Against the Gods (Web Novel)

You are not worthy…

Each time these three words came from Jasmine’s mouth, they would contain even more contempt and impatience than the previous time.

Back when she was on the Blue Pole Star, Jasmine despised everything about the Blue Pole Star. There was nothing in the Blue Pole Star that she considered of any more significance than an ant… except for him.

But now…

Countless times he had thought of the innumerable ways in which he could meet Jasmine, and in many of them, he was furiously cursed at by Jasmine, and even got beaten by her in anger… However, he never thought that upon coming over to him, she would not even be willing to see him, and only show her contempt, scorn, and impatience to him.

“Jasmine…” Yun Che calmed himself down for an unknown period of time, before uttering in an obscure voice. “You’re a star god, and I… certainly… am not worthy of you.”

Jasmine, “…”

“Given my origin, cultivation, and standing, it is impossible for me to even have the qualification to talk with a star god. The reason I’m still alive, can live such a life, and am able to stand here, is all thanks to you… Even if I were to repay you for all you have done with my life, it would still be far, far insufficient. So obviously, I don’t have any qualification to ask anything of you…”

“Repay with life? Hah, no need for that,” Jasmine sneered. “Although your body did dirty my soul body back then, you were at least of some use. Right now, your lowly life is worthless to me. If you get even a bit closer to me, that would sully my body of a star god! You’d better save it for those awful women of yours! Hurry… up… and… get lost! Don’t force me to kick you out of here. It would be quite an unsightly sight if I do it that way!”

Jasmine’s tone and words were heart-stabbing. Yun Che was trying to sense whether she was reluctant to speak in this manner or if there was any hesitation in her voice… but there was no such thing at all.

“…Jasmine, I… should definitely not believe myself to certainly know your thoughts, or think that you have missed me as much as I have you. But at least it can’t be denied that… I put in great effort and risked my life everyday during these three years in the God Realm in order to find you. In the end, I didn’t even hesitate to make it into the Conferred God Battle, so that you could hear my name. Even if you truly have utter disdain for me now, at the very least… let me get a glimpse of you. Allow me tell you all the things I wanted to talk about with you, while looking at your face, and…”

“Are you deaf!?” Jasmine’s voice didn’t change in the slightest because of his words. Instead, she sounded angry all of a sudden. “Shut your mouth! I don’t want to listen to your ridiculous nonsense. You should quickly get lost from here before you bring me trouble. Someone like you has no qualifications to ask anything of me!”

The corners of Yun Che’s eyes quivered as he unconsciously clenched his hands. An unfamiliar feeling of numbness oozed out of his entire body, which very soon disappeared together with his sense of feeling… He took a deep breath, before saying lightly, “I certainly don’t have… any such qualifications. But I… found you after facing so much difficulty. At least, I’m not willing to give up like this… Can you… at least tell me how exactly I would be qualified to see you!?”

“Oh?” Jasmine’s tone of voice became playful, “I see that your nature of not recognizing and reflecting on your mistakes until you suffer because of them hasn’t changed in the least. Hah… All right then. Considering that you did save me in the past, after all, and also exerted all your strength in the God Realm for so long just to get here…I’ll give you an opportunity.”

Yun Che suddenly raised his head.

“However, do keep in mind that this is the only opportunity you’ll be getting from me. If you can accomplish what I say, I’ll meet you in person, and might also tell you everything that you want to know,” Jasmine said in an indifferent tone. “But, if you fail to do it, immediately get lost from here and return to your planet! You’re not to step into the God Realm ever again!”

Yun Che nodded heavily, with almost no hesitation, “Okay! No matter what… I’ll get it done for sure!”

“Very good.” Jasmine’s voice slowed down, however, it clearly sounded carefree and careless now. “Although in the eyes of us star gods, everyone below the status of realm king is nothing different from an ant, there are indeed a few people without such a status who also have some qualification for us to take notice of them. For example… Oh? Aren’t you participating in this Profound God Convention? The first place holder of the Profound God Convention has the qualification to meet even the god emperors face-to-face, let alone star gods.”

Yun Che, “…”

“Haha, such a good opportunity is already lying at your feet. So long as you place first in this session of the Profound God Convention, I’ll at once come out and see you. I’ll tell you all the things that you want to know. How about it? Hahahaha…”

Yun Che’s face slowly turned pale… The “opportunity” Jasmine gave him was something that was completely impossible to realize. It was basically not an “opportunity,” but ridiculing and making fun of him.

Jasmine was laughing in extreme ridicule.

He was definitely participating in the Profound God Convention, and had even entered the Conferred God Battle. But everyone knew about the “means” he had used to do so. Furthermore, he had already lost the first battle, and no matter who he met in the next battle, he was still bound to lose again, without a doubt… When it was absolutely impossible for him to win in the next battle, there was, of course, no way for him to be able to place first in the Profound God Convention.

“Why don’t you say anything? I have bestowed an opportunity to you now. If you’re not up for it, get lost from here this instant. So that you don’t seem too pitiful, I at least wish for your success. But if you can’t even get such a very basic qualification… hah, then remember the words you said, and quickly get back to the place you came from!”

Jasmine’s tone had grown more and more impatient, as if she was doing her utmost to drive out a fly that she didn’t want to spare even a glance.

The oppressiveness he was feeling in his heart became heavier and heavier. He was unable to accept or believe that things turned out this way, after everything he had done over the period of three whole years. Yun Che stood in a daze for a long time, before finally nodding his head, “Okay… I’ll get lost… I’ll get lost from here today…”

“But… even if it makes me look pitiful, let me see you again before I leave… I’m fine with just a glimpse of you… Afterwards, I’ll leave immediately, and won’t bother you ever again.”

Yun Che never thought that there would come a day when he would say such petty and worthless words…

But, she is Jasmine…

She is none other than Jasmine, after all…

Silence reigned in the place for a short while, after which Jasmine’s loud and unbridled laugh resounded beside his ears.

“Hahahaha… I’m truly so foolish to actually waste my energy talking with trash such as you!” Jasmine was so enraged that she laughed in response instead. “I’m surprised that you’re still dreaming about it. Hah, suit yourself. You just continue to have your unrealistic dreams for as long as you want!”

Jasmine’s voice sounded more and more distant rapidly as her extremely disdainful and emotionless sneer resounded beside Yun Che’s ear. It was obvious that she wasn’t in the mood to speak another word with him.

“Jasmine!” Yun Che’s gaze became serious. He let out a loud cry, as he stretched out his hand and quickly fumbled around in the Sky Poison Pearl. Then, a huge purple flower appeared in his hand.

The purple flower was blooming solitarily, every petal of which was like purple jade with light flittering on it, and was emitting bright, purple demonic light. Although it was lightly enveloped by the rays if light coming from the Sky Poison Pearl, it was still bewitching beyond comparison.

It was the Netherworld Udumbara Flower that he had gotten from the mysterious girl with colorful pupils, below the Cloud’s End Cliff.

Back then at the Moon Slaughter Devil Nest, he had exhausted all his will power to pick a Netherworld Udumbara Flower that only had four petals.

However, this one was complete, with no flaws.

These years he had been constantly yearning to hand it over to Jasmine.

“Oh? Netherworld Udumbara Flower?”

The soul voice of Jasmine once again came from somewhere extremely far away, but it didn’t contain the least bit of excitement. Yun Che was just about to say something when the Netherworld Udumbara Flower in his hand was lifted by an enormous power all of a sudden, and swept up in the sky.

“Hmph! At the time, I had no other choice other than this sort of thing in that lowly, barren place to reconstruct my body. Now that I am in the Star God Realm, why would I still use such a thing… So ridiculous!”

RIP!!

The space split apart suddenly, and the demonic flower, which was emitting purple light, was immediately swept into it by spatial storm, and instantly turned to nothingness.

Jasmine’s voice didn’t resound again… She had gone far, far away at this moment.

Yun Che stood in place in a daze, as his eyes grew cloudy. It was as if his soul was taken out of him, and he stayed still for a long period of time…

—————————————————

Outside the Eternal Heaven Realm, in the midst of stars, an exquisite red figure appeared out of void.

She was embracing a deep purple demonic flower that was a lot bigger than her. Her body gradually curled downward, like an injured kitten, as her entire being trembled continuously.

“What… am I doing…?”

“Just… what exactly… am I doing…?”

Drip…

Drip…

Scarlet drops of blood trickled down the corner of her mouth, as they fell on the purple pupils and reflected enchanting and strange rays of light.

No one was accompanying her, so there wasn’t anyone who could see her tears. There wasn't a single person who could attentively listen to her voice, and it was even more not possible for there to be someone who could help her… In the lonely, ice cold world, she only had the purple demonic flower with her. If it was possible, she would have rather wanted to have her soul be taken away by the purple demonic light, and fall into an eternal dream…

Fifteen minutes…

Thirty minutes…

Two hours…

Four hours…

A long time passed…

She finally raised her head. Her eyes were still misty and had a painful look in them, but they were releasing an absolutely terrifying, abnormally scarlet light…

“Moon…flower…!!!”

—————————————————

BANG!!

The huge gate of the courtyard was pushed open, as Huo Poyun rushed in with quick steps. There was a deep excitement on his face, “Brother Yun! Let me tell you some good information. Tomorrow’s match up list has come out, and you know what? You actually… don’t have any opponent to face!”

Yun Che, “…”

“Actually… do you remember that Wei Hen? His qualification was cancelled, and his name erased after what happened, but it was precisely him who was going to be your opponent. Hence, there was no one to match up with you, which is equivalent to you directly entering the round after next. Isn’t that great!? Moreover, Luo Changan is my first opponent of the Conferred Gods Group tomorrow, and I’m quite confident about defeating him. It would also be a nice way to give vent to your… Eh?”

Yun Che was quietly sitting on the bluestone beside the pond, without budging an inch. He didn’t show any reaction to Huo Poyun’s words, either.

“Brother Yun, what’s wrong… with you?”

Yun Che slowly raised his head. His eyes were almost lusterless, causing Huo Poyun to be so surprised that he nearly retreated a step.

“I’m all right. I’ve yet to congratulate you on winning the first battle,” Yun Che said with a forced laugh.

“Brother Yun, you… I…” Huo Poyun was at a loss seeing how Yun Che looked at this moment.

“I’m sorry to show you my disappointing and disgraceful state.” Yun Che let out a faint laugh. “Don’t worry, just let me be by myself for a while… I’ll not look the same tomorrow.”

“Ah… okay.” Unable to come up with anything to comfort Yun Che, Huo Poyun promptly nodded his head. He wanted to say something, but had no idea what he should be saying in such a situation. He could do nothing except for being worried for him. He turned around his head as he left, “Then I… will come tomorrow again to call you.”

Just as Huo Poyun left, a fairylike figure came over to his side.

“Yun Che… what really happened?” Mu Bingyun asked in a light tone. It was also her first seeing Yun Che so dispirited and soulless.

“…She did come, but…” At this place, Mu Bingyun was the only person that he could pour out his heart to. But the instant he opened his mouth, an unbearably painful feeling spread throughout his body, rendering him unable to say anything.

Mu Bingyun knitted her moonlike brows. Looking at Yun Che, she had already vaguely guessed the reason behind his current condition. She said in a light tone of voice, “Is it that… she told you to go back?”

“…” Yun Che nodded his head before shaking it, and saying in a hoarse voice. “She… can drive me out in a hurry… but why… is she not willing to… even see me…?

“Things shouldn’t have… turned out this way…”

Considering Yun Che’s state at this time, there was no way Mu Bingyun couldn’t imagine the attitude of the Heavenly Slaughter Star God when she talked with him. Perhaps, being ruthless to him wasn’t the only thing she did…

“In that case, what are you planning to do next?” Having remained silent for a short while, Mu Bingyun asked a question that one shouldn’t be asking the current Yun Che.

“I don’t know… Actually, she is right… She is a star god… so I don’t have any qualification to…” Yun Che took a deep breath, but he felt even more stifled in his chest. “I no longer… have a reason to stay in this place… It’s just… just that… I’m unable to accept such an outcome… Why did she… not even let me get a glimpse of her…? Could it be that everything in the past… was all fake…? Was it only my own wishful thinking all along…?”

Harboring endless yearning and the obsession that was carved deeply at the bottom of his heart, he had followed Mu Bingyun to the God Realm. Over these past three years, he had abandoned so many things, paid so much, and even contended for opportunities with his life on the line, all for the sake of meeting Jasmine again… He had thought that the process of finding Jasmine would be the biggest hurdle in his way. Who would have thought… that even after clearly finding Jasmine, he would have to face such a final result.

Mu Binyun was quietly listening to him, as she let out a slow and long sigh in her heart.

“Yun Che, I want to ask you something.” Mu Bingyun raised her head. The sky had begun to get dark, “If she met you in person, would you truly feel that your wish had been fulfilled after meeting her? Would you be perfectly contented and make the decision to go back?”

“You don’t have to reply now,” Mu Bingyun said. “I’ll take you back to the Snow Song Realm. In the God Realm, except for her, I’m the one who has known you for the longest time. I have always observed your nature when you were in Frozen Cloud Asgard.”

“A large number of profound practitioners of the lower realms put in effort to come to the God Realm. It’s basically because of one of the following reasons, either to pursue an even higher profound way, or to experience an even wider world. The great majority of profound practitioners from the lower realm would even be content with becoming a king over there. But you left behind everything for the sake of meeting a person. With a sense of duty to meet her at all costs, you followed behind me and came to the God Realm, where you knew nothing at all.”

“I was aware since then that she must have an extremely important place in your heart. Later, all your actions proved this point too.”

Yun Che, “…”

“When you first arrived at the sect, you didn’t hesitate to directly confront the chief disciple of an Ice Phoenix Palace, Mu Yizhou, for a disciple you had no deep friendly relationship with. In the battle of the heavenly lake, you didn’t hesitate to contradict your master because of ‘unfairness’. In the Great Sect Assembly, you defeated Huo Poyun, but because you were afraid of leaving negative influence in his heart due to it, you took the initiative to go over and pacify him. In the God Burying Inferno Prison, even if the three sects of the Flame God Realm acted disloyally, you still straightforwardly gave them half the corpse of the ancient horned dragon.”

“This all proves one thing. You are someone who has a very strong sense of dignity, truly values friendly relations, and is extremely principled as well.

“But, since you came to the Eternal Heaven Realm,” Mu Bingyun’s tone of voice changed at this point. She said with a sigh, “When you were only a step away from meeting her, you became impatient and your thoughts grew disordered.”

Yun Che, “…”

“In the first two rounds of the preliminaries, technically speaking, you indeed didn’t violate any of the rules set by the Eternal Heaven Pearl… but, it is a fact that you cheated. It was something that you would have absolutely not done before. Not only did you go against the orders of your master, you also didn’t bother at all about the dignity and principles of the profound way.”

“You should be clearer than anyone about the many secrets you have which you can’t let other people know of. Entering the Conferred God Battle, on the contrary, is undoubtedly exposing yourself to the eyes of all the people in the Eastern Divine Region… There could be no other place more dangerous to you than here in the whole God Realm, but you still did such a thing without the slightest hesitation.”

Yun Che, “…”

“A person that can make you come to the God Realm in search of her, lose control over yourself, disregard dignity, principles, and dangers… I have no way to understand what she has done for you in the past that could make you be so, but after seeing such a person, or, after saying your farewells to her for good as you wish to do, would you truly be able to be perfectly contented and leave without any regrets!?”

“…” Yun Che’s colorless eyes suddenly began to quiver faintly.

“You don’t need to give a reply to this question to me. It would be fine so long as you can find a reply for yourself,” Mu Bingyun said. “If you manage to find the real answer, perhaps, you will then understand her reason for being so determined to not see you.”

“…” Yun Che widened his eyes, as his breathing grew hurried. His heartbeat became violent, and gradually turned disordered.

“Also… I have something to say that might make you feel a bit better in your heart.” Mu Bingyun’s long hair dropped down, inadvertently brushing against Yun Che’s deathly pale cheek. “Someone who can make you willingly go so far as this for her, everything about her must be long carved into the deepest place of your soul.

“To carve her shadow so deeply into your soul, it would be essential to touch your soul with her own… Therefore, I don’t believe that everything she did with and for you was all just a sham.”