Against the Gods (Web Novel)

The Star God Emperor had three children who were all able to obtain the legacy of a Star God’s divine power… Furthermore, in the history of the Star God Realm, there had never even been two siblings who were able to accomplish that feat, much less three. This should have been a miracle that was worthy of being recorded forever in the annals of the Star God Realm, yet it had created the tragic destiny of the three siblings, Xisu, Jasmine and Caizhi.

All because of a blood sacrifice ceremony that only existed in writing, a ceremony that no one knew was real or fake, and even worse, a ceremony that was not even guaranteed to succeed.

Xisu’s wild laughter was hoarse and filled with despair… Yun Che’s face had gone ghastly white and his entire body felt limp and numb. His heart was thumping intensely inside his chest and his breathing was heavy and rough. This situation startled He Ling so badly that her face had also turned white.

He finally understood why Jasmine’s expression had changed so much back in the Profound Sky Continent when she had heard from Moonflower that Caizhi had become the new Heavenly Wolf Star God, and why she had chosen to follow her back to the Star God Realm. He also finally understood why she had severed all ties with him an incredibly determined and merciless fashion, and had even said the words “we no longer owe each other anything” and “we will never see each other again”...

He finally understood why Jasmine had refused to come out and see him no matter what on that day in the Eternal Heaven God Realm. Furthermore, every word she said was so merciless that they bored holes in his heart as she tried her best to chase him away...

He finally understood why Jasmine had been so overbearing when she had forcefully betrothed Caizhi to him during his time in the Star God Realm… She had been entrusting him to Caizhi and she had also been entrusting Caizhi to him...

He finally understood why Jasmine had not chosen to return to the Star God Realm after acquiring the Evil God’s blood and fleeing the Southern Divine Region. Instead she had chosen to escape towards the far-distant lower realms...

After her body had been reconstituted in the Profound Sky Continent, she did not immediately return to the “world where she had been born”. Instead, she said that she would continue keeping him company for the next thirty years… So it was actually because she had not intended to return in the first place, and those so-called “thirty years” were no more than her being a tsundere. If she had not been discovered, she would have accompanied him for the rest of their lives...

Before he left the Star God Realm, she was suddenly so adamant about him entering the Eternal Heaven Pearl. As it turned out, the reason for this was to make him avoid the day where she was going to be sacrificed, and she also wanted to use that three thousand years of emptiness to dull the emotions he had for her...

Haha… How could that be possible… I chased you all the way to God Realm. Even if I experienced countless life or death situations, even if I had to suffer the torture inflicted upon me by the Brahma Soul Death-Wishing Mark, even if I was never able to return… I did not experience even an instance of regret, so how could that dull my feelings towards you...

Don't mention three thousand years, it would still be absolutely impossible even after thirty thousand years or three million years at that...

Just like the Star God blood that you left in my body, there is no way my feelings for you will ever disappear or be extinguished.

During the short amount of time he had spent with Jasmine in the God Realm, he had clearly sensed something abnormal in her behavior… At the very least, he knew that she was hiding something very important, something that she had no choice but to do, from him. He had not pursued the matter, but at the same time, he had never thought that it would actually involve her very life...

Because his Jasmine was the Heavenly Slaughter Star God! She was so strong, and even though she was not the strongest Star God, she was the Star God who possessed the greatest speed, the greatest ability to hide, and the greatest ability to run away. Even when her body had been afflicted with a deadly poison all those years ago, even the strongest star realm in the Southern Divine Region, the Southern Sea God Realm, had not been able to catch her...

Besides, she was also the daughter of the Star God Emperor, the eldest princess of the Star God Realm, who could even begin to threaten her life?

So he had never even dreamed that it would be this kind of reason or this kind of result...

“Big Brother Xisu,” Yun Che was trying his best to maintain his composure, but the moment he spoke, every single word was accompanied by the chattering of teeth, “Is there any way… that we can save her?”

“Save her… Just how are we supposed to save her!? How are we supposed to save her!?” The voice of Xisu’s spirit was faint and weak but it sounded completely crazed, “The Absolute Star Soul Barrier has already been opened. Besides the Twelve Star Gods who possess the Star God blood, no other living creature or existence will be able to enter or exit that place. So no one can stop it… no one can save her… No one!!”

“...” Yun Che vigorously shook his head before speaking in a lifeless voice, “It won’t happen… Perhaps the Star God Realm opened up the Absolute Star Soul Barrier for another reason… After all, he is still Jasmine’s father… he won’t… Perhaps it’s all fake...”

Amidst the huge shock and impact he was experiencing, he had become completely dispirited and was at a loss as to what to do. The only thing he could do was forcibly console himself.

“Father? Is he even fit to be… is he even fit to be… Uaahhh… ahhhhh!!!”

With a light ring, Xisu’s spirit suddenly was ripped apart after the distortions that had wracked its frame became too intense. After that, it swiftly dissipated, disappearing from the face of this world.

“Big Brother Xisu!” Yun Che fearfully and hurriedly rushed forward and the hand that he had subconsciously stretched out was only able to grab the last remaining bits of spirit that were swiftly dissolving into nothingness.

Xisu had left behind this small trace of his soul in hopes that he would be able to personally see Jasmine escape the Star God Realm, because that had been his greatest worry before he fell. If he could see a safe Jasmine before the Day of the Rippling Stars arrived, then he would be able to truly pass on in peace.

But he never thought that his last bit of consciousness and will would have to endure a pain and despair that was even deeper than the pain and despair he had endured on his dying day, causing the Heavenly Wolf Star God who had mightily shaken the entire God Realm to cackle and scream like an evil spirit.

“Why did it turn out like this… Why did it… turn out… like this…” Yun Che’s entire body had gone cold, his right hand had grabbed his head and his stretched out and bent fingers looked as if they were going to crush his own skull.

“Master, what’s… what’s wrong with you?” He Ling had been so frightened that her face had also turned a ghastly white, and she was now feeling a shocking cold course through the hands that she was using to support Yun Che.

Shen Xi had already understood many things from looking at Yun Che’s reaction. She had previously guessed that Yun Che’s Evil God powers had come from the Heavenly Slaughter Star God and it was also highly likely that the Heavenly Slaughter Star God had been his master in the profound way. At this moment, it looked like the relationship between these two people was far from ordinary, and the Heavenly Slaughter Star God had definitely been by his side during all those years that she had been missing.

“Yun Che, things have already gone so far that it is no longer possible to change anything,” Shen Xi said. “To think that a powerful Star God would also meet a fate such as this. If you don’t want such a thing to ever happen again, the only thing you can do is to become even stronger, strong enough that you can change everything.”

To think that the power of a Star God could combine with the power of another Star God as long as a certain “compatibility” was present. This was a strange piece of news that had definitely shattered all known knowledge in the God Realm, and even if it was spread it would be rather hard to believe. But Shen Xi knew that this was likely true.

Because she had heard of a similar rumor… and she had heard it during a long gone era in the distant past.

It was just that not a single Star God in any of the eras had ever truly done this before, because this fusion of powers required the sacrifice of one’s own flesh and blood as a price. It was something that went against human nature, something that went against the laws of heaven and society. She had also never thought that this record would actually remain to this day and that it would actually be put to the test.

It was as if Shen Xi’s comforting words had some effect as the shuddering which wracked Yun Che’s body calmed down bit by bit, and the hand that fiercely grabbed his own scalp began to loosen its grip as well… It was just that the ice-cold sensation that was coursing through He Ling’s hands had become even more bone-piercing.

When he had managed to stand up straight again, even his breathing had become exceptionally calm and steady. Cold light congealed in his eyes and a light flashed in the air above. After that, the Vanishing Moon Celestial Palace, that was bathed in moonlight, appeared as it broke through space.

Yun Che’s actions caused Shen Xi’s beautiful eyes to move intensely as she stretched out a hand as swift as lightning to grab hold of Yun Che, “What are you planning on doing?”

“I am going to the Star God Realm,” Yun Che replied, although trembling could be heard in that ice-cold voice.

“...Do you even know what you are saying?” The hand which Shen Xi used to grab Yun Che suddenly gripped much tighter.

“I must go! I must go no matter what!” Yun Che’s voice was completely hoarse but every word that he said carried with it a an icy-cold resoluteness that pierced the bone.

Shen Xi’s figure blurred and she blocked his path forward, “That is the Star God Realm! What can you do even if you go? Can you even save her!?”

“Even if I can’t save her, I still have to go!!” Yun Che yelled in a hoarse voice.

“Yun Che!” Shen Xi’s voice, which was always as graceful and soft as a cloud, grew severe at this moment, “Calm down right now! Even though the Vanishing Moon Celestial Palace is the fastest profound warship in the universe, it will still take several days for you to reach the Star God Realm even if it goes at its maximum speed! By that time… the ‘ceremony’ would have long been over!”

“No, it won’t,” Yun Che said as he shook his head. “Just now, Xisu’s spirit said that the ceremony would only take place on the Day of the Rippling Stars, so he set the time for his spirit to be revived to ‘before the Day of the Rippling Stars arrived’, this meana that the Day of the Rippling Stars has not come yet! The Star God Realm opened up the Absolute Star Soul Barrier in order to make preparations. They have not started the ceremony yet… I’ll make it in time… I’ll definitely make it in time!”

He had clearly said such deranged and dispirited words that made no sense at all, but his brain was so clear and awake that it was frightening.

“Even if you can truly make it, what difference will it make? No one can break through the Absolute Star Soul Barrier, even the Dragon Monarch would not be able to!”

“I can! Xisu said that only the Twelve Star Gods who possessed the Star God blood could enter and exit the Absolute Star Soul Barrier. And I just so happen to possess the Star God blood that she has given me within my body. Perhaps… No! I can definitely enter! I definitely can!!”

Shen Xi, “...”

“Don’t stop me!!” Yun Che’s hands were balled into tight fists as he sought to escape from Shen Xi’s obstruction.

Shen Xi’s eyes flashed and her arm lightly moved. Immediately, a white light engulfed Yun Che. This cluster of white light was exceptionally pure and thin, yet it made Yun Che feel as if an infinitely huge mountain was pressing down on him. Every single part of his body was firmly restrained and he could not move even a single muscle.

“You… Let go… Let go of me!” As if he would be able to escape the suppression that was wrought by Shen Xi’s powers. His features twisted up impressively as he tried his best to break free and his eyes were swiftly filled with veins of blood, “Let go of me!”

“Let go of… ME!!!”

Following that extremely hoarse roar, large amounts of blood began to flow from the teeth that he had gritted ferociously.

“Mas… Master?” He Ling had clearly been shocked silly and she was left at a complete loss for a long period of time.

“Yun Che!” Shen Xi’s voice was soft and gentle but it also pierced one’s heart, “Listen well to my words. You are still young and you can be wilful, but you can’t be wilful with your own life! I do not know what happened between you and the Heavenly Slaughter Star God, but… you can’t save her! Nobody can save her! If you go, you will only be going off to die in vain. Other than that, there won’t be any other result!”

“Right… I can’t save her… Just how can a piece of trash like myself go and save her…” Yun Che could not move a single inch, but all of the muscles in his body were twisting and contorting, and it was clear that he was still struggling with all of his might, “But you want me to hole up in here and wait for the day of her death… I’d rather die!!”

“LET… GO… OF ME!!”

“Die?” Shen Xi’s brows sank, “Does that word come out of your mouth so easily? Do you know how difficult it was to pluck your life from Qianye’s evil hands!? Xia Qingyue crossed entire divine regions to bring you here, she knelt down and begged for your sake, yet you would betray and disappoint her in such a manner? There’s also Ling’er, she saved your life and even became your poison spirit. Just a few days ago, you personally vowed to her that you would take revenge on the Brahma Monarch God Realm together with her… You have not repaid any of the debt that you owe her, have not fulfilled a single bit of the vow that you made to her, yet you want her to completely die due to your absolutely unreasonable actions!?”

“...” Yun Che’s eyes jolted into focus, and the struggles of his body stopped for an instant.

“You can die.” Upon observing his reaction, Shen Xi’s voice grew gentler, “You can die in the middle of taking revenge for yourself and Ling’er. You can also die protecting other people. You can even die by being assassinated by someone else… But to send yourself to your death despite knowing that you would go just to die in vain… Have you ever thought of the people who painfully wait for your return in the lower realms? Have you ever thought of Ling’er? Have you ever thought of those people who did not hesitate to throw away their lives and dignity just to save your own? Have you ever thought of the Heavenly Slaughter Star God who did not tell you a single bit of the truth in order to stave off your impulsive actions!?”

Yun Che, “...”

“Yun Che, your life is something that I have saved, I will not allow you to spend it so poorly, and in such a meaningless and stupid fashion,” Shen Xi said softly. “If you truly want to do right by her, then continue to live on and get stronger, strong enough that you can take back all of her discontent and dignity. You have the power of the Evil God, you will definitely be able to accomplish what others can not in due time! This is what you should do as man, as the person who has inherited the power of the Evil God!”

Yun Che did not speak for a very long time and his aura seemed to have calmed down slightly. Shen Xi thought that he had managed to calm down and her heart relaxed slightly. But at this moment, Yun Che spoke again, his voice deep and slow:

“Shen Xi… this life of mine was indeed saved by you… and what I owe you cannot be counted… But…” His eyes had turned scarlet, as if they had been stained by blood and because his body had struggled far too intensely, cracks were actually starting to spread across his body, “If you stop me today… I will definitely hate you… for the rest of my life!”