rulie laughed to his heart’s content. Huo Poyun’s terrible defeat and depression had made him feel down for a little, but Yun Che’s fight today had opened up so many pores and made him so happy that he literally couldn’t describe his emotions. Who knew how many times he had laughed like he did today.

Huo Rulie didn’t notice that Huo Poyun wasn’t laughing or smiling alongside him. Instead, the young man looked down to his feet.

“Master,” Huo Poyun said, “Brother Yun’s obviously at the eighth level of the Divine Tribulation Realm... but he still managed to defeat Lu Lengchuan with the Golden Crow flames, who’s at the tenth level of the Divine Spirit Realm. His Golden Crow bloodline... must be a lot purer than mine, isn’t it.”

“Oh no.” But Huo Rulie shook his head and answered seriously, “The Golden Crow Divine Spirit once said that you’re the next Golden Crow Divine Spirit. This means you have the richest Golden Crow bloodline in the entire world. Yun Che...”

Huo Rulie paused for a second before continuing, “Yun’er, do you remember how Yun Che blocked your Golden Annihilation and Nine Suns Heaven’s Fury head on and suffered no damage three years ago at Snow Song Realm?”

Huo Poyun. “...”

“I never really understood how he did it until today. Considering his cultivation level that day, it should’ve been impossible for him to block your Golden Crow flames no matter how good he was at commanding ice profound energy... the fact that he was able to resist your power while being completely unharmed proves that he has tremendous control over the power of ice and fire... a level that’s far higher than yours.”

“Plus, he has the Golden Crow’s bloodline in him. This means that it’s definitely possible for him to block your Golden Crow flames perfectly.”

“...” Huo Poyun couldn’t say anything for a very long time.

“I finally understood why Mu Xuanyin wanted me to gamble the Golden Crow’s Record of the Burning World that day. It was all for...” Huo Rulie shook his head and smiled unconsciously.

If he had learned of the truth that day, he would’ve been absolutely furious with Mu Xuanyin. However, his “loss” had contributed largely to Yun Che’s victory... he could only feel pleased and lucky when he thought about this. He actually didn’t feel displeased by Mu Xuanyin’s trickery in the slightest.

“I see.” Huo Poyun muttered before continuing, “The Snow Song Realm King took the Golden Crow’s Record of the Burning World from master because she wanted to give it to Brother Yun. This means that Brother Yun probably hadn’t cultivated the Golden Crow’s Record of the Burning World even though he already had its bloodline. If that’s true, that means that he was able to unleash Nine Suns Heaven’s Fury... despite cultivating the Golden Crow’s Record of the Burning World for only three years...”

Huo Poyun’s words caught Huo Rulie completely off guard. He stopped in his tracks and stared blankly into space for a very long time. “Now that you mention it... this kid... is seriously a monster...”

He was the Golden Crow Sect’s sect master, and he hadn’t been able to cultivate Nine Suns Heaven’s Fury despite spending almost ten thousand years trying to do so... Meanwhile, Yun Che took only three years to cultivate Nine Suns Heaven’s Fury!! Three measley years!!

If he didn’t love Yun Che to death right now, he would probably choke to death instead.

“Yes.” Huo Poyun said, “Brother Yun is just so impressive. It’s only today that I realize that I’m incomparable to him in every way... actually, I should say that I’m not even qualified to be a comparison. To think I would be so foolish as to think that I’m...”

“Hahaha, now, you shouldn’t undervalue yourself so much, Yun’er. Yun Che is an absolute monster that surprised even the god emperors. This God Conferred Battle will definitely make him famous throughout the entire God Realm, and there’s no praise that he doesn’t deserve. He’s the kind of monster that may not show up even in a hundred thousand years after all! You don’t need to compare yourself to him. You only need to know that you will always be my greatest pride.”

Huo Poyun sucked in a deep breath. “Don’t worry, master. I won’t disappoint you any longer.”

“Good! Your promise gladdens me considerably, Yun’er. Mn, speaking of which, that Yun boy has the Golden Crow bloodline even though isn’t a member of our Golden Crow Sect, and now the entire Eastern Divine Region knows about it. The two of you are best friends, and I’m fond of him too, so I guess we can call him half a member of the Golden Crow Sect? To think that our Golden Crow Sect will be fortunate enough to welcome both of you into its fold. I, Huo Rulie can meet my ancestors with a smile even if I were to die right away, hahahahaha...”

Huo Rulie laughed loudly as he strode back into his room. Even an idiot could see that his feelings couldn’t get any better than this.

A surge of irritation suddenly rose from the bottom of Huo Poyun’s heart as he stared at Huo Rulie’s departing back.

He went out of the courtyard with a heavy heart to take a walk, unaware of the passage of time or where he was headed to until he nearly ran into an ancient tree.

“Sigh.” Huo Poyun stopped in his tracks and smiled mockingly at himself. He shook his head and looked at the sky with clear regret. “My master’s praise, my peers’ admiration, and fame throughout the entire Divine Eastern Region... Brother Yun rightfully deserves all these. He even inherited my will and kept the Golden Crow flames burning on the God Conferred Stage...”

“I should be happy, gratified and honored by his deeds. He even thinks of me as a friend! He’s the first person who came over to console me when I fell into depression. I can definitely see that he’s trying to help me regain my confidence by beating Lu Lengchuan with the Golden Crow flames as well.”

“Brother Yun is undoubted a proud son of god, and yet he was never an arrogant or insincere person. I’m truly lucky to be able to make a friend like him. But as his friend... to think that I was so jealous of him just now.”

He exhaled deeply before continuing, “It seems that my cultivation of the mind is far behind my cultivation of the profound way. I probably don’t even deserve to call him my brother the way I am right now.”

After breathing the air outside for a very long time, Huo Poyun was finally able to muster a smile. The walk had made him feel a lot better.

Yun Che’s Golden Crow flames had stunned the entire Eastern Divine Region. Huo Rulie, Yan Juehai, and the elders only had endless praise for him. Even the disciples of all three Flame God sects couldn’t hold back their respect and admiration when they were speaking of Yun Che. All these factors had undoubtedly caused an uncontrollable spurt of jealousy inside his heart.

Had Yun Che won all this using any other power, he would only be happy for him and cheer for him from the bottom of his heart.

However... the power he used was the Golden Crow flame...

He, Huo Poyun was the one who had the richest Golden Crow bloodline and Golden Crow Divine Soul. He was the one who was supposed to become Flame God Realm’s hope and future. He was the one who was supposed to burn the brightest Golden Crow flame to ever exist... for the longest time, he had believed that he was one and only...

He had never felt such a smothering pressure and jealousy in his life until today. It made him afraid, ashamed, and disgusted with himself.

His emotions also made him realize that he was sorely lacking in the mind department.

His emotional issues slightly resolved, Huo Poyun turned around and got ready to return. It was at this moment two white figures dressed in Ice Phoenix snow robes suddenly walked over from the distance. They were obviously Ice Phoenix disciples, and they were chatting excitedly about something.

“Everyone’s talking about Senior Brother Yun right now. To think that he would actually beat Lu Lengchuan, Sss... it still feels like a dream honestly.”

“Yeah, did you notice that the upper star realm people we ran into earlier were looking at us with different eyes? It’s not just a dream, it’s a dream I wouldn’t even dare to imagine.”

“Haha, speaking of which, do you remember the time the sect master took in Senior Brother Yun as her direct disciple and gifted Senior Sister Feixue as his dual cultivation partner? At first, I thought it was a shame that the great elder and Senior Sister Feixue had to deal with Yun Che. But now? Tsk, I can’t believe I was stupid enough to doubt our sect master.”

“But of course, our sect master is beyond amazing.”

“...” Suddenly, Huo Poyun stopped in his tracks and shuddered like he was just struck by lightning...

It took him a very long time before he was finally moved and walked away in silence. However, his footsteps looked a tad floaty...

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