Against the Gods

Chapter 2023 - Fog of Mystery

“I understand,” Yun Che replied. What could he say when Ni Xuan was so determined to bury that part of his past?

It was at this moment a pure, white silhouette took form next to Yun Che. She asked with a dreamlike voice, “Why… do you look like this, Ni Xuan?”

Ni Xuan turned and stared at the silhouette. A long time later, he finally murmured in shock and disbelief, “Li… Suo?”

“You still exist?”

Li Suo replied, “I do, but I am no longer who I was before. For starters, ninety percent of my memory of you is either blurry or non-existent. Still… I’m certain that this isn’t how you looked.”

“Haha,” Ni Xuan chuckled, “Myriad Tribulations is an unimaginable poison. Even as a Creation God, I was pushed to the brink of death and decay.”

“I honestly didn’t expect to see you again. I regret that I unintentionally showed you my ugly side, and…” Ni Xuan sighed, “I promised Jie Yuan that I would never see you again, but I broke that promise once when I entrusted Jie’er to you. Today is the second time I broke that promise.”

Jie’er?

It took Yun Che a moment to figure out that he was referring to his daughter with Jie Yuan; the girl Hong’er and You’er was before they were split in half, Ni Jie.

Li Suo’s silhouette slowly faded until she was completely gone. Only her voice remained as she replied, “My memory is as ephemeral as the clouds. I am simply unable to recall this matter. For that, I sincerely apologize.”

Ni Xuan shook his head smilingly. He felt remorse for breaking his promise to Jie Yuan, but he was equally happy to meet an old friend he thought long dead. “Millions of years have passed, and the world has changed beyond recognition. You may no longer be the Creation God of Life you used to be, but you are almost identical to the Li Suo I remember.”

“Now that I think about it, Mo E and my obsession with you was wrong. We should never have tried to woo someone as pure and sacred as you. You were—are—the untouchable star that floats above the mortal coil even to this day.”

Yun Che: “...” Is she really that pure and sacred? Why do I feel like she’s just… naive?

“The past should remain in the past,” Li Suo replied, “I found myself aimless when I awoke from a long slumber, but I was able to find a new reason to exist soon after. I believe that I am far, far luckier than you.”

“That is wonderful to hear,” Ni Xuan responded with a kind smile, “I am blessed to have a friend like you. It’s a shame that I am already dead, and so can no longer repay the favor I owe you.”

Li Suo touched Yun Che with her divine perception, “He is the reason I exist in the world now. Since you are his benefactor, the favor you have done to him is a favor returned to me. Therefore, you don’t need to feel any regret.”

“...” Yun Che hadn’t known for long, but he could tell that she was the type of person to say exactly what she thought. Subtext or subtlety didn’t exist in her dictionary. Even so, he felt the impulse to run when she said the line, “He is the reason I exist in the world now.”

Thank goodness Ni Xuan was just a weak soul fragment right now, and he had given up on Li Suo a long time ago. Otherwise, the Heretic God might be tempted to kick his successor’s ass no matter how benevolent and self-possessed he was.

After all, Ni Xuan had spent millions and millions of years trying to woo Li Suo to no avail, and now she was saying that a mortal man was her reason to continue to exist in this world…

As expected, a worrying silence hung over his profound vein world as soon as Li Suo said this. Yun Che could even feel Ni Xuan examining him with a critical eye.

Then, the Heretic God asked the question he feared the most, “Why do you—”

He cut himself off before he could finish his question though, “Never mind. This world no longer has anything to do with me. If anything, I should be glad and delighted that you have found a new reason to exist.”

“A reason…” He suddenly whispered to himself, “To think I led most of my life not knowing that a reason is a luxury. Mo E was the same as well…”

… What on earth did Ni Xuan experience to say such a thing?

Was he so tired that he couldn’t even find a reason to live anymore?

…?

Wait a second. Mo E… was the same?

Is he saying that Mo E, the Heaven Punishing Divine Emperor… couldn’t find a reason to live either?

Did the Creation God… die from depression!?

What on earth happened back then… What on earth happened back then!?

Ni Xuan could perish at any moment… Is the past really going to remain buried for eternity?

It was a little out of line, but Yun Che could not afford to let the two Creation Gods make idle chat with one another any longer.

He interrupted, “Senior Ni Xuan, I found the inscription you left behind at the God Realm. The reason you dropped a Heretic God Seed into the Abyss was because you were afraid that the complete Heretic God Profound Vein would allow a mortal to transcend the limits of the current universe and potentially destroy its order once more.”

“However, I’m now sure you had another objective. You were planning to imbue a wisp of your soul on the Heretic God Seed—an object that couldn’t be extinguished by any power—so you could spy on the anomalies of the Abyss.”

“You guessed correctly.” Ni Xuan nodded approvingly, “Even before the gods and devils went to war, I already noticed that something was off with the Abyss. However, I paid it no heed thinking that it was simply because the number of sinful gods who were flung into the Abyss was increasing.”

“I realized I was wrong after the Evil Infant Disaster wiped out all gods and devils, and the primordial, purest energies of the universe started flowing into the Abyss at unimaginable speeds.”

I knew it, Yun Che thought.

“I wanted to leap into the Abyss and investigate the matter myself, but I ultimately chickened out because I haven’t yet accomplished my final goals.”

Ni Xuan’s final goals were to leave behind his inheritance and to stop Jie Yuan from going on a rampage when she finally returned to Primal Chaos. He could not possibly risk himself knowing what was on the line.

“As you said, I imbued my seed with a wisp of my soul and dropped it into the Abyss.”

“Assuming that my seed survived the fall, my soul fragment should survive to learn many things. But of course, I couldn’t possibly transmit what I learned back to the other side since my connection with my main soul was severed.”

Considering how weak this soul fragment was, Yun Che reckoned that he had spent most of his time in slumber. Even so, he must’ve learned many valuable secrets.

According to Mo Beichen, there was no one in the Abyss who knew the Abyssal Monarch’s true name. They only knew him as the Abyssal Monarch.

It was as if his original name was some sort of terrible taboo.

No matter who he was, he must be a god or a devil from the Era of Gods and Devils. In fact, Chi Wuyao theorized that he was a higher devil who wielded the devils’ greatest spatial devil artifact.

The first Qilin God and its successor held the earth seed until Yun Che came, and both Qilin Gods were once close to the Abyssal Monarch.

There was no one in the Abyss who knew the true Abyssal Monarch, but the Heretic God was a Creation God. No matter how powerful the Abyssal Monarch was, he could never be greater than the Heretic God. Therefore, even a soul fragment of the Heretic God should be able to identify the man with ease.

Yun Che asked directly, “Do you know who the person who founded the Abyss, the Abyssal Monarch is, senior Heretic God?”

Was he seeing things? For an instant, Yun Che saw what almost looked like tears behind Ni Xuan’s eyes.

A few breaths later, Ni Xuan finally responded, “I am the reason the world is like this. It is all my fault.”

“...??” Yun Che’s pupils dilated a little. “I… don’t understand what you’re saying, senior Ni Xuan.”

He seriously couldn’t understand even a single word.

“...” Ni Xuan didn’t say anything else. He simply closed his eyes as if doing his best to forget his painful past.

When Yun Che recognized the soul fragment, he thought for sure that most of his questions would be resolved.

He could never have imagined that he would only obtain more puzzlement and confusion.

I don’t think he’s going to answer me even if I press him…

It was at this moment Ni Xuan finally spoke up, “Stop him. You must stop him no matter what.”

His voice was one part sorrowful and nine parts determined, “All the sins and tragedies must end in this era. You can do it. Only you can do it.”

“If you need motivation, treat it as you repaying my favor.”

Yun Che had no idea what he was talking about, much less who the Abyssal Monarch really was. However, he still looked Ni Xuan in the eye and nodded strongly. “It’s the reason I came to the Abyss. You have my word that I will succeed… and it’s not like I have any other option.”

“... Good.” Ni Xuan looked up and closed his eyes once more. “If you can truly end it all in this era, then at least… it won’t result in the worst possible ending.”

“You’re still young, while he has long entered his prime. This journey of yours is destined to be a long and arduous one.”

“I know that your willpower and fate are strong since you were able to reunite my seeds, but make sure you don’t approach him too soon… after all, it would be trivial for him to recognize your, or rather, my aura.”

“...!” Yun Che’s pupils shook a little.

What… does that mean?

He couldn’t ask Ni Xuan about it though. He could only say, “Thank you for the advice. I won't.”

Ni Xuan said slowly, “Who he was in the past no longer matters, and frankly… I don’t have the right to speak of it. All you need to know is that he is a lost boy drowning in his obsession. He must be stopped. He must be saved.”

“I leave this heavy burden to you.”

“And now… my time is up.”

His voice weakened, and his silhouette began to turn blurry.

“Wait!” Yun Che snapped out of his jumbled thoughts and called out in a hurry, “Don’t go yet, senior Ni Xuan!”

At the same time, he summoned Hong’er and You’er’s soul image to his side.

Their bodies and faces were perfectly identical. The only things that were different were their eyes, their hair color, and their soul auras.

Ni Xuan froze. His silhouette was still fading, but his gaze was fully affixed on the two girls, unwilling to look away for even an instant.

Hong’er examined the curious world around her for a bit before asking, “What is this strange world… and who is this strange old man?”

You’er’s reaction was the complete opposite of hers. She looked just as stunned and dazed as Ni Xuan was. It wasn’t until a soul imprint that was placed so, so long ago was triggered that she blurted,

“Fa… ther…”

“Huh???” Hong’er abruptly wheeled around and stared at You’er with vermillion eyes.

“...”

Ni Xuan’s silhouette was shaking. If a soul could shed tears, he would be beyond words by now.

“Hong’er,” Yun Che grabbed her and You’er’s dainty hands and said solemnly, “his name is Ni Xuan and he is your father. Your real father.”

“Is that so?” Hong’er’s expression turned serious for a moment. Then, she broke into a wide smile and greeted Ni Xuan, “Hello, father! I’m Hong’er. Both Sister Shen Xi and big white sister told me that I used to have a very strange name called Wan Hu… Did you name me that because I’m a glutton?”

“...” Ni Xuan was still staring at her and You’er and shaking uncontrollably. He was still incapable of speech.

“So, I really have a father and a mother,” Hong’er smiled happily, “And here I thought ma—mm! Mmm! Mmmmmmmmmm!”

A certain master who was prepared for this immediately clamped a hand around her mouth and said with a straight face, “I know you miss your mother, but now’s not the time. Now get over to your father’s side.”

While Yun Che was pushing Hong’er to Ni Xuan’s side, You’er had already floated up to the old man. She reached out and tried to touch her father’s face with her dainty hands, but all she managed was causing a ripple in his still fading image.

Translucent tears slid down her milky white cheeks one after another. For a time, it couldn’t be stopped.

Back then, after her father had placed her in that dark, lonely world, she had nothing but a bunch of Netherworld Udumbara Flowers to keep her company.

He visited her many times after that. During his last visit, he gave her a pitch black star, told her many, many things and… never came back after that.

Ni Xuan slowly raised his shivering hands to catch his daughter’s tears, but… he could only watch as the brightest jewels in the world slipped through his palm in the cruelest manner possible.

“Father!” Hong’er finally flew over and examined Ni Xuan at close range. Her eyes were full of curiosity and the desire to know. “Why are your hair and beard so long and thick?”

“Sister He Ling told me that a father and a mother are the closest people one could have in the world, but mother snuck away while I wasn’t looking.”

“You’re not going to sneak away as well, right father? Will you also feed me many delicious things in the future?”

Yun Che looked away and exhaled soundlessly. It was clear that Hong’er’s understanding of the concept of “father” and “mother” differed greatly from a normal person, but no matter how different it was, the desire for familial love existed in every living creature’s blood. There was nothing in the world that could truly sever this bond. No space, no time, nothing.

Ni Xuan glanced back and forth between the duo before whispering, “I… don’t deserve… to be your father. I brought you to this world… but I’m also the one who pushed you into the abyss…”

“Eh? The Abyss? That’s not right! Master’s the one who jumped down here on his own. You’re not the one who pushed us down here!” Hong’er corrected.

“~!@#￥%...” Yun Che facepalmed. Despite his best efforts, the girl still said the one word he was absolutely terrified about. Thankfully, Ni Xuan’s soul had crumbled into a fog-like shape, and he didn’t seem to hear Hong’er addressing him as “master”.

With his final soul breath, Ni Xuan offered his daughters his last bit of love, “When the sin has finally been ended… someone will take care of you and on behalf of me and your mother… he will show you how beautiful the world really is… and he will give everything I could not because of my failure…”

Yun Che nodded solemnly and declared, “It will be done, senior Heretic God!”

“As for your father and mother… feel free to remember or forget us as you please… all I ask… is for you… to be happy… forever…”

Ni Xuan’s silhouette finally crumbled and scattered into countless fading stars. The stars flew toward Yun Che and melted into his soul sea in no time. The Heretic God left Yun Che with one final message,

“Thank you, Yun Che… With this, I no longer have any regrets in this life.”

Yun Che closed his eyes and let out a mournful sigh.

How could you give me thanks? What I did for you is so trivial and nothing compared to the favor you gave me…

“Eh? He disappeared? He must have snuck away just like mother… why are you crying, You’er? Can you stop crying? Seeing you cry makes me sad as well… Oh no, I really want to cry now… Uu… I feel so sad all of a sudden… uu… uwaaaaaaaaaaah!”

Yun Che walked over and hugged both Hong’er and You’er, consoling them gently. It was at this moment the stars that flew into his soul sea expanded into a scene from the very distant past…