Against the Gods - Volume 10 - Snow Song Flame God

by Mars Gravity

  Wait a minute… What Ji Ruyan said about that upper star realm…

  Whew! I can only hope that the information won’t spread any further, especially to the Brahma Monarch God Realm.

  It had been almost half an hour since he arrived in this tiny desolate world of wood spirits. Now that he had obtained the Wood Spirit Orb, it was time for him to leave.

  As he walked back to the entrance, the greenish black vines automatically unwove themselves, revealing a narrow passage.

  Behind Yun Che, a group of wood spirits gathered together, bidding him farewell. He Lin was among the group—his eyes had become red.

  “Young man, a Wood Spirit Orb will never be enough to repay your kindness. If you don’t mind, how about you take this with you, perhaps it might save your life in times of crisis.”

  Granny Qing Ye placed three small delicate jade bottles into his hands.

  “This is?”

  “This is something unique to our clan, the 【Wood Spirit Miracle Dew】, which is collected from the Spring of Origin that flowed from the land of our ancestors. It contains the magical powers of nature, that when consumed, will heal your wounds and restore your strength in the blink of an eye. These are the last three drops that we possess, we sincerely hope that they can be of great assistance to you in the future.”

  Although Yun Che did not know how powerful the restorative effects would be, if it came from the Spring of Origin, how could it be ordinary? He did not decline and accepted the gift with great gratitude. He nodded deeply to the crowd of wood spirits and as he turned around to leave...

  “Big Brother Yun Che!”

  The voice of a young girl came from afar and although anxious, it was still ethereal, like wind brushing past tranquil water.

  Yun Che halted his steps and in front his and the surrounding wood spirits’ surprised gazes, Qing He came before Yun Che in her beautiful, colorful clothes. Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes glimmered and her slightly swelling chest heaved as she struggled to control her breathing.

  “Qing He, I have to go.” Yun Che smiled.

  “Big Brother Yun Che … “ Qing He slowly lifted her hands and within her beautiful, delicate palms, lay a bracelet, strung from seeds of different flowers, completed by a small emerald-colored gem. “This is.. this is a charm I made with my own hands, i-it can definitely protect Big Brother Yun Che.. “

  “...” Moved from the bottom of his heart, Yun Che took a step forward and received the bracelet with both his hands. The scent of the fresh flowers and plants flowed into his nose—indeed, the seeds had just been picked not too long ago and so, the bracelet was crafted very recently. The little crystal green gem had a girl’s fragrance… This aroma could only be emitted because it was fortunate enough to stick closely to the skin of a young girl.

  “Thank you, Qing He, I will treasure it dearly,” Yun Che said sincerely, as he looked into her eyes.

  “...” His words made the wood spirit girl lower her head. She softly bit her lips and then found the courage to raise her head and murmured in a gentle voice, “Big Brother Yun Che, in the future, will…. will you come visit us often?”

  “I will.” Yun Che nodded deeply… Her gaze, her whisper and her pure heart… Even if one’s core was made out of stone, never would they have the heart to cruelly reject her or let her down.

  As he walked out of the wood spirits’ hidden sanctuary, the secret passage disappeared under the weaving of the greenish black wines. It was as if it vanished into thin air.

  Indeed, other than being hidden by the vines, the entrance seemed to be protected by a special nature illusory formation, which produced an illusion that interfered with one’s vision and spirit sense.

  It was only by pouring all of his strength into his spirit sense that Yun Che was able to discern that there was something amiss about this place. If he had just nonchalantly walked by, it would be almost impossible.

  If one’s cultivation was high enough though, they wouldn’t need to concentrate to detect it. This was probably why the wood spirit race mostly chose to take refuge in lower star realms.

  “After all, this is not a place they plan to stay in for a long time,” Yun Che said to himself. “I hope no one will ever find this place.”

  Chapter 1078: Heavenly Mystery Realm

  Darkya Realm, Darkya City.

  Without a doubt, because he took away He Lin and had inflicted heavy injuries upon the middle-aged man in black, the Black Feather Merchant Guild and the forces behind it must have launched a manhunt after him. After careful consideration, Yun Che, after leaving wood spirits’ secret grounds, chose to return to Darkya City.

  Now that he had obtained the Wood Spirit Orb, all that was left to refine the Universe Penta Jade Pellet was the Divine Nine Star Buddha Jade and the Immortal Emperor Grass

  Being reputed as a well-known trading center in the lower star realms, Darkya City was naturally the most likely place Yun Che could obtain information or hints, which was why he decided to come back.

  Of course, he did not choose to return directly. First, he changed his clothes, modified his appearance and even used his Hidden Flowing Lightning to repress his profound energy aura.

  Darkya City was lively and bustling; nothing was unusual. Obviously, when it came to the matter of the royal wood spirit, even if the Black Feather Merchant Guild had launched a manhunt, it would proceed in total secrecy and they would not dare to announce it publicly. Yun Che was walking blatantly in the middle of the city and began making inquiries about the Divine Nine Star Buddha Jade and the Immortal Emperor Grass.

  After Yun Che had wandered around for a while without going to the main merchant guild, a not-so-small street booth attracted his attention. The owner was an old man with a white moustache fluttering around. Although he was surrounded by people coming and going, he was calm and poised and had sagelike features.

  Laid in front of him was a stall full of strange items; most of them were old and ancient, they were releasing a rather quaint aura.

  An old man who had experienced many things most likely had extensive knowledge. Yun Che walked over and asked straightforwardly, “Senior, I was wondering if I could inquire about some news.”

  The old man swept his eyes over him and asked lazily, “Looking at you, you should be an outsider, right? Just as a reminder, in our Darkya City, the price of information is not cheap. Please ask."

  Yun Che asked, “This junior would like to know where can one purchase a Nine Star Buddha Jade in Darkya City.”

  When Yun Che had finished speaking, he saw the old man’s gaze sweeping over him again, his face becoming unfriendly, “You little rascal, are you making fun of me?”

  “...I have no such intentions.” Yun Che shook his head.

  “Then you must be retarded!!” The old man’s voice suddenly grew louder. “An Empyrean Divine Jade needs to be bathed in the starlight of nine stars for at least ten thousand years before it can transform into a Nine Star Buddha Jade. Even within the upper star realms, it is considered to be an extremely priceless treasure. In all of the lower star realms, not many even know of its name. You’re actually looking for this kind of treasure in my Darkya City, how is this not making fun of me?”

  Yun Che was stunned when he saw that the old man, who was originally poised and sagelike, had become like a squalling bitch…

  “What about… the Immortal Emperor Grass? Does Darkya City have it?” Yun Che inquired again. Although there was not much hope, he did not expect the result to be this absolute.

  “~！@#￥%... “ The old man’s moustache stood erect, “Out, out, out, out, out! Stop disturbing this old man’s business!”

  Yun Che took out ten thousand purple profound stones, “Senior, I feel like your knowledge must be exceedingly extensive, could you please provide some guidance to this junior on the whereabouts of the Nine Star Buddha Jade or the Immortal Emperor Grass?”

  Facing the sparkling purple profound stones, the old man’s demeanor
suddenly calmed down. He quietly snatched away the purple profound stones, his face and eyes clear and free. He looked at Yun Che with a gaze full of praise, “Young master, at a first glance, this old man knew that you were a rich clan’s young master. Since you’re inquiring so sincerely, then it wouldn’t be bad for this old man to tell you a thing or two.”

  Yun Che, “...”

  “This Nine Star Buddha Jade, not to mention our lower star realm, is absolutely impossible to find even within the middle star realms. Its original form, the Empyrean Divine Jade, is an existence that can only be found in upper star realms. You looking for it in Darkya City is simply synonymous of being retar… Cough, it is not realistic. Even if you had really gone to an upper star realm, it would still be difficult.”

  “As for the Immortal Emperor Grass, this kind of divine grass is said to appear only in primordial secret realms.”

  “Primordial secret realms?” Yun Che raised his eyebrow.

  The old man suddenly became suspicious, “Kid, you don’t even know about primordial secret realms? Don’t tell me… you’re from the lower realms?”

  Yun Che glanced and could only admit, “Yes, this junior was indeed born in the lower realms, having arrived here not too long ago. This junior implores senior to elaborate further on these primordial secret realms.”

  While speaking, Yun Che “tactfully” took out another ten thousand purple profound stones.

  The old man accepted it with the speed of lightning, his face becoming tranquil and serene. “Since you were born in the lower realms, then it is not surprising. These so-called primordial secret realms are small independent worlds left from the ancient Era of Gods.”

  With the old man’s explanation, Yun Che came, more or less, to an understanding.

  “There are many primordial secret realms within the God Realm. Some are directly connected to the outside realms, allowing one to enter and exit freely. Some have their own independent laws restricting time, quantity of people, profound strength, and so on. In the God Realm, many inheritances and primordial treasures were discovered in secret realms. With the extinction of the gods, the source of power that sustained those worlds is gone, causing the collapse and the disappearance of a large number of primordial secret realms year after year. Although some realms still exist, the secrets and resources hidden within them have pretty much been plundered clean. Today, most of those secret realms are occupied by some powerful sects and are used as trial sites.”

  Yun Che slowly nodded his head... The Heaven Basin Secret Realm in Blue Wind Nation’s Heavenly Sword Villa was in fact a primordial secret realm left by the Evil God.

  In our Darkya Realm, there are still two primordial secret realms remaining as of today, all of which belong to the Soul Sect.” The old man continued, without hiding anything, “When we talk about primordial secret realms, we can’t not talk about the God Realm of Absolute Beginning. That is even what the seventeen king realms that stand at the summit of the entire God Realm…”

  He suddenly stopped in the middle of his sentence and then waved his hands. “Oh, I got side tracked. A kid like you won’t be able to understand something like the God Realm of Absolute Beginning even if given ten thousand more years. About that Immortal Emperor Grass… oh yes, about the Immortal Emperor Grass. Records of it point to different kinds of primordial secret realms, within the upper star realms and middle star realms. As for the lower star realms… Oh! It seems there has also been record of it in a lower star realm! Anyways, I haven’t personally heard of the Immortal Emperor Grass appearing outside of a primordial secret realm.”

  Primordial secret realm…

  The Immortal Emperor Grass would only appear in a primordial secret realm... This was undoubtedly some extremely unpleasant news.

  Even if it only appeared in a higher plane or a truly sinister place, one could always try to find it. But a secret realm… There were countless secret realms within the God Realm, who knew which one would have an Immortal Emperor Grass? Moreover, ownership had already been claimed for all of the major secret realms—free entry was basically implausible. Even if one wanted to try to find a needle in a haystack, it was impossible.

  Seeing that Yun Che’s complexion had gone darker, the old man leaned forward and said mysteriously, “Kid, looking at you, it seems like you actually truly want to find those two treasures, huh? Seeing that you are so generous, I can give you some hints.”

  Yun Che’s eyes flashed in delight, “Senior, please speak.”

  “The Heavenly Mystery Realm!” The man’s gaze swept over him.

  “The Heavenly Mystery Realm… heaven’s mystery?” Yun Che asked in a low voice.

  “The Heavenly Mystery Realm is the smallest star realm within the Eastern Divine Region… Oh wait no, it is the smallest in the entire God Realm. If it was to be mapped, it would be as big as the Darkya City you are in now. However, it is…. truly a genuine upper star realm!”

  Yun Che’s eyes flashed with a bright radiance… If its size was comparable to Darkya City, then the domain would only be a five hundred kilometers wide. It was actually at a level that would absolutely crush realms like the Snow Song Realm and the Flame God Realm?!

  “Although the Heavenly Mystery Realm is small, not only is it an upper star realm, it also has a high status in the upper star realms. Even the four great king realms still have to be respectful to the Heavenly Mystery Realm. Their Great Realm Kings would often personally pay a visit to the Heavenly Mystery Realm.”

  ”Since the star realm is called Heavenly Mystery Realm… Is it true... that the inhabitants, can actually break through the mysteries of the heavens?” Yun Che asked in surprise.

  “Hehehe,” The old man smiled, “It is rumored so but how am I qualified to know about matters concerning that plane? However, the Heavenly Mystery Realm is an unrestricted star realm, anyone can go there. As long as you have enough profound stones, you can purchase any information there…. For example, where can one find the Nine Star Buddha Jade and the Immortal Emperor Grass.”

  Yun Che’s gaze moved slightly.

  “However, the price of the information in the Heavenly Mystery Realm is much more expensive than you can imagine. As long as you can afford it, the quality will definitely not disappoint you. As to how you can acquire the Nine Star Buddha Jade and the Immortal Emperor Grass after obtaining the information, it will entirely depend on you. It will be much more difficult than simply purchasing a piece of information.”

  “How can I get to the Heavenly Mystery Realm?” Yun Che asked without any hesitation.

  “Simple!” The old man replied, “There is a dimensional station in the west of the city and as long as enough profound stones are provided, it can grant access to the dimensional formations of more than sixty star realms. First, you would need to go to the Frigid Origin Realm and from the dimensional station in the Frigid Origin Realm, head to the Starsun Realm and from the Starsun Realm, head to the Myriad Holy Light Realm... and after these seventeen transfers, you will then be able to get to a star realm named the Divine Sea Realm. In the city in the center of the realm, you will be able to find a dimensional station that can reach the Heavenly Mystery Realm. However, the cost of these transfers is not cheap and ordinary people cannot afford such travel, even if they spend everything they have.”

  Yun Che, “~！@#￥%…”

  Although it involved seventeen unfamiliar star realms, Yun Che remembered them all.

  “Senior, thank you for your guidance.”

  Having found his goal, Yun Che headed straight west.

  The Heavenly Mystery Realm, an unrestricted upper star realm. He did not know whether the remaining one hundred million purple profound stones he had on him was enough to afford the information on the Nine Star Buddha Jade and the Immortal Emperor Grass.

  Yun Che traveled for a long time, inquiring during the entire way and finally arrived at the dimensional station in the west of the city. As he approached, he noticed that a large numbe
r of people were coming from that direction, their faces bleak.

  His heart jumped and quickly stopped someone, “Brother, did something happen at the dimensional station?”

  “If you want to go to the dimensional station, then you should turn around." The man said, looking depressed. “It seems like the dimensional station was sealed several hours ago and no one can enter. Also…” He lowered his voice. “It was guarded by a large group of people from the Soul Sect and anyone who approached the dimensional station would get scrutinized right away.”

  “Oh, I see. Thanks for telling me,” Yun Che replied as his heart sank.

  The Black Feather Merchant Guild certainly did not stay idle regarding last night’s matter. The purpose behind sealing the dimensional station was to prevent him from escaping the Darkya Realm.

  After all, the Black Feather Merchant Guild knew that he came from another star realm.

  Could it be.. they were planning to search for him within the entire Darkya Realm? Although it was for a royal wood spirit, wasn’t it a bit too extreme?

  Soul Sect, full name being Black Soul Divine Sect, was the ruling sect of the Darkya Realm. By now, it could be confirmed that they were the power behind the Black Feather Merchant Guild and were an existence that Yun Che absolutely could not offend.

  Yun Che turned around right away… The dimensional station could not remain shut permanently. He could only stay in Darkya City and wait until the day the dimensional station was unsealed.

  Yun Che no longer inquired about the Nine Star Buddha Jade and the Immortal Emperor Grass. He started wandering around the city, buying trinkets that caught his attention. A few hours later, he had spent quite a few profound stones.

  When noon arrived, Yun Che was wondering whether or not he should find a temporary place to stay. Suddenly, he felt a strong aura nearby, his eyes shifted and saw a man, dressed in black, walk toward a shop not far away. Whenever he went, pedestrians scurried away, reverence on their faces.