Against the Gods - Volume 05 - Primordial Profound Ark

by Mars Gravity

  Dongfang Xiu was not sure if he should rejoice or if his heart should grieve.

  “General Feng, you will immediately lead all the cavalry under my command towards the south. At the same time, send a sound transmission to Great Desert Lord Geng Wanli and advise him to give up on the northern and the western front. Then, immediately set out towards the south… March through the day and night if you have to, but you must meet at the Ten Thousands Beast Mountain Range, which is to the north of New Moon City! After which you will conceal yourselves on both sides of the Ten Thousand Beast Mountain Range, and once the Divine Phoenix Army arrives, you will ambush them from the left and right!”

  “Always bear this in mind! The deeper you journey into the Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain Range, the fiercer the profound beasts will be. Therefore, conceal yourselves on its periphery if you can and never attempt to delve deeper!”

  When she mentioned the Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain Range, Cang Yue’s heart began to tremble… Because it was after they had gone through that period of joy and sorrow together in the Ten Thousand Beast Mountain range all those years ago that their hearts had become one.

  “This general has received your command!” An awe-inspiring general who was radiating martial power and in full armor gave a salute. After which, he raised his head to ask, “Your Majesty, if Geng Wanli travels south, he will pass by the Heavenly Sword Mountain Range. Should he once again ask Heavenly Sword Villa for help?”

  Empress Cang Yue’s slender eyebrows twitched, and her gaze fell in the direction of Heavenly Sword Villa. She spoke in a voice as cold as ice, “One thousand years ago, my Blue Wind ancestor and the ancestor of the Heavenly Sword Villa were sworn brothers for life, both parties mutually supported one another, with one having all political authority, while the other had all the power. They swore a blood oath with each other, that they would live and die as one, and if one party was facing imminent doom, the other would definitely pour out all his power to help… In the past, when our Blue Wind Imperial Family was in a state of upheaval and my royal father was poisoned by scoundrels, for them to not extend any help at all was already tantamount to being unvirtuous and unjust. However, at that time, the imperial family was not truly facing destruction, so they could still be forgiven.”

  “But at this present time, on the occasion of our demise, two years ago, when we sought help from them a total of nine times, even to the point where we grovelled and begged, they shut themselves in their villa, ignoring us completely. Since they are empty of righteousness, why should we shame ourselves any further?!”

  General Feng slowly nodded his head, “I understand, I will set off immediately.”

  “Wait!” Empress Cang Yue turned around and said “Even though we have broken off all relations with them, we should still pay Heavenly Sword Villa a visit.”

  As Empress Cang Yue’s voice fell, her hands unraveled a sheet of dull golden silk. She gathered profound energy in her finger and wrote the following words swiftly….

  “Your faithlessness hath earned mine contempt, your disregard hath aroused mine spite, this empress shall always remember this! If the Blue Wind doth see the dawn and its gentle breeze chances upon the Heavenly Sword, there will be no reconciliation, for only hate and enmity remains, forevermore!”

  Empress Cang Yue did not hide anything while she was writing, and those close to her could all that was written. After she finished writing, she folded the silk and passed it to General Feng. “Dispatch men to Heavenly Sword Villa. You do not need to see anyone, just throw this thing at the foot of the Heavenly Sword Mountain Range! No matter if Blue Wind lives or dies, what I have said today will never be taken back!”

  After gazing upon the delicate characters which were saturated with majestic power, General Feng nodded his head heavily, kept the silk sheet carefully, and quickly withdrew.

  Empress Cang Yue saw him off and turned around after, gazing into the distance, her thoughts hidden from all who were present.

  “…I am a daughter of Blue Wind, wife of Yun Che. Even in death, I will never defile their glorious names!”

  Chapter 479: Very Close By

  Primordial Profound Ark.

  Yun Che sat cross-legged in front of the stone door and stared intensely at that large hole on the stone door. Through this large hole, he could already clearly see the scenery outside.

  This was the result of his consecutive fusions of ice flames for half a year. After a total of more than six hundred destructive strikes from the Ice Flame, the hole on the stone door had expanded to a size even larger than an adult’s head. However, after trying several times, it was still insufficient for him to leave this place… It was still lacking that small bit.

  The Frozen End and Phoenix flames in Yun Che’s hands once again successfully fused together. Compared to the first few attempts, the time he took to fuse them this time was very short, and even the process itself was a little casually done. In half a year, from repeating more than six hundred times without rest, when he fused ice and flames, it was no longer as difficult as before. Speaking from another perspective, his understanding towards this heaven-bending law had gradually become more thorough during this process.

  “This time, it will definitely succeed!”

  Yun Che muttered, as he struck the ice flame in his hand towards the side of that hole.

  The destruction of the ice flame was completely soundless, and as the demonic ice-blue colored flames dissipated, it could be seen with the naked eyes that the width of the hole had stretched by a small degree. After visually measuring the current width of the hole, Yun Che took a deep breath. Just as he was about to stand, suddenly, the profound energy in his profound veins stirred for a moment.

  This is… another breakthrough?!

  Yun Che hurriedly stabilized his body in a sitting posture, focused his mind, and slowly guided the profound energy in his body. Every fusion of a single ice flame consumed an enormous amount of profound energy. Hence, with every successful fusion, it was a form of refinement to his profound strength to a very large degree. On the hundred fortieth fusion, his profound energy broke through into the ninth level of the Sky Profound Realm. It had only been four months since then, and his profound level was once again confronted with a breakthrough.

  Just like the one before, the breakthrough this time was, a matter of course, incomparably successful. In less than eight minutes, the profound energy in his profound veins had completely calmed down, and the aura being emitted from Yun Che’s body had undergone an evident change.

  The profound energy of the Earth Profound Realm was like a mist, while the profound energy of the Sky Profound Realm was as a dense as a white syrup. Now that he had crossed into the peak of the Sky Profound Realm, the profound energy within his profound veins were so dense, it was as though they were about to solidify. Scarlet-colored and blue-colored light intersected each other with their glows, causing the entire space of profound veins to look as though it was a dream-like world.

  Yun Che opened his eyes, looked at his own pair of hands, and muttered to himself. “It seems like I’m not really far off from the Emperor Profound Realm as well… Give me another year or less, and I will definitely accomplish in becoming a Throne!”

  Yun Che stood up. His eyes stared intensely at the large hole on the stone door, before he stuffed his head into it.

  Just like before, his head effortlessly crossed through. However, his shoulders were still stuck at inner rim, and were unable to pass through. Yun Che stretched out his neck, straightened his body, and struggled to fold his arms. Then, leaping with his legs, he greatly exerted his strength… In an instant, with a “boink” sound, his shoulders which had been stuck inside, instantly snapped into the hole.

  Su… Success!!

  Although the snap was very painful, Yun Che revealed a joyful look. He strongly moved his body, pulled along both of his arms, allowing his own upper body to move forward within the hole, little by little, to the point where he was
struggling while grimacing in pain, and his face and neck had turned red. If not because there wasn’t anyone in the Primordial Profound Ark, even if Yun Che had to wait for another half a month, he definitely wouldn’t be willing to act like this, which would ruin his image in front of others.

  I simply don’t believe that I’m not able to get out…

  Yun Che struggled for a good long while, before his arms had finally struggled out a half of the door. He widened his eyes, took a deep breath, and exerted his strength with all his might.

  With a “swiiip” sound, the clothes Yun Che was wearing were completely torn apart, while, like an unleashed cannonball, his entire body was suddenly shot out from the hole. Then, his head smashed head-on with the wall at the front not far away.

  Yun Che stood up while holding onto his head. Turning his head around, he saw the stone door that was embedded with a large hole… And that stone door, was actually more than thirty meters away from his current location!

  “I’m out… I’m finally out!!” Even though his head was in severe pain from the crash, Yun Che was still celebrating to himself with incomparable excitement. From back then, when he thought that he was in a situation of absolute death, to surviving in incomparably sufferable conditions, he had now just escaped from the place where he was trapped in for two whole years… It would be hard for him to not feel excited at all.

  “Don’t be happy too soon!” Jasmine’s voice resounded coldly. “You have only left a small stone room! You’re currently still in the Primordial Profound Ark… Do you know how to leave this Primordial Profound Ark!?”

  Jasmine’s words caused Yun Che’s emotions to speedily cool down. He pondered for a moment, before replying. “No matter how big this profound ark is, it should still have edges. As long as I find the edges, and use the Ice Flame like I did to break open the stone door, little by little, I will definitely be able to get out.”

  “Hmph, you’re really naive.” Jasmine snorted coldly. “You used exactly half a year to break open a small stone door. The thickness of the walls at the corner of the Primordial Profound Ark is at least ten thousand times more than the stone door, and their tenacity far surpasses a mere absolutely ordinary stone door in the interior. What are you going to use to break them open?”

  “This… I know it’s not really realistic either. However, if I want to leave this place, it’s not like this is the only way.” Yun Che continued. “The Primordial Profound Ark will appear in the Profound Sky Continent once every three hundred years. Every time, those who enter will always be expelled by the Primordial Profound Ark’s aura.”

  Yun Che pondered as he said with a heavy expression. “According to past records, usually, the Primordial Profound Ark will stop for half a year, then, the ark gate will open on the very last day, and everyone who have entered the profound ark will be expelled at the final moment. And counting the time the Primordial Profound Ark had suddenly halted previously, it’s been about half a year since then as well. That aura might arrive any time soon. As long as I leave this fortress, and wait for the arrival of that aura, I will be able to leave.”

  “What you have said might indeed become reality.” Jasmine lightly said. “Then, do you know what place the Primordial Profound Ark has currently stopped at? Since you know that the Primordial Profound Ark will only appear once in the Profound Sky Continent every three hundred years, then, the place it has currently stopped at, is naturally impossible for it to be the Profound Sky Continent as well! If you leave due to the aura, then, you will be brought into some unknown place! In the Profound Sky Continent, there seems to be no records on other similar spaces where the Primordial Profound Ark has appeared in. In other words, the place where you will be brought to, is extremely possible to be completely unrelated to the Profound Sky Continent. The distance between two might be extremely far, and it might be a place where you will be unable to once again return to the Profound Sky Continent forever.”

  “!!” Yun Che’s body suddenly stiffened.

  “Very evidently, this Primordial Profound Ark does not merely stop in the Profound Sky Continent. It seems to be undergoing spatial transference abiding by a certain pattern. At every fixed period of time, it will stop at a fixed place, and stays for a fixed period of time as well, with three hundred years as a complete cycle.” Jasmine slowly said. “In the boundless universe and chaotic space, there’s countless galaxies, countless astral planes, and countless dimensions. The Blue Pole Star where you reside in before, is merely one of the most normal, and inconspicuous among them. The Primordial Profound Ark has undergone exactly eighteen months of spatial transference. With this amount of time, it’s sufficient for it to reach a faraway place that you’re unable to imagine or understand. So far away that even if you succeed in stepping into the Divine Profound Realm, and spend your entire life, it will still be impossible for you to return to the Profound Sky Continent!”

  “…Could it be that I have to wait here for three hundred years, until it once again returns to Profound Sky Continent, before I choose to be expelled by the aura?” Yun Che was silent for a long while, before he said, startled. In actuality, in the recent few months, he had thought about what Jasmine had just said. However, it was hard for him to accept this reality.

  If he were to leave the Primordial Profound Ark now, he would appear in another completely different world. It might be impossible for him to return to Profound Sky Continent as well.

  However, if he were to wait here for more than three hundred years…

  Three hundred years. Given his Dragon God’s physique, and the protection from the Great Way of the Buddha, even if he did not have profound energy, living another three hundred years wasn’t a problem at all, to the point where he would not have any hint of having aged either.

  However, combining his two lives together, he had only lived for less than fifty years. Just how was he supposed to face such a long span of time of three hundred years? Just what would happen to Profound Sky Continent after three hundred years? Three hundred years later, the people he were concerned about… Grandfather, little aunt, Cang Yue, Yuanba, Qinyue… Would they still be around? If they would, would they still remember him then? If they would remember, then how would he face that situation…

  Jasmine sensed that Yun Che’s state of mind and aura had turned become a little messy. She lightly voiced out. “Forget it, there’s no need for you to be so pessimistic. Give me another few more years, when the deadly poison is completely cleansed from my body, when you have helped me accomplish all four conditions that I require, allowing my body to be reconstructed, no matter what place you’re in, I will still be able to bring you straight back to Profound Sky Continent.

  The four conditions Jasmine set for Yun Che were: Enter the Sovereign Profound Realm in thirty years, three Tyrant Profound Beast’s profound pellets, thirty-five kilograms of Purple Veined Divine Crystals, and a Netherworld Udumbara Flower.

  “These items can be gathered not just from the Profound Sky Continent. And in reality, it’s seemingly impossible to find them in the Profound Sky Continent as well, especially when it comes to thirty-five kilograms of Purple Veined Divine Crystal. Hmph, even when all of the Purple Veined Divine Crystals of the Profound Sky Continent are pooled together, it still wouldn’t be enough to make up thirty-five kilograms. You can simply use the aura of this profound ark to bring you into the world it has currently stopped in. In this world, it might be easier to find the items I require.”

  Jasmine’s words had instantly dispersed the clouds in Yun Che’s heart, and his eyes once again shone. In regards to Jasmine’s ability to bring him back to the Profound Sky Continent after Jasmine had remodeled her body, Yun Che did not suspect it in the slightest. Because Jasmine was initially someone who had come from a place other the Profound Sky Continent, and it wasn’t just its distance being extremely far and long, even their levels were extremely far away from their own world.

  “Great!” Yun Che slowly nodded, as he te
mporarily placed down the reluctance in his heart. “If it really only stops at every place for exactly half a year, then it should be about time! Now, I shall hurry out of the fortress, and have wait for the aura to expel me… Hopefully, it doesn’t send me to a dead world.”

  As he said that, Yun Che no longer hesitated. His body flew, and he hurriedly looked for the staircase down. From the top of the stone stairs, he directly leapt down, and landed on that circle-shaped stone stage on the first floor of this mysterious fortress. Just as he was about to lift up his leg to fly again, a voice suddenly resounded in his ears…

  “Please… find her…”

  Yun Che halted his footsteps. Ever since the first day he had stepped into the Primordial Profound Ark, and after he spent half a year to break open the stone door, he had heard this voice several times. Basically, every four to six hours, it would voice out again.

  However, this time, it was different from every single one before.

  Back then, the voice he heard was frail and insignificant. If he did not focus his mind, it would be a little hard to hear, as it seemed to have come from an extremely far place.

  While this time, it was so close, as if it was right next to his ear!

  Chapter 480: Lingering Soul

  “Who are you? And where are you?”

  Yun Che stopped in his tracks and began to shout in all directions. The voice that had just appeared had sounded like it was right next to his ear.

  The space within the Primordial Profound Ark would only begin to vibrate violently if the Primordial Profound Ark was going to employ its energy field within the hour. Seeing that the space within the Ark was completely still, Yun Che was not in a hurry to leave. During these past six months, he had always wanted to figure out the origins of this incessant voice which only he could hear.