Against the Gods (Web Novel)
chapter-1413

The scale of Illusory Smoke City was about the same as Blue Wind Imperial City. The latter was an imperial city of a nation while the former was considered a truly small and remote city in the Snow Song Realm. In fact, it was a city that was so small that ninety percent of the Snow Song Realm would not be able to recall its name.

Illusory Smoke City had suffered enormous losses during their great battle to defend the city. Under such circumstances, the Illusory Smoke City’s governor ought to have done his utmost to clean up after the battle. However, due to the presence of several absolutely shocking distinguished guests in the city, he had accompanied them throughout and he had left the clean up to others.

Mu Feixue began to focus on healing her own injuries and a whole bevy of female Ice Phoenix disciples were guarding her.

Yun Che stood on the top of a roof as he silently stared at the distant snow region that was completely devastated. Today, he had merely seen the tip of the iceberg when it came to the current situation in the Snow Song Realm. In fact, he would not even be able to imagine the current state of the entire Eastern Divine Region.

With the Blue Pole Star as the precedent, he could well imagine that if this continued, the level of the profound beasts that were affected would rise higher and higher. Furthermore, once it reached a certain level, demons, humans, and spirits would start getting affected as well. At that time, the Eastern Divine Region would truly transform into an incomparably terrifying disaster zone.

It was extremely likely that this would affect the lower realms as well.

No matter what, this calamity needed to be stopped.

“Brother Ling,” Huo Poyun’s voice suddenly rang out from beside him. Yun Che did not know when he had started standing there. He was dressed all in red and his bearing was extraordinary. He had already completely transformed from the immature youth that he had been into a supreme being of the current era, someone who looked down upon all of heaven and earth.

Yun Che turned his head towards Huo Poyun and said in a half-joking manner, “I heard that Young Sect Master Huo was one of those god children who went through those three thousand years in the Eternal Heaven Divine Realm. So you calling me brother is something that I truly find difficult to accept.”

Huo Poyun gave a bland chuckle, “Three thousand years in the Eternal Heaven Divine Realm is no more than three years in the mortal realm. Even though three thousand years of my lifespan has indeed passed, when it comes to seniority, I still use the mortal realm as a benchmark.”

Yun Che also chuckled upon hearing that, “I heard that those who can become Divine Masters end up possessing powers that reign supreme over heaven and earth and they are revered and worshipped by all living beings. I’m afraid that a Divine Master that doesn’t put on any airs like you is the one and only such Divine Master in this universe.”

Huo Poyun shook his head, “Brother Ling flatters me. Speaking of which, I actually feel that Brother Ling is the one who is truly extraordinary instead.”

“Oh?” Yun Che glanced to the side as he said, “Why do you say that?”

Huo Poyun simply sat beside him with a thump and when he spoke, he did not project any of the awe-inspiring presence of a Divine Master, “When Brother Ling said that I did not possess the usual attitude of a Divine Master, you also did not have any fear or reverence towards the two words ‘Divine Master’. Just based on this point alone, Brother Ling is already an extraordinary person.”

“…” Yun Che gave a faint smile. Indeed, when faced with a Divine Master who had suddenly descended from the sky, the reaction of the Illusory Smoke City’s governor was the most normal one.

“Furthermore, for some odd reason, I felt a sense of familiarity with Brother Ling from the moment that I saw you,” he sincerely said as he looked as Yun Che.

“In that case, it would be my honor.”

“I’m telling the truth,” Huo Poyun said in a deeply moved voice. “This feeling is something I haven’t felt for too long. Brother Ling, all of you definitely think that once one becomes a Divine Master, one will be able to lord over all under heaven and be revered by all living beings, that one will be capable of doing all things and overcoming anything. But in reality… it will also cause that person to lose many things.”

“It should be worries that the common man would not be able to understand, right?” Yun Che said.

“No.” Huo Poyun shook his head, “On the contrary, these are things that could not be more ordinary to the rest of you. For example… Friends.”

Yun Che, “…”

“One year ago, I left the Eternal Heaven Divine Realm and returned to the Flame God Realm. The me who had become a Divine Master had shaken the entire universe and my glory was boundless. However, during the last year or so, I was no longer able to find anyone whom I could relate to as an equal. My previous senior brothers, junior brothers, senior sisters, and junior sisters, including the playmates and friends that I greatly cherished, all of them had changed… No, I should say that I had changed. No matter how I tried to act like I did previously, no matter how I tried to express my affection, the only thing they would feel toward me was reverence and respect…”

“Furthermore, what was even scarier was that I started to feel that they were being childish, and I would even feel that they were lowly and pathetic… No matter how much I tried to suppress this feeling, no matter how hard I tried, these feelings simply refused to go away,” Huo Poyun said as he closed his eyes and exhaled deeply.

“Hahahaha,” upon hearing Huo Poyun’s words, Yun Che gave a great laugh instead as he said, “Brother Poyun, this definitely isn’t your fault and it’s not even your loss. Rather, due to the flow of time and your increase in cultivation, the state of your mind has also leveled up. The height that you are at and the world that you currently see has long ago become completely different from what it was in the past, so for you to have these feelings is simply far too normal. It’s just like how you view the you from ‘three thousand years’ ago. Don’t you find him very childish and pathetic as well?”

“…” Huo Poyun was slightly stunned by those words but after that a faint smile appeared on his face as he said, “Perhaps, you are right. I’ve also thought of this before, but…”

“You simply haven’t gotten used to it yet. But I don’t think that you’ll still have such worries at the same time next year,” Yun Che said.

Huo Poyun turned his eyes to Yun Che and said, “The aura of Brother Ling’s lifespan shows that you should not even have reached one hundred years of age, yet you are so broad-minded and magnanimous. It makes me look like I’m actually the junior instead. It looks like Brother Ling has definitely lived through some extraordinary experiences during your lifetime.”

Yun Che laughed but he did not confirm or deny Huo Poyun’s words.

“However, if one person was still in this world, he would definitely still treat me as a friend. But he’s already…” Huo Poyun raised his head up as he looked at the pale white sky, the aura radiating from his body grew heavy and it was filled with despondency and loss.

Yun Che, “…”

“When I became a Divine Master and I left the Eternal Heaven Divine Realm, I had originally thought that I no longer had anything to fear and that I could become the eternal pride of the Flame God Realm. However, I am still far weaker and frailer than I had imagined. Upon hearing that ‘he’ was no longer in this world, I cried a lot and I only recovered after several whole days… Perhaps, it can also be counted as a kind of fortune that I had someone in this world that would cause me to react in such a manner.”

Yun Che, “…”

Huo Poyun came to himself and hurriedly apologized to Yun Che, “I’m sorry, it seems as if I’ve said a bunch of unnecessary things. He was a friend I had back then, but he’s already no longer in this world. Back in the day, he would also call me ‘Brother Poyun’ and that was why I was somewhat moved just now.”

“You seem to admire Fairy Feixue?” Yun Che abruptly asked.

“Errr…” Huo Poyun was slightly startled by that question. The Huo Poyun back in the day would have immediately gone beet red if he was asked such a question and he would panickedly deny it after that. But right now, after his brief moment of startlement, he cheerfully nodded his head and said, “That’s right. Before I laid my eyes on her, I had never known that such a beautiful woman actually existed in this world.”

“I’m not afraid of you making fun of me,” Huo Poyun said, “but I was smitten with her at first sight, long before I even entered the Eternal Heaven Pearl. It was just that at that time, my heart was filled with passion and cowardice and I felt that I was simply not worthy of a celestial maiden like her. So I naturally did not dare to reveal any of my feelings towards her.”

“During the three thousand years I spent in the Eternal Heaven Divine Realm, my mind and heart were completely focused, yet the only thing I could not forget was her figure. However, this did not hinder my cultivation at all. On the contrary, it became one of my greatest motivations. It was only when I became a Divine Master and left the Eternal Heaven Divine Realm that I finally had the courage and the confidence to approach her.”

“However…” Huo Poyun laughed bitterly as he shook his head, “As you can see, she is completely indifferent towards me, even though I’ve already climbed to such heights.”

Yun Che thought about it for a while before speaking, “Given your current cultivation and status, in all of the myriad worlds, from the princess of a nation to the daughter of a realm king, you can choose any one of them so long as you are willing. So why are you so fixated on her?”

“Perhaps that time will be the only time in my life that I felt truly touched, so touched that the deepest part of my soul stirred,” Huo Poyun said in a soft voice. “At the very least, I have not felt that same kind of feeling for any other girl, not even the slightest bit. Does Brother Ling not feel the same way?”

“…” Yun Che massaged his jaw with his hand, he did not know how to respond.

“Master has warned me time and again that the Ice Phoenix God Investiture Canon cultivated by the Ice Phoenix women would freeze their emotions and many Ice Phoenix women would remain alone for their entire lives. Moreover, they seem extremely repelled by men who possess yang energy, so they will be repelled even more by someone like me, a person who cultivates a fire profound art, but…” Huo Poyun sighed yet again, “I can’t control my own emotions. Brother Ling, do you have any methods that can help?”

“This… is something that can only be accomplished by yourself. No one will be able to help you,” Yun Che could only answer in that manner.

A bitter smile crossed Huo Poyun’s face as he stood up and said, “This is clearly the first time we’ve met, yet, for some odd reason, I complained so much to Brother Ling. I hope that you did not find it funny or take offence.”

“No way,” Yun Che said with a smile. “For Brother Poyun to be so honest and frank with me, I can only feel grateful and honored.”

Huo Poyun gave a small nod of his head and said, “Brother Ling seems to be the sort of person who likes to travel around. If you come to my Flame God Realm one day, I will definitely treat you as an honored guest.”

“Great, since Brother Poyun has said such a thing, I have no choice but to make a trip to the Flame God Realm,” Yun Che said with a big laugh.

“Mnn, it’s a promise,” Huo Poyun nodded his head as he gave a faint smile. After that, his red figure flashed and he disappeared from Yun Che’s sight.

Yun Che gloomily exhaled… Ah it was difficult, too difficult. Huo Poyun could have liked anyone else, but he simply had to like the one person in the entire Snow Song Realm that would find it the hardest to have such emotions. This was an uncommonly difficult matter.

Oh, no, no. Before we even talk about this being hard or not, Huo Poyun was now a Divine Master! A Divine Master! He was someone who had reached the highest level in this universe, he had become an existence that would be treated like a god no matter where he went. As long as he was willing, he could obtain any woman he wanted… Yet he just had to choose someone who had nearly no emotions.

This wasn’t even the problem of having a one-track mind! Instead, you could say that there was practically something wrong with his head!

There were so many world-renowned heroes who were not afraid of anything on heaven or earth, yet they simply could not pass the trial of a beautiful woman. He could only hope that Huo Poyun would not end up like this.

Yun Che did not move from his spot. He continued to sit there as he silently stared at the distant snow regions, his thoughts having long since flown to some unknown place.

He had just returned to the Snow Song Realm and he was about to return to the sect as well. There were simply far too many things he needed to think about.

Time silently flowed and after several hours had elapsed, Mu Feixue, who had been focused on healing her injuries, finally opened her eyes. Her injuries could be said to be completely stabilized so she dismissed the Ice Phoenix disciples who had been guarding her and slowly walked outside. Her gaze was slightly hazy and it seemed as if she had a lot on her mind.

In the distance, Huo Poyun, who had been keeping constant watch over her aura, wanted to hurriedly rush over and ask her if she was okay at the first possible moment. After his figure flashed a few times, Mu Feixue’s figure had already appeared in his vision.

Joy leapt up in his heart and just as he was about to move forward, the foot that he had swung out suddenly froze in place… and it did not move for a very long time.

She had changed out of those Ice Phoenix Snow Robes that had been dyed with blood and there were no longer any flaws on her body. Her originally ice-cold face looked pale and weak due to her injuries and it caused one’s heart to cry out in pity. Her dull pink lips were suffused with a faint and pearly glow and those pair of icy eyes were filled with a magnificence that another person would not even dare hope for after a thousand lifetimes…

She quietly stood there, turning the world that she resided in into a stunning painting.

Her gaze was exceptionally hazy and lost and it resembled mist and dreams. Her vision was directed… towards that rooftop that was not too tall. Yun Che sat on top of that roof, his back facing her, and he did move at all. It was clear that he was deep in thought.

She also remained motionless. She simply stared at him blankly… and she did not make a single sound for the longest time.

“…” Huo Poyun also froze in place, he had turned completely motionless.

This was the very first time he had seen such a look in Mu Feixue’s eyes, yet this gaze was something that was all too familiar to him… Because, it was extremely similar to how he had secretly stared at her back all those times, it was extremely similar to how he would unconsciously become completely dazed as he did that…

He suddenly lost the ability to think.

After he saw that scene, the world seemed to freeze in place for Huo Poyun for a very long time.

Finally, after an indeterminate amount of time, Yun Che finally came back to his senses. He stood up and languidly stretched his rather stiff waist. It was also at this time that he discovered Mu Feixue’s aura. After that, he turned around and cheerily said, “Oh! If it isn’t Fairy Feixue. It seems as if your wounds are recovering well, are you ready to return to the sect yet?”

“…” It was as if Mu Feixue had woken up from a dream. Her eyes violently twitched but she did not respond. Instead, she suddenly took to the air and floated down in front of Yun Che. She looked like a snow butterfly dancing in the air, and it was more beautiful than anything in the world.

The place where she landed was no more than a step away from Yun Che.

Mu Feixue’s actions startled Yun Che and left him at a complete less. He stared at her as he asked, “What are you trying to do? If you want to thank me for saving your life, forget it. I did not take action in order to save you. I simply could not bear to see a beauty perish before my eyes.”

Mu Feixue looked at him, her lips gently moving, her voice as light as a gentle wind, “Senior Brother Yun… You’re actually still alive…”