Against the Gods

Luo Changsheng’s words moved the hearts of countless Eastern Region profound practitioners. Luo Shangchen jerked his head up to stare at Luo Changsheng as he yelled, “Scram! Hurry up… and leave!”

In the eyes of the world, this was undoubtedly Luo Shangchen trying to protect Luo Changsheng from enduring any humiliation.

Only the people from the Holy Eaves Realm understood the sorrow and rage in his voice.

“Hahahaha.” Yun Che let out a great laugh before he said, “It looks like your royal father doesn’t appreciate your kindness. But whether he appreciates it or not is his own business, because how could I bear to waste your show of filial piety?”

“If you can’t replace him, then you can do it alongside him. After all, the two of you are ‘father and son’!”

He put heavy emphasis on the words “father and son” and his smile was deeply mocking.

At this moment, everyone from the Holy Eaves Realm was struck by the sense that Yun Che knew the whole truth behind their “father and son” relationship.

“Alright.” Luo Changsheng did not try to fight for any more favors. He simply gave Yun Che a respectful bow instead as he said, “Thank you for your kindness, Devil Master.”

After he finished speaking, he quietly flashed over to Luo Shangchen’s side and got on his hands and knees beside him.

“Get… lost!” Luo Shangchen violently thrust out a hand toward Luo Changsheng.

Luo Changsheng did not try to defend himself, but Chi Wuyao suddenly raised a hand. She sealed Luo Shangchen’s power away while speaking in a merry voice, “Holy Eaves Realm King, it’s rare for your son to make such a show of filial piety. He’s willing to share all glory and shame together with you. Rejecting him like this is quite unsightly.”

Within the Northern Divine Region, Chi Wuyao’s authority was second only to Yun Che’s. Even though a thousand waves were currently crashing about in Luo Shangchen’s heart, he still bit his lip and bore it… He had already suffered so much humiliation, so how could he risk the safety of his sect over a fit of pique?

He kept quiet and simply put his head down, resuming his crawl toward Yun Che once again.

As the number one realm king of the Eastern Divine Region, he had thought of dying gloriously in battle. When the Devil Emperor returned to the world, he had even thought of blindly throwing his life away. However, he had never once imagined that he would actually be willing to endure such humiliation… Because Yun Che knew that this was far harder on him than death.

So while Yun Che’s actions were superficially magnanimous, the intentions behind these actions were most cruel. This was the cruelest way he could take revenge on Luo Shangchen.

But who exactly was to blame for his present plight? The two other great upper star realms in the Eastern Divine Region, the Glazed Light Realm and the Shrouding Sky Realm, had been left with their bodies and dignities intact. In fact, from now on, their status in the Eastern Divine Region would be far greater than ever before.

However, there was something even more tragic and ironic than this. The main reason he had been the first person to stand up and condemn Yun Che to death, which was also the reason for humiliation today, had been because of Yun Che’s conflicts with Luo Changsheng and Luo Guxie, the two people he now hated the most in his life.

How ironic and ridiculous.

Luo Changsheng copied his actions as he crawled along behind him.

When two people were being shamed at the same time, the sense of humiliation was subconsciously lessened by more than half. With every step and breath he took, he could clearly sense Luo Changsheng’s aura.

If the events of the past few days had never happened, then this extremely humiliating experience might have become the most precious memory for him with Luo Changsheng’s willing participation. It would be something that he would never forget.

However… all of the cruelest things in the world seemed to be raining down on his head at the same time, making him feel like he was trapped in an unrelenting nightmare.

Chi Wuyao’s eyes hovered over Luo Changsheng for several breaths before she casually moved her gaze away from him. However, she did not bother to warn Yun Che either.

Because there was no need to.

When he finally crawled back to where Yun Che was sitting, Luo Shangchen kowtowed toward him and said, “I am aware that the crime I committed back then is unforgivable, so everyone in my Holy Eaves Realm will definitely carve the Devil Master’s kindness of sparing our lives into our hearts. Our loyalty will never waver.”

Just when he finished swearing that vow of loyalty, he suddenly sensed profound energy erupt behind him. In the next instant, a fatal beam of cold light condensed in the air as it aimed toward Yun Che.

Luo Shangchen was caught completely off guard, so he was instantly blasted aside by the energy wave. The beam of cold light tore through space itself as it made a beeline for Yun Che’s throat… A pair of vicious eyes which resembled those of a starving wolf stared at him from behind that attack.

Yun Che’s long hair fluttered in the air, but his body had not moved a single inch.

A muffled sound rang in the air as Luo Changsheng leaped forward and thrust a shortsword at the frozen Yun Che. But Yan One’s withered hand flashed out and grabbed the blade of the sword. No blood dripped down Yan One’s arm and Luo Changsheng felt as if all the mountains in the world were pressing down on his shortsword. He couldn’t budge it a single millimeter and the power contained within the sword had started to vanish like a receding tide.

What a joke. If the Three Yama Ancestors were to allow even a hair on Yun Che’s head to be harmed in their presence, they wouldn’t be able to live it down.

Yun Che slowly raised his head to look at Luo Changsheng, who was clenching his teeth in anger. There was some disappointment in his eyes as he said, “That’s it?”

Bang!

Yan Two’s ghost claw smashed into Luo Changsheng’s chest. He let out a dull grunt as the shortsword flew from his hand. He was instantly sent flying, but Yan Three’s body bizarrely appeared in the air above him as he stomped down on him with brutal force.

BOOM——

A huge explosion ripped through the air as the ground itself fractured under the impact and a large mouthful of blood sprayed out from Luo Changsheng’s mouth.

This sudden change shocked the entire Eastern Divine Region.

If someone reached the cultivation of a level seven Divine Master, they would be seen as gods amongst men in any divine region, anywhere.

However, Yun Che’s entourage consisted of the Three Yama Ancestors, who formed a protective circle around him, the Devil Queen, the Yama Emperor and a coterie of Witches, Moon Eaters, and Yama Devils. Luo Changsheng, who had once been incomparably brilliant, had lost all of his dazzle in the presence of such luminaries.

Even Yun Che himself had grown powerful enough to incinerate Honorable Tai Yu with a single hand.

How could Luo Changsheng ever hope to kill him!?

Had he lost his mind!?

“UG...AAAAHH!!” Luo Changsheng’s eyes turned scarlet red. Even though he faced the Three Yama Ancestors, people who were powerful enough to suppress any god emperor, he showed no fear whatsoever. He let out a furious roar as he burned every bit of his blood essence to launch his ultimate attack. A storm that could even rend dimensions apart violently erupted from his body.

The earth and space surrounding Luo Changsheng started to slowly disintegrate. A long trail of blood streamed behind him as he forcefully escaped from Yan Three’s suppression. However, he did not take this opportunity to flee. Instead, he drew another shortsword and started to crazily pour all of his energy into it.

Within the storm, the shortsword streaked out like a despairing shooting star as it soared toward Yun Che.

However, Yan One shattered that shooting star in the next instant with a single slap, leaving behind dying embers of light and that out of control storm.

Bang! Bang!

The sound of two huge explosions intermixed with one another as Yan Two and Yan Three’s ghost claws smashed into Luo Changsheng’s body at the same time.

Given his cultivation, Luo Changsheng was still able to put up a struggle against the Yama Ancestors.

All of his power and focus were concentrated on Yun Che, so he had not even bothered putting up the most basic of defenses.

Under the incomparably dreadful Yama Devil powers of two Yama Ancestors, Luo Changsheng’s face instantly lost all color. Blood streamed from all the orifices on his face as more than blood exploded from his body in more than a dozen places. He smashed into the ground like a falling boulder.

“Changsheng!” At this moment, Luo Shangchen finally woke up from his reverie. He roared in a hoarse voice as he tried to lunge forward, but someone had firmly wrapped an arm around him.

The Holy Eaves Great Elder grabbed onto him tightly, vigorously shaking his head at him.

Luo Changsheng lay limp on the ground as he painfully coughed out mouthfuls of blood. At first, the blood that flowed from his mouth had been bright red, but it had slowly begun to turn deep black, a color that matched the complexion of his face.

He did not try to regulate his energy and blood or beg for mercy. He raised his head proudly in the air and stared at the grand projection formation. As he faced all of the profound practitioners in the Eastern Divine Region, he roared in a hoarse voice, “You cowards… Why didn’t any… of you fight back…”

“Your realm kings… are being humiliated by these devils like dogs… This is a disgrace that all of you bear… Why don’t you fight back, why do you actually feel at ease instead!?”

“Profound practitioners of the Eastern Divine Region, have you lost even the last bits of your fighting spirit and intestinal fortitude!!?”

Those eyes filled with anger and outrage, those blood-filled cries, shook every corner of the Eastern Divine Region.

“Changsheng… shut up! SHUT UP!” Luo Shangchen roared in a trembling voice. He lunged forward and fell to his knees heavily in front of Yun Che. He spoke in a deeply terrified voice, “Devil Master, I did not teach my son well. Changsheng went through a huge setback recently and he’s lost his wits. For the great offense he committed just now, I… I will personally cripple his cultivation and lock him up in the Holy Eaves Realm for the rest of his life. I promise that he will never take half a step out of the Holy Eaves Sect until the day he dies.”

“Please show mercy and spare his life, please.”

Tears streamed down his face as he said those words and he pounded his head against the ground like he was trying to smash garlic with it. In the blink of an eye, his forehead had turned bloody.

“Heh… I don’t need you… to beg for my life!” Luo Changsheng yelled in a hoarse voice. “I, Luo Changsheng, would… rather die… than capitulate like you bunch… of spineless cowards!”

“Aiyah.” Chi Wuyao sighed before a small smile appeared on her face. She muttered to herself, “He’s trying to use his own death to rouse the fires of rebellion within the hearts of everyone living in the Eastern Divine Region? That’s not a bad idea, but it’s too bad… that he’s still far too naive.”

“Heeheehee.” Luo Changsheng’s proud and unyielding words caused Yan Two to chuckle. “Ah, his speech is simply too moving. Even an old ghost like me suddenly feels moved to cry.”

Bang!

A black shadow suddenly flashed through the air and Yan Two’s ghost claw pierced through Luo Changsheng’s chest like it was a plank of rotten wood. He had dealt a final, fatal blow to a true unparalleled genius who had made history in the God Realm time and again.

Luo Changsheng’s eyes bulged as he slowly fell to the ground.

“Changsheng!!” Luo Shangchen’s shrill wail of misery pierced everyone’s ears.

Yan Two casually pulled his ghost claw out of Luo Changsheng’s chest. Just as he was about to crush his body to pieces, Chi Wuyao’s devilish figure suddenly flashed to Luo Changsheng’s side. A single palm blasted Yama Two aside as she scooped up Luo Changsheng, her devil soul directly invading his collapsing soul.

Yan Two flew into a great rage. He was about to attack again when he realized that it was the Devil Queen who had shoved him aside. He hurriedly withdrew both his power and his neck.

The Yama Ancestors’ first rule of survival:

If they violently beat up any of the Devil Master’s men in a fit of pique, there would be no problems at all, but they could not touch or even shout at any of the women by his side.

Chi Wuyao withdrew her devil soul in the next instant as she impassively flung Luo Changsheng away. He just so happened to land beside Luo Shangchen.

Yun Che had watched the entire proceedings with cold eyes, not having said a single word throughout.

“Changsheng… Changsheng!” Luo Shangchen hurled himself at Luo Changsheng as he hugged his bloodstained body. As he felt his life slip away, tears of blood started to stream down his face.

If there hadn’t been a deep bond between him and Luo Changsheng, why would he have gone to pieces when he found out the truth?

Luo Changsheng was clearly a bastard, and a bastard whom Luo Guxie had used to take her revenge on him, but when Luo Shangchen saw him receive that fatal blow, it broke both his heart and soul, wracking him with unimaginable pain.

Luo Changsheng’s arm was moving. He was using all of his remaining strength to stretch it out toward Luo Shangchen as he whispered in a voice that was as soft and weak as the chirping of an ant, “Royal father… I’ll… be going on ahead…”

“...” Luo Shangchen’s entire body shuddered and he found it hard to speak as he stifled his sobs.

“I am Luo Changsheng…” he mumbled. “I am royal father’s son… the Holy Eaves Young Master… I am… not a bastard…”

Luo Shangchen closed his eyes and whispered gently, “That’s right… You’re definitely Changsheng. You’re the pride of the Holy Eaves Realm, my son. No matter what, you will always be… the son I am most proud of.”

As the light in his eyes began to fade, Luo Changsheng seemed to smile. He stared at the grand projection formation in the sky and felt as if he could see countless eyes staring back at him. A small smile twisted his lips as he whispered, “Like this… everyone… will remember me… Luo Changsheng…”

“They will remember that… I am… Luo… Chang… sheng…”

That faint smile froze on his face as the gray skies were reflected in his eyes.

When everyone had chosen surrender, a surrender that had been utterly shameful and disgraceful at that, Luo Changsheng, the one with the greatest talent and the most dazzling future, the one who should have treasured his life above all else, had chosen to die rather than submit.

Everything he did before his death, every hoarse cry, would be deeply etched in the memories of all the profound practitioners of the Eastern Divine Region. Everyone would remember, they would remember forever… that he was Luo Changsheng.

As he clearly felt the last traces of Luo Changsheng’s life slip away, every single muscle in Luo Shangchen’s body started to warp and spasm, and even his soul was convulsing. Sometimes he felt completely hollowed out… but even that hollow emptiness was accompanied by a violent pain he had never felt before.

He picked up Luo Changsheng’s body, his eyes empty and vacant, and slowly walked away. His footsteps were as heavy as those of a frail and ancient man… and he seemed to have completely forgotten that he had not received Yun Che’s dark mark. In fact, he had even forgotten to ask him for permission to leave.

Yun Che did not give any orders to stop him and no one stepped forward to stop him themselves.

Yun Che turned around and sent a sound transmission to Chi Wuyao. “Did you search his memories?”

“Yes,” Chi Wuyao replied. “I originally thought that he would be aware of Luo Guxie’s whereabouts, but to my surprise, he was not. This crazy woman still remains a threat, one that is neither significant nor can be ignored.”

Even though she had not obtained any news of Luo Guxie, she had obtained other information.

Yun Che did not pursue the matter any further.

“Ah, what a pity.” Chi Wuyao looked in the direction Luo Shangchen had left. She let out a gloomy sigh before softly calling out two names. “Jie Xin, Jie Ling.”

Jie Xin and Jie Ling appeared behind her at the same time as they bowed to her and awaited their orders.

“Eliminated the Holy Eaves Sect,” Chi Wuyao said indifferently.

“Yes.” Jie Xin and Jie Ling received their orders and left.