Against the Gods (Web Novel)

Time passed quickly. It had been more than four months since Yun Che had returned to the Illusory Demon Realm, or half a year if the time he spent out cold and resting was included as well.

Half a year was a very short time, but his experiences in the God Realm already felt like a distant past to him due to the calm and comfortable life he was able to lead.

It felt almost like waking up from a long dream.

Yun Che had spent most of his time in Demon Imperial City, although occasionally he would visit the Profound Sky Continent as well. There were only so many places he could operate in without profound energy, and they were Demon Imperial City, Blue Wind Imperial City, Floating Cloud City, Frozen Cloud Asgard, and Divine Phoenix Sect.

No longer running around and courting death wherever he went, Yun Che was able to spend much, much more time with his parents and his women. The life he currently led was drastically different from before as well.

However… only he knew if he had truly adapted to his current physical state and lifestyle.

Illusory Demon Realm, Demon Imperial City.

The sun today was extremely bright and beautiful, and Yun Che was lying comfortably on his rattan chair, basking in the sunlight with half-lidded eyes at the courtyard.

Thanks to a change of mindset and Su Ling’er’s careful nursing, Yun Che’s health had become much better compared to before. His skin and complexion were nothing like they used to look in the past, and he was dressed in luxurious clothes and followed by a beautiful maid at all times… it was something straight out of the standard life of an aristocratic son.

Feng Xian’er was currently standing next to Yun Che, although she was acting unusually quiet and obedient. Occasionally, she would sneak a glance or two at Yun Che timidly.

For the past while, she had obeyed the Phoenix Soul’s request strictly and stayed by Yun Che’s side at all times. Although she didn’t understand the intention behind “Lord Phoenix God’s” instructions, the idea didn’t repulse her at all. On the contrary, she was very satisfied and pleased to be able to see him daily and stay by his side.

Except during the nights… Some of the strange noises that leaked out of the room never failed to surprise her and send her running red-faced.

Feng Xian’er had grown up looking up to Yun Che for the past decade or so. When she had told him that he was “the sky of her world” that day, she hadn’t been trying to console him. It was a belief that had truly come from the soul. She had heard countless legends about him on the continent, and she had never failed to feel a sense of indescribable joy for him every time someone praised or worshipped him.

Even now after Yun Che had become a powerless cripple, her longing for him still hadn’t faded one bit. She couldn’t say why herself.

As Yun Che continued to lie comfortably on his rattan chair and bask in the sun, a certain thought passed through Feng Xian’er’s mind not for the first time: I would be satisfied even if all I could ever be was a simple maid of his.

“Big Brother!”

“Big Brother Yun!”

Yun Che got up from his chair let out a lazy yawn, “You’re here… Ohh! Little Yongan’s here too!”

It was Xiao Yun and Number Seven Under Heaven. They were holding hands with a young boy as they walked toward Yun Che.

Xiao Yongan was almost six years old, but a bit of handsomeness was already starting to peek out of his features. The young boy stepped in front of Yun Che, got to his knees and kowtowed to him seriously, saying, “Yongan pays his respect to Uncle Yun.”

“Aiyo!” Yun Che hurriedly brought his nephew up to his feet and laughed, “Little Yongan, I told you you don’t need to kowtow to me. Just you being here is a great joy to me already.”

But Xiao Yongan’s said seriously, “Daddy and mommy said that Uncle Yun is Yongan’s savior and benefactor. Therefore, not only must I kowtow to Uncle Yun, I should also show filial respect just like I will to daddy and mommy when I grow up.”

“Hahahaha.” Yun Che shook his head and poked his cute little face once, “Such a cute and thoughtful boy. You’re definitely my nephew.”

“Big Bother Yun,” Number Seven Under Heaven smiled at him, “Your complexion has been getting better and better, I see. In fact, hmm… I think you’ve put on some weight.”

“What!? Weight!?” Yun Che was so shocked he nearly jumped. Then, he ordered Xian’er in a most urgent tone, “Xian’er, make sure to cut down my food portion by thirty percent starting from the next meal! I can lose my power, but never my body shape!”

Feng Xian’er, “...”

“Seventh Sister’s just joking, big brother,” you haven’t put on any weight at all.”

“Oh… thank goodness,” Xiao Yun never lies, so Yun Che believed him and let out a long sigh of relief. After he had relaxed, he asked, “So, did you guys come here today to make idle chat, or is there something you need me for?”

“Er, about that…” Xiao Yun sneaked a glance at Number Seven Under Heaven, and both parties actually turned red in the face at the same time. Then, Number Seven Under Heaven looked away purposefully, clear signaling that she wasn’t going to be the one to talk about whatever it was they had come to talk with Yun Che today.

“Er… I er…” Xiao Yun hesitated for a long time before he finally mustered enough determination to ask Yun Che, “Big Brother, my question is… Are there really Divine Profound Realm profound practitioners everywhere in the God Realm?”

Number Seven Under Heaven nearly stumbled on her feet at that moment. She felt like slapping Xiao Yun on the back of his head.

Their reactions didn’t escape Yun Che’s eyes, and he answered the question in a deadpan manner, “Well, I wouldn’t go that far, but it is true that achieving the divine way is just the beginning for a God Realm profound practitioner.”

“Just the… beginning?” Xiao Yun looked shocked, but he didn’t know that Yun Che’s reaction had been worse when he first learned that Divine Origin Realm experts were commonplace, and Monarchs were lower than dogs in Snow Song Realm.

He explained,“In the God Realm, our cultivation system—the one from Elementary Profound Realm to Sovereign Profound Realm—is known as the Nine Mortal Realms, whereas their cultivation system is known as the Divine Profound Realm that transcends mortality. There are seven stages to Divine Profound Realm, starting from Divine Origin Realm to Divine Master Realm.”

“In that case, what stage is the Phoenix Goddess—oh, sorry, I mean Sister-in-law Feng—at in the divine way?” Xiao Yun’s eyes lit up slightly, “She should be quite high up in the Divine Profound Realm, right?”

“She is currently at the third level of the Divine Origin Realm and the bottom of the divine way,” Yun Che replied, “She hasn’t even reached the mid-stage of Divine Origin Realm.”

“...Ha!?” Xiao Yun was shocked yet again as disbelief riddled his face, “But she… she’s the number one profound practitioner in both tge Profound Sky Continent and Illusory Demon Realm. She may have been even more powerful than you were back then, Big Brother… How… how is this possible…”

“You shouldn’t compare them like this. Our world and their world are on two different planes,” Yun Che said. “If one day you have the chance to travel to the God Realm and know their spirit energy or resources, you’ll understand what I mean… Actually, you know what, it’s better if you never go there. It’s not a good place.”

Huo Poyun was born in a middle star realm, and he was able to participate in the Conferred God Battle because he was fortunate enough to obtain all of the Golden Crow Spirit’s inheritance. Although he had lost horribly in the middle, he had undoubtedly made history for the Flame God Realm… if Yun Che hadn’t existed, he would’ve become the hero and legend of the middle star realms too.

Feng Xue’er’s situation was identical to Huo Poyun’s. If she had been born in the Flame God Realm, her achievements wouldn’t be lower than Huo Poyun’s… In fact, if she were to head to Flame God Realm right now, her bloodline was all she needed to make Yan Juehai, the Phoenix Sect Master fall on his knees. Her profound strength might be nothing impressive, but her phoenix bloodline was so pure that even Yun Che couldn’t match up to her.

“So… so how high did you reach, Big Brother?” Xiao Yun yet asked another question, “Were you at the late stage of Divine Origin Realm… or further than that?”

“...” Yun Che smiled and shook his head, “It doesn’t matter, does it? It’s all in the past. Why don’t we talk about your business… Seriously, what are you here for? Why all the smoke and mirrors?”

“Er, about that…” Xiao Yun immediately turned awkward again when the “business” was brought up, “I er… I… wanted to know if…”

His eyes occasionally shifted to Number Seven Under Heaven or Feng Xian’er. His voice had become at least twice as soft. But despite stuttering for an incredible amount of time, he still failed to force a complete sentence out of his mouth.

It was at this moment an incredibly true and melodious cry cut through the air:

“Daddy!”

Yun Wuxin appeared in the sky before falling towards Yun Che like a bird. “Daddy, catch me.”

Yun Che’s eyes lit up immediately when he saw his daughter. Xiao Yun completely thrown to the back of his mind, he turned around, stretched out and subconsciously circulated his profound energy. Then, he jumped into the air and...

…got about point one five meter of the ground before crashing heavily on his butt.

“Ah?” Yun Wuxin landed on her feet light as a feather before giving her father a hand, “Are you okay, daddy? Why did you trip all of a sudden?”

“I’m fine, I’m fine,” Yun Che swiftly got up to his feet before swiping away the dust on his butt imperceptibly. “I was just careless and slipped on my feet. Hmm? Why have you come alone today? Where are your master and your mom?”

Yun Wuxin replied excitedly, “Master said that I’ve been improving at a tremendous rate, and as a reward she decided to send me home a bit earlier to keep daddy company. Mom said she’s going to stay in Frozen Cloud Asgard for a couple of days, and that it’s about time I start learning to be independent. She said that I shouldn’t always stay glued to her.”

“It’s okay, you can stay glued to your daddy instead,” Yun Che said with a smile.

Yun Wuxin stretched her arms high and said, “Carry me, daddy.”

Yun Che leaned down and lifted her delicate body up to his shoulders, smiling, “Why do you like being carried so much lately?”

Yun Wuxin hugged her father’s neck and leaned her head against his shoulders, giggling, “It’s because I’ve missed eleven years of being carried by you, daddy. I’ve got to catch up to them all, am I right? Heehee…”

“Not a problem, I’ll carry you for the whole day today.”

“Em… but Mom said that daddy’s body is weak right now. You’ll get tired if you carry me for too long.”

“~！@#￥%…Don’t listen to your mom’s nonsense! Your daddy’s plenty strong!”

Xiao Yun and Number Seven Under Heaven’s eyes turned misty as they watched the father and daughter clinging close to one another. It was such a heartwarming scene that their hearts could melt. They muttered at the exact same time:

“I want a daughter too…”

“It’d be so nice to have a daughter…”

They looked at each other after the outburst, and Number Seven Under Heaven pinched Xiao Yun fiercely on his waist, “Then why didn’t you say anything just now!”

“I… I’ll say it right now, right now!” Xiao Yun nodded like a pecking chick.

The reason they had sought out Yun Che today was quite simple actually...

They wanted a second child!!

Neither of them had thought about having a second child at first, but after Yun Wuxin had returned to the Yun Family with Yun Che and filled them with envy, their desire to have a daughter grew day by day. Back then, they had Xiao Yongan all thanks to Yun Che’s pill, which was why they had come to ask for the same thing again.

However, Xiao Yun was easily embarrassed as a person, and Feng Xian’er had been standing by Yun Che’s side quietly. As a result, he had failed to put his request into words despite a long time.

“Daddy, I want to head to Frozen Cloud Asgard. I’m starting to miss Auntie.”

Naturally, the “Auntie” Yun Wuxin spoke up was none other than Chu Yueli.

“No problem, we will head there right away. It so happens that I’m starting to miss them as well.”

“Cough, Big Brother,” Xiao Yun finally gathered his courage to say, “There’s something I…”

“Oh… Xiao Yun, as you can see I’m not free today, so we’ll talk about this next time ok?” After that, Yun Che waved him goodbye and started running towards a teleportation formation with his daughter still on his shoulders.

“Ah? Big Brother…” Xiao Yun froze with his hand still outstretched, a dumb look etched to his features.

Feng Xian’er’s figure blurred and reappeared right behind Yun Che. Without her protection, Yun Che would freeze like a dog the instant he stepped into the Snow Region of Extreme Ice.

Bang!

Number Seven Under Heaven stomped on Xiao Yun’s foot fiercely and elicited a terrible scream from the man. She said angrily, “You men are all useless. I’ll go talk with Sister Ling’er myself, hmph!”