Against the Gods

“Level five Divine King? What kind of a joke is this?”

“Did someone pour shit into the Southern Phoenix Divine Country’s brain!”

“What’s going on? Didn’t they still have Nanhuang Jian?”

“Are they just doing whatever they want because it’s already over? No… are they purposely tossing their face on the ground for the enemy to step on?”

“It’s not like Nanhuang Jian absolutely can’t beat Qi Hanshan. I understand they’re giving up, but isn’t this a little bit excessive?”

……

Astonishment, puzzlement, guffaw, and ridicule… Almost no one on the Southern Phoenix Divine Country’s dared to look up and face the torrent of gazes and noise gushing their way. They had never felt so humiliated their whole life.

“Heh, it looks like the Southern Phoenix Divine Country is doing this on purpose to sicken us.” The East Ruins Divine Sovereign stared at the Southern Phoenix Divine Sovereign from the corner of his eyes before a scornful smile entered his features. “Who knew that a blessing from heaven would turn out this ugly when spurned? Tsk tsk.”

Before today, the weakest Divine King to ever enter the Central Ruins Battle was a level eight Divine King. At the time, their presence had already triggered a long period of ridicule during and after the battle.

But now, the Southern Phoenix Divine Country was sending a level five Divine King as their last representative! They chose to do this even though Nanhuang Jian was warming the bench all this time!

How else should they interpret this besides humiliating oneself to sicken others and the Central Ruins Battle?

“Hmm?” The East Ruins Divine Sovereign suddenly raised an eyebrow in surprise. “Is that Yun Che?”

“It’s him! How can this be?” Dong Jiukui exclaimed in surprise at the same time.

“He’s that Yun Che who dominated the eastern region in a day!” Dong Jiukui said, “There cannot be any mistake. But why is he on the Southern Phoenix Divine Country’s side?”

“It’s bad enough he ran to the Southern Phoenix Divine Country, but now he’s even thrown to the frontlines like a dog!” Dong Xueci laughed loudly. “Interesting! How very interesting! I suppose this clown will soon be known throughout the East Ruins, hahahaha!”

“Hmph! I suppose he’s the perfect choice if you need a clown to shame yourself,” Dong Xueyan also commented in disgust.

“What’s going on?” Their conversation caused the East Ruins Divine Sovereign and Dong Jiukui to turn their heads at the same time. “Didn’t you say he didn’t show up?”

“That is correct. He hadn’t shown up at our sect because he chose to come directly to the Central Ruins Realm instead. I ran into him on my way here, and not only did he fail to show remorse or apologize to me for his disobedience, he had spoken very rudely to me. It was clear that he didn’t care about the East Ruins Sect at all.”

All of Dong Xueci’s previous displeasure was replaced by deep satisfaction as he recounted his tale. “So when he came to join the East Ruins Sect, I told Xuekui to withdraw his East Ruins Token and kick him out of our sect. Hmph, if we were anywhere but the Central Ruins Realm right now, I would’ve broken all his limbs already.”

“Yun Che must know that he cannot stay in the East Ruins Realm after he was exiled by big brother and I, so like the shameless bastard he is he joined the Southern Phoenix Divine Country instead. I bet he didn’t think he would be pushed onto the battlefield like a clown, heh.” Dong Xueyan chuckled once before recalling the day she went to the eastern realms to recruit Yun Che a month ago. It was a rather shameful moment.

Dong Jiukui frowned deeply when he heard this, but the East Ruins Divine Sovereign seemed unperturbed. He asked, “Is that true? Jiukui, didn’t you say he’s only a level one Divine King?”

“That is what I saw back then,” Dong Jiukui said, “However, it’s clear now that he’s holding a profound artifact that can disguise his cultivation level. After all, there’s no way he can progress four levels in just a month. Now that I think about it, he may still be disguising his cultivation level… After all, it is a fact that he had defeated the Sun Death Sword Master and Forefather Ming Peng.”

“Have you witnessed that with your own eyes, Elder Jiu?”

Dong Jiukui shook his head and said, “No. But my experience is telling me that he is special in some ways.”

“This means your assessment of him is really just a guess,” Dong Xueci said slowly, “If you were wrong, doesn’t that mean that we, the East Ruins Sect was played like a fiddle like him?”

“It no longer matters. Let’s just pretend that this person never existed in the East Ruins Realm,” the East Ruins Divine Sovereign said. Even if Yun Che did disguise his cultivation level using a profound artifact, he was at best a level ten Divine King. Their battle formation had no lack of level Divine Kings, so losing him was of no consequences.

The reason he sought out large numbers of powerful reinforcements in the first place was because he was worried that the Southern Phoenix Divine Country would rise to power.

But that obviously wasn’t necessary now.

“Southern Phoenix!” The Northern Chill Divine Sovereign rose to his feet and said coldly, “Are you sure you want to send this person to battle?”

“Of course.” The one who replied to him was Nanhuang Chanyi.

Some of them were suspecting that this so-called Yun Che had acted on its own and forced his way onto the battlefield, but there was no hesitation in Nanhuang Chanyi’s reply.

The Northern Chill Divine Sovereign frowned and said, “This is the Central Ruins Battle, not a comedy show!”

The harsh rebuke caused everyone on the Southern Phoenix Divine Country’s side to turn red.

It wasn’t an unreasonable comment. They still had Nanhuang Jian, but they sent a level five Divine King into the battlefield instead… if this wasn’t a joke, that what was?

“A comedy show?” Nanhuang Chanyi said indifferently, “Excuse me for not understanding your concern, Northern Chill Divine Sovereign. Is his presence in the Central Ruins Battle against the rules in any way?”

“Heh,” the Northern Chill Divine Sovereign chuckled, “Who knew that the Southern Phoenix Divine Country is capable of such ugliness? This king is deeply ashamed that his sect shares the same border as you. Very well, show me what your ‘trump card’ is capable of!”

He then waved his hand and declared, “West Ruins Qi Hanshan fights Southern Phoenix Yun Che. Begin!”

“Qi Hanshan, finish this quickly. The Central Ruins Battlefield is no place for trash!” the West Ruins Divine Sovereign said aloud instead of sending a sound transmission.

Qi Hanshan’s face was still twitching. He never expected to run into a level five Divine King in the Central Ruins Battle, a battlefield that supposedly belong to peak Divine Kings only. Unless he planned to devalue himself, he could never speak to anyone about this fight.

Qi Hanshan didn’t move or circulate his aura when the Northern Chill Divine Sovereign announced the start of the battle. Attack first? He could never embarrass himself like this.

He only raised his palm and tugged at the corner of his lips after the West Ruins Divine Sovereign ordered him to finish this quickly. He said to Yun Che, “You heard that? This is no place for trash like you… now leave!”

He dashed toward Yun Che in a burst of air and curled his fingers like a claw, aiming straight for the latter’s head. It was clear that he was planning to throw Yun Che out of the battlefield in the most shameful posture possible.

Yun Che didn’t move a muscle. It almost looked like he didn’t plan to resist at all. A half realm gap couldn’t be covered or resisted by any means. If he allowed his opponent to take him out immediately, he could lessen the amount of scorn and stares he received at least.

Everyone was sure that Yun Che would be swept out of the battlefield in the next instant, that the Southern Phoenix Divine Country’s humiliating run in this Central Ruins Battle would end in shame.

If Nanhuang Jian had fought instead of Yun Che, the Southern Phoenix Divine Country had at least a chance to regain their honor. Even if he lost, he could at least show to the world the Southern Phoenix Divine Country’s final glory. But no, they sent a level five Divine King to fight their last battle… Maybe it really was their plan to sicken the whole Central Ruins Battle after receiving all that shame and anger.

Qianye YIng’er was the only one who was sitting quietly at her seat with her eyes closed and her head bowed slightly. Not once did she look at the battlefield.

It was because it was completely unnecessary.

The Profound God Convention at the Eastern Divine Region surfaced from her memories. How many people did Yun Che shock to the core when he participated in the Conferred God Battle as a Divine Tribulation Realm profound practitioner back then, before and after?

It was as if he was born to defy every common sense in the world!

Qi Hanshan had closed the distance between Yun Che and himself in an instant, his black, power-infused palm almost two feet away from his target’s head. It was at this moment Yun Che kicked out and struck Qi Hanshan right in the stomach.

Bang—

There was a terrible boom they seemed to come in everyone’s innards, and the profound energy surrounding Qi Hanshan instantly dispersed like the wind. His body bent at a ridiculous angle, he was launched across the battlefield toward the West Ruins Sect’s area like a spear.

Boom boom boom—

Qi Hanshan hit the ground, but he didn’t stop until his body dug a ditch several kilometers long across the ground.

Silence instantly oppressed the entire Central Ruins Battle. Everyone was wide-eyed and gaping like they were suddenly in a choke hold. For a long time, they weren’t able to say anything at all.

Yun Che was supposed to be injured heavily and tossed straight out of the battlefield, but he was still standing exactly where he was before, and there wasn’t even a speck of dust to be seen on his person.

“...” Behind the jeweled tassels, a beautiful glint entered Nanhuang Chanyi’s eyes all of a sudden.

Yun Che didn’t react at all to the terrified gazes that was shone at his direction. He looked as impassive as a person who casually swatted a mosquito to death.

On the southern side of the battlefield, Nanhuang Chanyi said softly, “The West Ruins Realm King is correct. Trash has no right to remain on this battlefield.”

“...” The frozen West Ruins Divine Sovereign didn’t react to her remark at all.

“This… this is…” Nanhuang Mofeng, Nanhuang Jian, and everyone else on the Southern Phoenix battle formation was completely stunned. They felt like they were in a dream.

The Southern Phoenix Divine Sovereign had gotten up to his feet subconsciously to stare at Yun Che like his life depended on it…  Even he did not dare believe what he was seeing at all.

The dead silence continued to linger above everyone’s heads. There had never been such a long period of silence in the entire history of the Central Ruins Battle. After all, nothing quite so ridiculous had ever happened before, until now.

“Wh… wh… what’s going on?” Dong Xueci was looking forward to watching Yun Che’s downfall, but this was like a hit to the back of the head. Stupefied and speechless, it wasn’t until a long time before he recovered himself.

“Ugh… aaah!”

A painful, hoarse scream finally broke the oppressive silence. Qi Hanshan abruptly got up to his feet and glared at Yun Che, but before he could get a word out a jet of blood burst right out of his mouth. The blood quickly turned into a stream, and it weren’t just pouring out of his mouth, but all seven orifices on his face. After that, he collapsed on his back and never got back up again.

“Sect… Sect Master Qi?”

A disciple of the King Prayer Sect asked in a shaky voice. The West Ruins Divine Sovereign landed right next to Qi Hanshan, and when he scanned the fallen man with his profound energy an expression of shock quickly overwhelmed his face. He turned to stare at Yun Che with one third fury and two thirds disbelief before saying, “You…”

Qi Hanshan’s organs were broken, and nearly half his nerves were completely damaged! If he was given medical treatment, he might still be at risk of dying!

He knew better than anyone what Qi Hanshan’s cultivation level was. How, just how… did he suffer so much damage in just a hit!?

Yun Che ignored the West Ruins Divine Sovereign’s furious glare completely.

“Is there anything you want to say, West Ruins Realm King?” Nanhuang Chanyi said again, “If you knew he was trash, why did you send him up the battlefield? Are you trying to tell the world that all the West Ruins Realm has left is trash?”

Her voice was soft and gentle, but the scorn in her words were piercing to say the least.

In just a couple of words, Nanhuang Chanyi had tossed the West Ruins Divine Sovereign’s insult right back in his face.

The West Ruins Divine Sovereign’s eyes turned cold in an instant. He was the realm king of the West Ruins Sect, and no one dared to insult him the way Nanhuang Chanyi did normally… He might endure it if the provoker was the Southern Phoenix Divine Sovereign, but Nanhuang Chanyi was just a junior and a woman!

Nanhuang Chanyi looked away from the West Ruins Divine Sovereign and to the Northern Chill Divine Sovereign. She said, “So, Northern Chill Realm King, what do you think of this ‘comedy’ of the Southern Phoenix? If it’s up to your satisfaction, then you should declare the winner already, don’t you think?”

All eyes were still on Yun Che, but the emotion behind them was completely different from before. It was a fact that this level five Divine King every thought was a joke had taken out Qi Hanshan in one hit… Maybe Qi Hanshan had underestimated his enemy, but it didn’t change the fact that he was grievously injured and knocked into a coma by Yun Che.

Besides that, Nanhuang Chanyi… was said to be a gentle and mild-tempered woman. She was the Crown Princess whose beauty outstripped her profound talent by miles. But not only had she defied all expectations by denying Beihan Chu his marriage proposal, she even attacked the West Ruins Divine Sovereign and the Northern Chill Divine Sovereign with words they didn’t believe she had in her!

The outsiders weren’t the only ones who were surprised. Everyone from the Southern Phoenix Divine Country was surprised as well. They felt like they had been living an illusion as they stared at Nanhuang Chanyi.