Against the Gods (Web Novel)
chapter-1460

When a child was in pain, their parents normally felt it ten times worse. It was something Yun Che understood only after he had had his own daughter.

As it turned out, not even a devil emperor was an exception to this rule… In fact, Jie Yuan’s pain seemed to be a lot worse because she was wracked with terrible guilt and self-blame.

Yun Che could only understand her feelings all too well...

“After Mo E had exiled senior, the Heretic God challenged him to a battle. That was the battle that decided your daughter’s fate. At first, the Heretic God seemed to have the upper hand over Mo E, but Mo E then used the Ancestral Sword to beat the Heretic God.”

Yun Che told Jie Yuan the Ice Phoenix’s speculation of that fateful battle. It was just a speculation, but Jie Yuan didn’t doubt his words in the slightest.

It was because she knew Mo E’s character better than anyone.

He was an absolutely righteous and stubborn god. After learning that she had copulated with the Heretic God and given birth to a taboo, he had gone so far as to employ the Ancestral Sword and lowly tricks that he normally would never use to exile her from the Primal Chaos.

He would never have allowed their child to live… or allowed himself to lose that fight.

“Perhaps it was because Mo E was ashamed of the way he won, he changed his mind and allowed part of your daughter to live. However, he demanded that the devil part in her must be destroyed, and that no one must know that she was your and the Heretic God’s daughter.”

Jie Yuan, “...”

“In the end, her body was destroyed, and her soul was cut apart… however, the Heretic God just couldn’t bear to destroy the devil part of her soul in the end. So, he took a great risk and used a special method to trick Mo E, hiding her devil soul in this place. That was why she was able to escape that world ending calamity and survive to this day.”

“...” Jie Yuan simply stared at her daughter blankly without speaking for a long time. It wasn’t even clear if she was listening to Yun Che.

“Maybe it is because her soul is incomplete, but she cannot speak, and her expressions and emotions are also lacking. That being said, her ability to understand others is unharmed.”

“Moreover, she seems to adore bright colors a lot. Her emotions are the clearest whenever she sees something bright and colorful.”

“Oh right,” Yun Che added, “I didn’t know what her original name was, so I called her ‘You’er’ instead.”

“You… er…” Jie Yuan finally reacted to Yun Che’s words. The name was no doubt another source of torment to her.

Naturally, the reason Yun Che had decided to call her You’er… was because she was a ghost in every sense of the word.

“Her name is Ni Jie,” said Jie Yuan softly. She didn’t get angry with Yun Che because of the name. She also continued staring at You’er as if she was the only thing in the entire world.

Ni Jie, defying tribulations...

The name was made using the word “Ni” from “Ni Xuan” and “Jie” from “Jie Yuan”. Behind the name was a hope that their daughter could break through all tribulations and live in peace forever… After all, her birth itself had been the world’s greatest taboo.

It was at this moment the girl in the sea of Netherworld Udumbara Flowers slowly opened her eyes, adding a tinge of color to the world.

She woke up because she had sensed Yun Che’s presence.

Jie Yuan shivered all over before freezing on the spot… This ancient devil emperor was so powerful that she had caused an entire group of Divine Masters to piss their pants in terror. But now, she was panicking so much that she was at a complete loss for words or action.

You’er slowly got to her feet and saw Yun Che. Her unfocused eyes instantly turned bright with color as a tiny but identifiable smile bloomed across her face.

The little girl flew toward Yun Che in a hurry and held him tightly and affectionately… Only then did she realize that there was another person besides Yun Che, turning to stare at Jie Yuan in puzzlement.

However, she didn’t look away even though her puzzlement had passed. She continued to stare at Jie Yuan blankly until her doubt took on an indescribable shape.

You’er’s sudden approach had caused Jie Yuan to freeze up completely. She stared at You’er as You’er stared at her… the mother and daughter who had been separated for millions of years were finally reunited.

However, this reunion was much too distant and broken to be anything but sorrowful.

“Do… do you still… remember me?” Jie Yuan asked softly as You’er continued to stare blankly at her.

Yun Che couldn’t move his lips… When a soul was split, their memories would fall apart completely, so it was impossible for You’er to still remember Jie Yuan. As the highest existence in this world, Jie Yuan should know this better than anyone.

Who would’ve thought that even a devil emperor would want to deceive herself sometimes?

You’er couldn’t answer her question. However, she suddenly raised a hand in an attempt to touch Jie Yuan… It looked like she was trying to perceive Jie Yuan’s existence.

It was true that she couldn’t remember Jie Yuan or the past at all.

But she was still Jie Yuan’s daughter. It was a relationship so rooted in every corner of the soul that it could never be replaced or erased.

“...” Her daughter’s hand passed through her body. She could sense her confusion and the trace of instinctual intimacy in her. Jie Yuan slowly crouched on the ground and tried to put a hand to You’er’s cheeks, but her hand simply refused to move closer past a certain point. Her lips trembled, and she wasn’t able to say a word for a very long time.

It was just like when Yun Che had found his daughter, but didn’t dare to touch her no matter what.

It was because he was afraid that it was a dream that would pop at the slightest touch, that his bloodstained hands would tarnish her perfection, and the infinite regret he held close to his heart...

Yun Che turned his head away… Be it people or devil emperors, parents were all the same apparently.

“You’er,” Yun Che said very softly, “From now on, you won’t be alone anymore. She is your…”

“Don’t tell her!”

Jie Yuan’s sudden shout stopped Yun Che short. He looked up at her in shock and puzzlement.

“Don’t…” Jie Yuan looked at You’er before shaking her head. Her voice suddenly became very soft, “Don’t tell her.”

“...” Yun Che nodded. Right now, he couldn’t match Jie Yuan’s current image with the title “devil emperor” at all.

His emotions grew jumbled for a moment as he thought to himself. In the end, Yun Che made up his mind and gritted his teeth a bit as he said, “Senior, the other half of her soul is actually still alive today.”

Jie Yuan abruptly looked at him again. “What did you say?”

Yun Che inhaled slightly before starting, “After your daughter’s soul was separated, the Heretic God entrusted the part that was allowed to live to the Sword Spirit God Clan. Later on, it seemed like the patriarch of the Sword Spirit God Clan had completed her soul with his own divine soul before remaking her body afterward.”

“...?” Jie Yuan raised her eyebrows a little because Yun Che’s explanation had contradicted with what she knew. However, she chose not to interrupt him for the moment.

“After that, she lived with the Sword Spirit God Clan as the patriarch’s daughter. The patriarch treated her like his own daughter, and she was also loved by her entire clan. Therefore, her life during those years was probably quite pleasant… even now, she is still living happily and without worry.”

“After the war began, the Sword Spirit God Clan became the first god race that was destroyed by the devil race. To keep her safe, the Sword Spirit God Clan had put her into the Primordial… er, I mean the Spirit World of Heaven and Earth and sent her away into the gaps between space. That was why she was able to escape that calamity as well.”

“The Spirit World of Heaven and Earth? Did you just say the Spirit World of Heaven and Earth?” Jie Yuan’s reaction grew a little intense.

It was because she knew that the Heretic God had gifted the Sword Spirit God Clan the Spirit World of Heaven and Earth back when he was still the Creation God of the Elements. Considering that the spatial divine energy of the Spirit World of Heaven and Earth had been engraved with the World Piercer itself, it was definitely possible for it to endure in the gaps between space for a long time.

This also meant that Yun Che was actually telling the truth!

“Where is she right now?” asked Jie Yuan urgently before Yun Che could say anything.

Meanwhile, You’er turned to look at Yun Che with the same confused look on her face. It was impossible to tell if she had understood their conversation.

Yun Che extended his left arm although he was still afraid of the consequences. The sword imprint on his arm flashed once, and a vermillion light was forcefully ejected from it.

Plop!

Yun Che hadn’t bothered to adjust his summoning posture, and Hong’er was in deep sleep as usual. As a result, she was jolted awake with a yelp of pain after landing squarely on her butt, “Mn… that huuuuuuuurts! Ai?”

She was just about to give Yun Che a harsh scolding for disturbing her sleep so roughly when she noticed that her surroundings were dark and glowing purple. Then, she saw You’er and greeted her with curling eyebrows and a wave of the hand, “Hi, You’er! I’m here to play with you again.”

Then, her vermillion eyes immediately landed on Jie Yuan and… stayed affixed for a long time.

Jie Yuan was staring at Hong’er distractedly. Unlike You’er, the girl in front of her had a complete life, body, and soul. Her face was also exactly the same as usual, and the aura she carried was something she would never forget for eternity.

It was her daughter’s aura after all.

Hong’er and You’er. They were both the daughters of the Heretic God and the Heaven Smiting Devil Emperor.

“Their” birth and existence was a taboo that was rejected by the world itself. “Their” mother had been exiled after they were born, and “their” father had become discouraged after “their” soul had been split in half. One of them led a happy life, but could never know who her true parents were. The other could only stay hidden in an abyss of darkness and live alone forever...

“Their” fate was sorrowful and difficult, but miraculously both had managed to escape the calamity that had destroyed both the god race and the devil race.

“So, who are you, big sis?” Hong’er asked in a crisp and true voice after staring blankly at Jie Yuan for a moment. Her voice sounded especially clear in the world of darkness.

“Big… big sis… Yun Che’s mouth twitched violently when he heard that.

Jie Yuan felt like she was floating as she watched Hong’er’s high spirit, stared into her star-like pupils, and listened to her spring-like voice. She actually couldn’t say a word in reply.

“Eh?” Hong’er blinked and carefully stared at Jie Yuan for a long while. Then, she smiled brightly at her before saying, “I may not know who you are, big sis, but I can tell you that you’re very pretty.”

Not only was Jie Yuan’s face completely covered in scars, they were scars that could never be healed. Anyone would’ve been frightened to see her the way she was right now. However, Hong’er had told her that she was pretty without hesitation, and her gaze and expression were such that it was impossible for anyone to doubt her sincerity.

The corner of Jie Yuan’s lips seemed to curl into a tiny smile. “You… think I’m pretty?”

“Yep!” Hong’er nodded seriously. “Your looks are a bit unusual, but Hong’er still thinks that you’re very pretty.”

“...” Jie Yuan pursed her lips tightly and smiled. Again, her tears started falling uncontrollably.

“Master,” it was at this moment Hong’er cocked her head at Yun Che and asked, “who is this pretty big sis? Is she your new wife?”

““~！@#￥%...” Yun Che’s knees went weak, and he nearly collapsed to the ground on the spot.

“...” Jie Yuan slowly shifted her gaze toward Yun Che and asked in a heavy voice, “Master?”