Against the Gods (Web Novel)

Chapter 1990 - Oppress

UNTEDITED - Rubble

Anger and shame completely overtook Ximen Qi’s senses at that moment. He literally didn’t care where he was or how he was doing.

The earth beneath his feet exploded as he pounced toward Yun Che. His profound aura was as chaotic as a screeching demon.

At the same time, a rock spear about three meters long appeared in his hand. It was surrounded by yellow light and roaring like a dragon.

“The Dragon Catching Spear!?” Helian Jue exclaimed in shock. To think that Ximen Borong would give the spear to Ximen Qi instead of his heir, Ximen Hong!

It showed just how much Ximen Borong valued Ximen Qi.

The profound storm Ximen Qi conjured at this moment stunned everyone present. It was much stronger than any Divine Sovereign had any right to be. He even looked like a poor man’s Divine Master at that moment.

If they weren’t sure before, they now knew that the claim that he was unrivaled under Divine Master wasn’t a lie. Of course, it was equally true that Yun Che had surprised him twice, but perhaps it was simply because he underestimated the young man. Now that Ximen Qi was unleashing his true power and even using the Dragon Catching Spear, Yun Che was probably going to…

All sorts of emotions flickered across everyone’s face. Everyone, except Yun Che. The young man was so calm it was unthinkable that he was less than a second away from being skewered by Ximen Qi.

In response to Ximen Qi’s deadly attack, Yun Che raised a burning left palm—literally, his hand was on fire—and made a grab for the spear. His action caused Ximen Qi to scream savagely, “I’ll destroy your arm first!”

Clang!!

The resulting clash was loud enough to rip eardrums and deafen the soul itself, but the object that was destroyed wasn’t Yun Che’s palm, but the profound light surrounding the Dragon Catch Spear. The crimson flame easily tore through the powerful yellow light like it was paper!

The draconic roar abruptly turned into a painful scream. Then, the profound light surrounding it vanished completely.

Ximen Qi’s already warped face instantly turned twice as distorted as before. His hateful pupils also dilated into pure, unadulterated horror. Yun Che’s palm finally made contact with Ximen Qi’s spear, and an unimaginable amount of power flowed through the spear and shook his entire body.

Earth profound energy was the most defensive profound energy in the world, and stone the best defensive element of them all. However, Yun Che’s palm had torn through both the Dragon Catching Spear’s energy and Ximen Qi’s protective energy with almost no resistance whatsoever.

A bloodcurdling scream broke through the air, and his right arm exploded into a shower of blood and gore. His right palm especially were just bones with blood on it.

Yun Che easily sucked the Dragon Catching Spear into his hand. “Destroy an arm, you say?” He sneered. “That’s a great idea!”

He brought down the weapon and speared Ximen Qi right through his right chest. It pinned the young alliance master to the ground like a speared fish. Not done yet, Yun Che dropped his foot on Ximen Qi’s head and drove it into the underground once more.

“I honestly cannot believe that you’re the son of the Qilin Worship Alliance,” Yun Che let out a low chuckle. “How did your seniors brainwash you? What did they tell you to give you the gall to challenge the Helian imperial family and my First Princess?”

“...” Helian Lingzhu’s heartstrings were immediately pulled by his words.

“Young… Young Master Qi!”

It was only wno Zhuai Liancheng finally recovered from his shock. Grim-faced, he channeled his profound energy and made a dash for Yun Che. However, Mo Cangying appeared just in time to stop him.

Bang!

The two Divine Masters clashed and pushed each other away. After he landed on his feet, Mo Cangying uttered while glaring at Zhuai Liancheng venomously, “To think that a fourth level Divine Master would attack a Divine Sovereign. Have you no shame at all, Zhuai Liancheng!?”

Zhuai Liancheng paid him no heed, however. He had been glaring at Yun Che this whole time.

Yun Che removed his foot from Ximen Qi’s head and kicked him in the torso. The young master and his spear skidded all the way back to Zhuai Liancheng. The Divine Master hurriedly caught his companion.

Ximen Qi’s right hand was just bones, his beloved Dragon Catching Spear was speared through his chest, and his skull must have fractured in at least a dozen places. He seemed completely unconscious, though it was impossible to say if it was because of pain or humiliation.

Zhuai Liancheng felt his scalp crawl. He had never, ever imagined that Ximen Qi could look this bad, much less witnessed it until now.

He raised his head and stared at Yun Che again. “Who… are you!?”

“I already told you. I’m the First Princess’ guard, Yun Che,” Yun Che replied expressionlessly and emotionlessly, “To think an animal from the Qilin Worship Alliance would dare to covet the First Princess. He would’ve died ten times over if I wasn’t afraid that he would pollute Her Highness’ eyes.”

Helian Lingzhu: “...”

Zhuai Liancheng’s gaze turned darker. Mo Cangying clenched his fists tightly as if someone had finally spoken what he wanted to say a long time ago.

“Impossible!” Zhuai Liancheng uttered coldly. “There is only useless trash left in the Helian Empire. There is no way you can be one of them!”

“Heh.” Yun Che sneered. “Young master of the Boulder Profound Sect, how is it that you still don’t realize that you’re a self-made idiot?”

“Actually, forgive me. Of course an idiot wouldn’t think they’re an idiot. They wouldn’t be idiotic if that was the case!”

“You!!” Zhuai Liancheng was beyond furious, but this time he barked a retort immediately.

Yun Che continued, “Am I wrong? Your founder probably wasn’t even born yet when Helian took over the Qilian Abyss Realm, and countless generations have passed since that day. What you saw is but the tip of the iceberg. Do you really think a handful years of decline is enough to diminish generations of accumulation? If you’re not a clown and an idiot, who are?”

“...” Helian Jue’s eyes swam. If he wasn’t the emperor of the Helian Empire, he might have thought that Yun Che was telling the truth.

Zhuai Liancheng’s complexion changed again and again. Yun Che was just a Divine Sovereign, and yet he was looking at him, a fourth level Divine Master, like he was an ant. There was even a tinge of sympathy mixed with his scorn.

Did he… and everyone else truly underestimate the Helian Empire?

It was at this moment Mo Cangying declared, “You should leave, Young Master Zhuai. You wouldn’t want your friend to lose his arm, would you?”

Zhuai Liancheng glanced at Ximen Qi and finally made up his mind. Before he left, he uttered, “I will remember this, Helian. You best be ready to face the Qilin Woship Alliance and Senior Ximen’s wrath!”

“... We shan’t be seeing you off!” Helian Jue finally found his voice again.

“Hmph!” Zhuai Liancheng picked up the Ximen Qi and the Dragon Catching Spear. Then, he left the imperial palace without ever looking back.

When he first came, he was so loud it was as if he was afraid that someone would miss his arrival. Now, he was leaving with his tail between his legs, his companion unconscious, and blood all over his robes.

Countless people must have witnessed this scene. God only knows how the rumors would spread.

“Are… Are you hurt, Yun Che?” Helian Lingzhu took a few steps forward as if she wanted to touch Yun Che, but in the end she didn’t leave Helian Jue’s side.

It was clear that she was looking at Yun Che completely different from before, however. Words could not describe the myriad emotions swirling behind her eyes.

Yun Che smiled. “I’m perfectly unharmed. You have nothing to worry about, Your Highness.”

“Yun Che!” It was at this moment Helian Jue asked in an imperious voice, “Who are you?”

“I already told you. I lost my memories after I suffered grievous injuries. I do not know where I come from,” Yun Che answered frankly.

“If you know nothing, then what gave you the gall to act in such a way?” He spoke loudly and imperiously despite clutching his heart, “Did you know who you just beat up today? Are you aware how big a tragedy you’d bring to my Helian?”

“Heh” Yun Che chuckled and turned around to face Helian Jue directly. While crushing a bloodstained rock underfoot, he curled his lips into a mocking grin and said, “When two juniors barged through your doorsteps and stepped all over Helian’s dignity, you couldn’t wait to shine their boots with your tongue so they may step on it some more. I’m the one who took back your dignity for you, but you’re lording over me like I’m the one pissed on you instead.”

“Truly, you are the most impressive emperor I’ve ever encountered in my life!”

Yun Che didn’t hold back on his taunt at all. Helian Jue’s complexion immediately turned beet red.

“You!” Helian Jue pointed a shuddering finger at Yun Che as his heart pounded painfully in his chest once more. It was so bad he nearly blacked out there and then.

Mo Cangying should be defending his humiliated emperor right about now, but this time he chose to remain silent.

“Father,” Helian Lingzhu hurriedly pressed Helian Jue’s hand down. “Zhuai Liancheng and Ximen Qi were stepping all over our dignity. It is also true that Yun Che is the one who trounced them and won back our pride.”

Helian Jue retorted, “Who cares about Zhuai Liancheng and Ximen Qi? Like we need a brat from god-knows-where to stick his nose into our business! What’s really terrifying is the factions behind—”

“It’s true that Zhuai Liancheng and Ximen Qi are trash,” Yun Che interrupted Helian Jue mercilessly, “But they’re the ones the Qilin Worship Alliance sent to discuss important matters such as the Qilin God Conference and the literally fucking replacement of your dynasty. What do you think it means, emperor?”

Helian Jue’s face stiffened.

By now, Yun Che was staring at him with undisguised scorn, “At first, I wondered why two juniors would dare to barge right into your palace and act like they own the place. The answer quickly revealed itself though. With such a spineless—excuse me, boneless emperor like you on the throne, two juniors are enough to convey, well, anything.”

“Now I understand why the First Princess had to work herself to the bone to protect the future of the empire.”

Yun Che’s words were like a spear straight through Helian Jue’s weak spot. His face twisted, but this time it wasn’t because of the pain from his heart. He flung Helian Lingzhu’s arm away and yelled, “And what do you know about my difficulties huh? You’re a mere br—junior who doesn't even know who he is or where he comes from! Like you have the right to accuse me of anything!”

Helian Jue’s reaction painted a steep contrast against Yun Che’s scornful smile. This would be a perfectly normal sight if their reactions were reversed, but it wasn’t. It was comedic to put it mildly.

“Zhuai Liancheng mentioned a ‘Guardian Ancestor’,” Yun Che wasn’t even looking at Helian Jue anymore. “I’m willing to bet that he’s a Half-God.”

There were no True Gods beyond the Pure Land and the Six Kingdom of Gods. It was unlikely that a Divine Limit Realm profound practitioner would exist in this remote location either. Therefore, Divine Extinction Realm was probably the limit.

Helian Jue’s squirming eyeballs were all Yun Che needed to see to know that he was right.

“It cannot be easy to eliminate a Half-God. The fish may die, but the web is going to be tattered at best.”

“That is why the best case scenario for the Qilin Worship Alliance and the three sects is to force Helian to surrender of their own accord.”

“For the imperial family, your best way to handle this is to act strong and bluff as much as possible.”

“The stronger you pretend to be, the more the Qilin Worship Alliance and the three sects would be wary of you. After all, you were a dynasty with ‘over a hundred eras of accumulations’. Anyone would think twice if the bluff was done properly. Unfortunately..”

Yun Che shook his head in derision. “Helian’s current emperor is a boneless, bloodless coward who spent all his day quaking in fear of tomorrow. You must have told your enemies everything about your accumulation all the way down to the color of your underwear, haven’t you? That is how you got to the point where two juniors could toy you like taking candy from a baby. Just shameful.”

From the start until the end, Ximen Qi and Zhuai Liancheng had never treated Helian Jue with any respect. It showed just how little the Qilin Worship Alliance and the three sects thought of him. Even their juniors held zero respect for the so-called emperor.

“As if that wasn’t shameful enough, the Qilin Worship Alliance is literally ordering you to step down for your throne and give up your empire, and what did you do? You demand that your daughter be wed to their heir, not their common son? Like are you kidding me right now? Hahahahahaha!”

Yun Che laughed boisterously. “It’s no wonder that the empire is in such a state!”

“...” Mo Cangying just barely managed to control his facial expression. Yun Che was shaming the emperor to his face, so why was he feeling satisfaction instead of anger?

“You…You… You!” Helian Jue trembled like a leaf in the wind. He was an emperor, and not even during his most humiliating days had he been humiliated so. Worse still, every word the youngster spoke had hit the bullseye!

“Do you really think I wouldn’t dare to kill you?!”

“Kill me?” Yun Che side-eyed him and took two steps toward Helian Jue. “Do it then. I—dare—you!”

Another emperor would’ve acted already. Helian Jue? He actually withdrew his arm a little!

Ximen Qi was shockingly powerful as a Divine Sovereign, and yet Yun Che had trounced him like a babe. By now, even the dumbest person would have figured out that Yun Che most likely belonged to a country far, far higher than the likes of the Helian Empire or the Qilin Worship Alliance.

Add to the fact that his looks were extraordinary, and he acted like he was an emperor himself…

Did he hail from a Kingdom of God?

The thought had crossed Helian Jue’s mind a long time ago.

A person’s nature was imprinted in their bones, and unfortunately, Helian’s nature was that of an utter coward. Naturally, Helian Jue would never dare to lay a hand on Yun Che—not until he figured out his background at least.