Against the Gods (Web Novel)

An illusory shadow suddenly appeared behind the Celestial Yang Sword. Following Ling Yun’s low mutterings, the profound energy on his entire body surged, and this shadow quickly congealed. Lastly, it actually turned into an image of a person which did not feel like an illusion at all. It wore the same clothes as Ling Yun, had the same build as Ling Yun, and even its appearance and gaze were completely the same. He reached his hand out to grasp at the Celestial Yang Sword in front of him, and in that moment, a wave of sword energy that was undeniably and completely the same as Ling Yun’s was released.

Two Ling Yuns stood together, and apart from the sword in his hands, there were no conceivable differences between them!

Yun Che’s jaw dropped slightly, and his eyes revealed shock. This is… an illusion? Remnants of a shadow? Wrong! If it was an illusion, for something like “sword energy” to exist was completely impossible, yet it was clearly releasing a sword energy that did not pale in comparison to Ling Yun’s in the slightest. It was just like another real Ling Yun!

Two Ling Yuns!?

The entire audience was stupefied, especially the younger practitioners, their eyes were opened wider than a cow’s. What skill was this? How could such an unimaginable skill like this exist in the world… It was practically like a magic trick! Even practitioners of the lowest strength could feel that the sword energy from the “second Ling Yun” was not one bit inferior to the real Ling Yun’s.

“This is the Sword Spirit Doppelganger! It is a special sword intent skill that could only be achieved by those who have attained perfect comprehension of sword intent, and are at the pinnacle of this realm!” Qin Wushang said as his eyebrows sank, “This Sword Spirit Doppelganger is formed from Ling Yun’s sword intent. Not only will it not discount from Ling Yun’s own strength, it will also have the same profound energy and skills as Ling Yun, so it will count as a completely different entity which is completely the same as Ling Yun! However, the Sword Spirit Doppelganger will be very taxing on his mind. When the Sword Spirit Doppelganger disappears, Ling Yun will definitely become extremely exhausted… However, with Ling Yun’s sword intent, this Sword Spirit Doppelganger will last for at least an eighth of an hour!

“Within that time frame, Xia Qingyue will be facing an equivalent of two Ling Yuns. A single Ling Yun is already incomparably terrifying. Two of him… Let alone an eighth of an hour, it would be extremely hard for Xia Qingyue to even last for sixty breaths of time.”

While Qin Wushang was speaking. Ling Yun’s Celestial Yuan Sword had already pierced straight out in a graceful strike. It seemed to slice through space, and even if a mountain had been up ahead, the sword would have been enough to slash it into pieces.

Xia Qingyue’s white ribbon fluttered and forged ahead to face the Celestial Yuan Sword. Following a loud explosion, the sword’s shadow and a white shadow clashed into each other, and terrifying noises like that of thunder and lightning simultaneously rang out. At this, the other Ling Yun had already rounded behind Xia Qingyue, and the Celestial Yang Sword pierced over with a sword energy of the same ferocity…

Other than by using unconventional means, Xia Qingyue’s profound energy would only be barely enough to match evenly with Ling Yun. To use strength that transcends the norm would undoubtedly be immensely consuming, and was not something that can be frequently unleashed. Xia Qingyue could contend against a single Ling Yun, but was definitely not able to match up against two of him.

The ice lotus exploded, and Xia Qingyue had already quickly shifted, but both Ling Yuns followed her like shadows. Two Sky Profound Swords, one cyan and the other orange, wove together to form two huge sword webs, locking Xia Qingyue firmly within. Originally, the power of both the Celestial Yuan Sword and the Celestial Yang Sword was already complementary. Now that both people and swords matched harmoniously, the might of this combination wasn’t as simple as just being doubled.

Crack!!

The entire Sword Discourse Arena shook violently and the large spiderweb cracks began to appear on the stone platform beneath. Many ice lotuses bloomed beside Xia Qingyue, but they would be crushed to dust instantly by the cyan and orange sword energies. Gradually, less offensive ice lotuses appeared as defensive ice lotuses increased, until at last, all the ice lotuses were concentrated on defending. The Ice Phoenix Snowflower Ribbon also went into a state of full defense and fluttered rapidly around Xia Qingyue, resisting the continuous sword energies from both swords.

Even so, she was still surrounded by danger, and was forced back step by step by Ling Yun.

“I’d have never thought that Ling Yun could actually already be able to use the Sword Spirit Doppelganger… Elder sister, I remember that it was also because Ling Yuefeng had used this strange Sword Spirit Doppelganger trick to cause you to be defeated that year.” Chu Yueli lightly spoke slowly with a cool expression. Even though Xia Qingyue had already been forced into such an absolute disadvantage, she still did not seem to be anxious at all.

Chu Yuechan’s face was cold as frost, and she did not reply.

Chu Yueli closed her eyes and activated spirit sound transmission, “Qingyue, it seems like there is no other choice. Activate ‘Domain’, I believe that once the Mistress knows that Ling Yun is capable of utilizing the Sword Spirit Doppelganger, she will not blame you for activating the Domain.”

The movements of Xia Qingyue, who had been doing her utmost to hold her own against both Ling Yuns, became sluggish. Suddenly, the ice spirits around her body floated, and a humongous “Ice Lotus Prison” exploded under her feet, causing both Ling Yuns to retreat at the same time.

The two Ling Yuns withdrew thirty meters away, then approached again at lightning speed. But at that moment, ice blue light was suddenly released from Xia Qingyue’s body. She closed both eyes, her expression as peaceful as snow. As she opened her arms slowly, her ink-black long hair floated up without any wind, and a wave of biting cold wind suddenly whistled down from the blue dome of heaven…

“Frozen… Cloud… Domain….”

A low and gentle chant slowly escaped from her lips. In a split second, it was as if the world suddenly switched over. The air in the three hundred meters that surrounded her turned into a sheet of ice in a flash. In this huge ice-blue domain, the air was as frigid as purgatory. Ice and frost filled the sky as they fell. Vapor in the air also rapidly solidified into countless ice crystals, forming a sheet of pure white that grew thicker by the second.

The movements of both Ling Yuns stopped simultaneously as layers of ice began to quickly solidify on their entire bodies. Deep shock was revealed on their faces.

“This is… This is… This is...”

“Domain!?” Without waiting for Ling Yuefeng’s cry of shock, Xuanyuan Yufeng clutched Ling Yuefeng’s hand and involuntarily shouted out.

Ling Kun’s complexion also changed in a split second. After the shock had passed, he quietly muttered to himself, “It’s truly worthy of being called… the Nine Profound Exquisite Body that holds no regard for regulations!”

“Do… Domain!?”

“It… It can’t be! It can’t possibly be! Domain…. Isn’t that a Throne’s power!”

“But this is clearly the strength of a Domain! And it’s a completely formed Domain!”

This time, not only the younger practitioners, but even the elders were all stunned. Domain, to the younger practitioners, was too far away for to reach, and to these elders, they clearly and deeply knew of the concept of Domain… And this sort of power was still the ultimate goal they pursued throughout their entire lives!

“Domain… Domain…” Ling Wugou stared at the ice blue world in front of him, gobsmacked. In the midst of all the shock, his face became thoroughly stiff. As of today, he was at the eighth level of the Sky Profound Realm, and the possibility of ever charging into the Emperor Profound Realm in his lifetime was extremely slim. And to fully utilize a Domain, was proof of a Throne’s power. But for him, all this was only a dream that could not been reached… However, this dream of his, had actually completely appeared on a mere seventeen year old girl’s body.

The might of Xia Qingyue’s Frozen Cloud Domain could definitely not compare to when it was first used by Chu Yuechan, but its completeness far surpassed that. After all, the most that Chu Yuechan, who was then half a step into the Emperor Profound Realm, could use would only be half an Frozen Cloud Domain, while Xia Qingyue’s was fully complete!

Within the Frozen Cloud Domain, ice-cold flying snow, frost, mist, and wind… everything had been changed to become advantageous towards Xia Qingyue’s element, and at the same time, it restricted Ling Yun to an enormous extent in all aspects. The frightful chill cut to the bone, and even caused Ling Yun’s bones to tremble. The sky was filled with wind and snow, and the frosty mist obstructed his view… In the beginning, he was still able to withstand it with some effort, but gradually, his body began to harden, and be it his body’s speed or his sword’s speed, both dropped sharply, and even his sword’s strength weakened as if it too, had been frozen over.

Ding!

All of Ling Yun’s sword beams had already been frozen in midair straight away, and thick layers of frost had even spread to the Celestial Yuan and Yang Swords. The world within the Frozen Cloud Domain was akin to a freezing hell, and if a person did not have a Domain of similar intensity to counteract it, they would have to bear the continuous pain of the ice prison… For Ling Yun, who was in the third level of the Earth Profound Realm, let alone two of him, even if there were ten, or a hundred, he would still not be able to create a true Domain.

While he was dumbstruck and at a loss, thick layers of ice had already unknowingly crusted below his feet and on his chest. The Ice Phoenix Snowflower Ribbon came attacking from midair, but his hardened body no longer heeded what he wanted it do, and his movements were impossibly slow…

Ping!!

With a loud explosion, the layers of ice on his chest were smashed into pieces. Xia Qingyue did not hold back at all in this hit, causing Ling Yun to be sent flying far away, flying straight for thirty meters, before landing outside of the Frozen Cloud Domain.

Bang!!

Ling Yun fell harshly onto the ground. In the split second that he had hit the ground, his Sword Spirit Doppelganger vanished, and the Celestial Yang Sword also fell powerlessly. While in the Frozen Cloud Domain, not only had his body been frozen, his profound strength had as well. So when he had taken that hit, his profound energy defense had been extremely frail. This one hit, had made him suffer profuse inner injuries. Adding to that, his soul energy was seriously damaged by the Sword Spirit Doppelganger's dissipation. The world in front of his eyes was a sea of disorder. His body struggled, yet he was ultimately unable to stand up.

“Y…. Young Villa Master!”

Ling Wugou rushed over quickly to help Ling Yun up. The moment he touched him, he found that his body was practically as cold as a block of ice.

“I… surrender…” Slowly opening his eyes, Ling Yun said these two words that he had thought he would never speak in his entire life with great difficulty. After which, his head sagged and he fainted dead away.

Initially, he had shared the limelight equally with Xia Qingyue, but after utilizing the Sword Spirit Doppelganger, he had gained the upper hand. However, the moment Xia Qingyue had unleashed Frozen Cloud Domain, he suffered a crushing defeat in the blink of an eye... Because that had surpassed the fundamental laws of profound energy. It was strength that should not have appeared in the Earth Profound Realm. He did not have the strength to contend against it at all.

Ling Yuefeng somberly went back to his seat, and then took a long breath before silently closing his eyes. The moment Frozen Cloud Domain had appeared, he knew that Ling Yun had lost, and that Heavenly Sword Villa had lost… There was not even a shred of hope for a fluke.

“She is clearly only an Earth Profound Realm practitioner, how could she… how could she…” Ling Yuefeng muttered lowly and despondently. Even up to now, he still could not accept what everyone present had just seen with their own eyes.

“Ling Yun has conceded… Frozen Cloud Asgard’s Xia Qingyue is the winner, and will enter the final battle tomorrow!” Ling Wugou stood up, and with a voice filled with pain, announced the results of this battle that nobody would have ever expected to happen.

Ling Yun… had lost...

Unexpectedly, it was Ling Yun who lost!!

They couldn’t imagine what a commotion it would cause in the Blue Wind Empire if news of this outcome were to circulate.

And if news that this practitioner who was only in the Earth Profound Realm could utilize Domain were to spread out, it would shock… Undoubtedly, it would shock the entire Profound Sky Continent!

Within the strong who were half a step into the Emperor Profound Realm, some who were especially endowed could forcefully try to use an incomplete Domain, but never had anyone been able to utilize Domain in the Earth Profound Realm, and especially a complete Domain at that!

The ice-blue Domain had slowly vanished, and under everyone’s deep shock and stares of disbelief, Xia Qingyue floated down from the sky. When she landed, her body gently shook and her towering chest also rose and fell fiercely. Even more so, her complexion was abnormally white… The result of unleashing something that belonged to the Emperor Profound Realm with only strength at the Earth Profound Realm, anyone would know how immense the toll would be on her. At her peak, this gorgeous Frozen Cloud enchantment could barely last for a maximum of twenty breaths of time.

A profound stone was again erected in the center of the Sword Discourse Arena, and on it, the two people who would be competing in the finals tomorrow were displayed…

Blue Wind Imperial Family’s Yun Che —— versus —— Frozen Cloud Asgard’s Xia Qingyue!