Against the Gods

Yun Che took a moment to check out the entire cultivation space. He was very satisfied with what he saw.

Although this place was protected by a True God barrier set up by Meng Kongchan himself, Yun Che ultimately decided to attach a wisp of his soul to the barrier covering the entrance. Just in case.

After that, he produced the glowing World Divine Stone and created a crimson profound formation.

Deep within the Endless Fog, the World Formation Core that was completely shrouded by abyssal dust this whole time abruptly flashed crimson. Then, Yun Che slowly stepped out of it.

Every inch of space was filled with rich abyssal dust. It was so different from the clean air of a Kingdom of God it almost felt like a different world altogether.

Yun Che scanned his surroundings once before muttering to himself, “Good. I was worried how the teleportation would feel due to the distance. As expected of the formation stone and formation core engraved using the World Piercer.”

As long as the teleportation range did not exceed the limit, he could always use the World Divine Stone to teleport to the World Formation Core. However, there was a fatal flaw with this arrangement. Every time the teleportation profound formation was created, the World Divine Stone must be left behind. He could only retrieve it after he teleported back to the World Divine Stone. If someone were to approach it while he was gone, he would be in deep trouble to put it mildly.

That was no longer the case. He now had a personal cultivation space that was isolated by the power of a True God. It wasn’t perfect, but for now, his activities inside the cultivation space were concealed from any perception.

Why did he come to the Endless Fog?

As his divine perception and consciousness circulated, a pair of massive gray eyes slowly opened from the dark space ahead of him.

It was the Abyssal Qilin God. It was completely unharmed.

Inside the Endless Fog, not even a godlike profound practitioner like Hua Qingying could kill the Abyssal Qilin God.

With his current compatibility with abyssal dust, controlling a Divine Extinction Realm abyssal beast was his limit. His ability to control this Ancestral Qilin God was just a happy coincidence born from the fact that he had obtained the Qilin God’s inheritance. However, his ability to control abyssal dust still had a lot of room to grow, and he was certain that he would one day be able to add all of the Divine Limit Realm abyssal beasts residing deep within the Endless Fog into his ranks.

When the time came…

Well, that was a thought for another day. Right now, he should focus on solidifying his position in the Dreamweaver Kingdom of God.

He did not linger in the Endless Fog for too long. He eventually passed through the World Formation Core, returned to the Dreamweaver Kingdom of God, and put away the World Divine Stone.

Yun Che produced several abyssal crystals and deposited them inside the World Divine Stone. Then, he placed both hands on top of the item and circulated the Law of Nothingness. The energy within the abyssal crystals began flowing toward the World Divine Stone at a rate that completely surpassed common sense.

Before this, the World Divine Stone’s crimson light was dim and barely visible. But after the process began, it was regaining its bright hue at an incredible rate.

“When Meiyin gave me the World Divine Stone, the thing she worried about the most was how I could recharge it,” Yun Che whispered to himself. “However, the energy within the abyssal crystals is at a much higher level than any divine stone or divine crystal existing in the God Realm. Even better, it can be converted into the World Divine Stone’s energy directly. What was a huge problem—the biggest problem—is now a non-issue.”

He now had a storage space that was more or less perfectly safe from prying eyes and hands, and he no longer had to worry about the World Divine Stone’s energy consumption…

This meant that he could now teleport to and fro in the Endless Fog whenever he felt like it.

It didn’t take long for the World Divine Stone to regain its former radiance, but Yun Che did not leave the cultivation space. Instead, he sat on the floor and closed his eyes in meditation.

Li Suo could sense that a million thoughts were racing around inside his head. He was undoubtedly thinking and plotting.

He did not care about the continuous quakes the return of “Meng Jianyuan” had caused to the entire Dreamweaver Kingdom of God at all.

……

Heaven Breaker Kingdom of God.

There was a flash of profound light, and a profound formation unfolded before Hua Fuchen. However, before the projection could even take form, Meng Kongchan’s laughter deafened his ears.

“Hahahaha! I owe you big, brother Fuchen!”

To say this came out of nowhere would be an understatement. Hua Fuchen asked in confusion, “What do you mean?”

As the projection grew clearer, Hua Fuchen realized that Meng Kongchan was red-faced and grinning widely. The last time he saw the Dreamless Divine Regent acting like this was over a hundred years ago, when he traveled to the Dreamweaver Kingdom of God to congratulate him about the birth of Meng Jianyuan.

“My Yuan’er… my Yuan’er came back!”

It was just a projection, and yet Meng Kongchan’s gaze stabbed into Hua Fuchen’s heart like a pair of blazing arrows. His eyes were unnaturally bright, and his voice was filled with unbridled excitement.

Hua Fuchen frowned. He already did not know how to handle Meng Kongchan in this state, and his nonsensical words confused him even more. Hua Fuchen tried, “Yuan’er? You mean… the son you lost over a hundred years ago, Meng Jianyuan?”

“That’s right!” Meng Kongchan nodded strongly. “He’s still alive! He actually came back alive! He’s residing in the Divine Son Palace I built for him so many years ago right now!”

Hua Fuchen was astonished, but he did not hesitate to congratulate his close friend. “I see. No wonder you are so excited. I am glad, brother. Regaining what you once lost is one of the greatest happinesses you can have in life.”

“Since he has returned, you must have found out what happened to him back then. So, who was it? Who was the one who kidnapped him?”

Meng Kongchan shook his head. “I’m not sure. Unfortunately, Yuan’er does not have his memories from before he went missing. It’s probably because of the soul damage he suffered back then. If his ‘master’ hadn’t rescued him, he would’ve been long dead.”

No prior memories… over a hundred years ago… master…

Hua Fuchen’s mind turned blank for a second.

What did Meng Kongchan say earlier? He owes me big?

The Heart Painter Divine Regent’s pupils contracted, and the words slipped through his lips before he could control himself. “Wait a second! Your Yuan’er… it couldn’t be…”

“Hahahaha!” Meng Kongchan was feeling on top of the world to begin with, and Hua Fuchen’s expression was such that he burst out laughing. “That’s right! That’s right! The Yun Che you asked Qingying to escort personally to my realm is none other than my Yuan’er, my lost son! Truly, I owe you a favor as big as the heavens themselves!”

“...!” Hua Fuchenshot to his feet instantly, and his eyes widened even more than they already were. For a time, all he could do was stare at Meng Kongchan’s projection, unable to say a single word.

“Hahaha! What a rare reaction from you.” Meng Kongchan laughed. “Then again, my reaction was ten, no, twenty times stronger than yours when I executed ‘Falling Dream’ and found out that he is none other than my Yuan’er.”

Hua Fuchen slowly returned to his seat while murmuring almost to himself, “To think… such a ludicrous thing… could happen.”

“Ludicrous? I guess. Or maybe it is fate. The heavens weren’t cruel to me after all. They ultimately rewarded me after a hundred and twenty years of heartbreak”

Meng Kongchan’s grin remained as strong as ever. “I was wondering what kind of boy could possibly win the heart of your Caili to the point she would disobey you and even abandon Dian Jiuzhi… but now it makes perfect sense! He is my son after all! Hehehe, hahahahahaha!”

These two divine regents were imposing to put it mildly when they were facing others, but their best friend? It was like they had returned to those younger days, full of spirit and mettle.

The corners of Hua Fuchen’s mouth twitched as he grunted. “I don’t see why you’re so smug. The boy’s the one who chose Caili, and I’m the one who sent him to your realm! You just got lucky, you ass!”

“Hehehe, sure, sure! Whatever you say, brother Fuchen! Today, you are my lord and savior!” Jokes aside, Meng Kongchan’s gratitude toward Hua Fuchen was as real as it got. “I will remember this, and I will repay this favor, Brother Fuchen. In the future, whatever you need me to do, just ask, and it shall be done. I’ll even give you half of my head if that is your wish. I won’t even bat an eye.”

“Hah!” Hua Fuchen sneered. “And why the hell would I want half your head? I know exactly what kind of rubbish you store inside that skull of yours! Anyway… did you complete the matter I asked of you? I’m warning you, you better not be biased toward him unjustly just because, you know, he’s your son.”

“Er… let’s just say I owe you another one.” Meng Kongchan replied, “I immediately stopped ‘Falling Dream’ after I realized that he was Yuan’er. As you know, my Dreamweaver obeys the ancestral teaching: we must never use ‘Sinking Dream’ and definitely not ‘Falling Dream’ on our kin.”

This was something all of the Abyss was aware of.

“That said—and I’m definitely not speaking on Yuan’er’s behalf because he’s Yuan’er—I think your worries are unfounded.” Meng Kongchan’s smile grew more serious. “Tell me, brother Fuchen. If a man without roots or background suddenly found out that he was really the son of a Divine Regent of a Kingdom of God, how do you think he would react?”

Hua Fuchen answered, “Overjoyed like he was reborn.”

“That’s right.” Meng Kongchan nodded. “But when I told Yuan’er about his background myself, he looked anything but happy. In fact, he seemed cold and even resistant toward it. Even now, he insists on calling himself ‘Yun Che’ and refuses to accept his identity as ‘Meng Jianyuan’. It is because his life and name were bestowed by his ‘master’, and he refuses to turn his back on his ‘master’—at least before he regains his memories.”

A tinge of regret entered Meng Kongchan’s voice as he said this, but it was overwhelmed by the sheer pride he clearly felt. “Becoming the son of a Divine Regent is an impossible dream come true to most people, but in his eyes, it amounts to almost nothing compared to his master’s favor.”

“Considering how much my Yuan’er values bonds, loyalty, and promises, I can only say that your worries are completely unfounded!”

He added inside his head: In fact, it’s practically slander!

“Tsk!” Hua Fuchen clicked his tongue disdainfully. “See? I knew you would be biased toward your son!”

That was what he said, but the corners of his lips were turning up as well. Meng Kongchan was right. Few men under the heavens would value bonds and scorn interest to the extent Yun Che had. Combined with the fact that he had risked his life to save Caili and traveled alone to the Dreamweaver Kingdom of God for her sake… perhaps he really was just worrying and being overcautious about this.

Still… to think that Yun Che is none other than the Meng Jianyuan who vanished over a hundred years ago… to think that he is Meng Kongchan’s son…

Unlike the calm mask he wore on his face, tidal waves were impacting the walls that were Hua Fuchen’s heart.

“So what if I’m biased toward my son? It just means that I’m biased toward your son-in-law!” Meng Kongchan beamed. “No wonder Caili is beloved no matter where she goes. Just look at her eye for men! There is no one in the Six Kingdoms of God who can compare to her!”

“Cut it out.” The level of enthusiasm and cheer Meng Kongchan were displaying was a little too much for Hua Fuchen to bear. “You know what kind of troubles I’m facing. Since Yun Che is your son, you should join me in finding a way to handle this properly.”

Meng Kongchan stopped smiling and let out a sigh. “Right… the children are the ones who found each other, but in the end, there’s no denying that we are letting Old Dian down. Still, considering all our years together… Worst case scenario, we’ll give him a couple kowtows. It’s not like we’ve never done it when we were younger. I refuse to believe he could remain angry after that.”

“If only it was that simple.” Hua Fuchen shook his head. “This isn’t just about him. The dignity of the entire Boundless Kingdom of God and the Pure Land are on the line here.”

“Of course, things are much easier now that we know that Yun Che is Meng Jianyuan. Even so, we cannot be careless especially since both our children are still young… in any case, we can only plan and act accordingly until after the audience with the Pure Land, so let us wait and see.”

Meng Kongchan agreed. He slowly nodded. “Very well. I shall do as you say. Still, there is something I can do. Before the audience with the Pure Land, I will give Yuan’er an identity that is deserving of Caili.”

Hua Fuchen raised an eyebrow. “You mean… you’re going to make him a Divine Son?”

Meng Kongchan’s eyes turned shifty, but he did not deny the accusation.

Hua Fuchen shook his head. “That seems very unwise.”

“I understand your sentiment.” Meng Kongchan smiled. “It would be supremely unwise to remove Jianxi and make Yuan’er the new Divine Son. However… there was a period of time in the Heaven Breaker Kingdom of God where you have two Divine Children, wasn’t there?”

“Hmm…” Hua Fuchen mulled over the idea shortly. “It’s still going to be quite difficult.”

Meng Kongchan said, “Jianxi is skilled and ambitious, and he has garnered over half of the loyalty of the realm. Yuan’er has just returned, so of course he couldn’t hope to compare to Jianxi. Even so, I will keep Yuan’er safe and withstand all the pressures for him. I am still the Divine Regent after all. I’m the one who gets to call the shots.”

“No, no,” Hua Fuchen refuted his declaration with a smile, “you shouldn’t try to shield him. In fact, I would suggest you let him handle all this pressure by himself… who knows, he might give you another pleasant surprise.”

“Oh?” A glint appeared in Meng Kongchan’s eyes. The Hua Fuchen he knew was never a man who said or did something without due consideration. “Tell me.”

“No way. It wouldn’t be a pleasant surprise if I did.” Hua Fuchen smirked before changing the subject forcefully. “Anyway, do you still have no clue who’s the one who kidnapped Meng Jianyuan?”

It was a sore topic. Meng Kongchan’s eyebrows immediately furrowed deeply.

The Divine Regent shook his head and said helplessly, “I have a whole suspect list, but… you know that suspicion is like the devil’s seed. Once it is planted inside you, it will affect your judgment forever. Even the most innocuous things would seem like the most damning evidence to you. That is why I can’t suspect anyone, not until I have found some actual evidence.”

“That said, Yuan’er has safely returned. Once he regains his memories, I will naturally find out the truth.”

There was a dull pop of bones as Meng Kongchan said this. It wasn’t Hua Fuchen’s imagination. To this day, Meng Kongchan hated the one who kidnapped Meng Jianyuan to his very marrow.

“Let’s not spoil such a joyous occasion with such depressing talk.” Meng Kongchan’s smile returned to his face. “Go tell Caili about this news already. I may not be able to give birth to a daughter like yours, but having her as my daughter-in-law is pretty good as well, hahahaha!”

“I can’t,” Hua Fuchen replied with surprising solemnity, “Caili entered the Seven Star Heaven Breaker Formation six hours ago.”

“What!?” Meng Kongchan’s smile vanished in an instant.

“It was her own choice.” Hua Fuchen sighed deeply. “The reason behind her decision is obvious. It is one-tenth because she needed something to distract her from the pain and sorrow of being separated from the boy, and nine-tenths for the sake of their future.”

“...” Meng Kongchan was speechless for a moment before letting out a deep sigh of his own. “If only I possessed even one-tenth of Yuan’er’s wooing skills. I may still not be able to win Qingying’s heart, but at least I would be able to stand tall in front of her.”

“Hah!” Hua Fuchen sneered. “Still haven’t given up yet?”

“You know what they say: the thing you want most is the one thing you can't have,” Meng Kongchan declared without a shred of shame whatsoever. “Besides, just because I’ve become a Divine Regent doesn’t mean that I’m free of desires, much less one that has sprouted since I was a child.”

“Spoken like a true hypochondriac!” Hua Fuchen scoffed. “Yun Che is your son, so try and invest as much resource on him as possible. Tell him that he must grow as quickly as possible if he wishes to break through the greatest pressure stopping him and Caili from getting together. Tell him… that he must surpass Dian Jiuzhi!”

The projection disappeared, and Hua Fuchen rose to his feet. He would remain standing in his sword pavilion in silence for a very long time.

A deep sigh escaped his lips, and with it over half of the mountain of pressure that had been sitting inside his chest this whole time.

Yun Che was Meng Kongchan’s son… and he would soon become the Dreamweaver Divine Son thanks to Meng Kongchan.

With this, Yun Che was no longer just an “ordinary mortal” with no roots or background to speak of. As the Dreamweaver Divine Son, he definitely qualified to be matched with Caili!

With this, the Heaven Breaker Kingdom of God no longer had to face the pressure from the Boundless Kingdom of God and the Abyssal Monarch alone. They now had an ally who would withstood everything with him through thick and thin.

In this case, one plus one does not equal two. The pressure in his heart was many times lighter to say the least!

“Thank goodness.” He let out a huge sigh of relief. “May fate bless and protect them. May they obtain the good ending they desire.”

Meng Kongchan’s decision to make Yun Che the second Dreamweaver Divine Son seriously shocked Hua Fuchen.

Not even Hua Fuchen could know that, the instant his conversation with Meng Kongchan ended, the Dreamless Divine Regent had personally made an announcement that would resound throughout his Kingdom of God and his vassal states like an unending thunderstorm.

The Dreamless Divine Regent would confer Meng Jianyuan, the son who returned safely after a hundred and twenty years, the title of “Divine Son”. He and Meng Jianyuan shall both become the Divine Sons of the Dreamweaver Kingdom of God.

His conferral… was set to happen just seven days later!

The urgency and passion behind his decision was such that no one could believe it for a very, very long time to come.

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