Against the Gods

Chapter 2048 - Mournful Parting

The sudden question threw Hua Caili into complete panic and disarray. “I... I...”

Yun Che asked another question in the same tone and expression. “If I’m not mistaken, your real surname is Hua, and your real given name is Caili, am I right?”

“... !” Hua Caili abruptly looked up and stared at Yun Che in a daze, the light in her eyes trembling like a leaf.

Yun Che smiled as if her expression was an answer in itself. “I thought so. Honestly, it wasn’t difficult to guess.”

He looked up at the sky that had returned to darkness. “The day your veil flew away, and I was blessed with your fantastical countenance... I suddenly recalled the legend about the Rainbow Glass Divine Daughter. They say that she possesses all the beauty there is in the Abyss, and admittedly, I have never seen her before. Still, I thought that even the legendary Rainbow Glass Divine Daughter would be nothing more than a pale shadow compared to you.”

“Then, an outlandish thought came to me. I began wondering if you, whose countenance is dreamlike to the point of being divine, are the legendary Rainbow Glass Divine Daughter herself.”

Hua Caili bit her lips tightly, unable to say a word in response.

“I recalled the day we first met at the Qilin Abyss Realm. You were certain that the silver-robed man who lusted after you was surnamed ‘Meng’, and you even mentioned the names ‘Meng Jianxi’ and ‘Meng Jianzhou’. I have never made contact with anyone from the Kingdoms of God, but even I know that ‘Meng Jianxi’ was the Divine Son of the Dreamweaver Kingdom of God.”

“However, the Kingdoms of God were a distant dream to me at that point. If I didn’t know better, I would almost think that they were a fantasy. Therefore, I did not put two and two together at the time. But now, I realized that, despite your lack of guile, you were unusually calm and confident when you mentioned the Dreamweaver Divine Son by name...”

“That is only possible if you and him are on equal footing, right?”

“Later, we ran into that man named ‘Fang Qingzhou’ in the Endless Fog. You recognized him as a Squire at first glance. I was quite astonished at the time, but I didn’t question you about it because it wasn’t the right time...”

“Although the legendary Rainbow Glass Divine Daughter is the Heaven Breaker Kingdom of God’s Divine Daughter, I heard that she often resides in the Pure Land and is beloved by the Abyssal Monarch and High Priests. Naturally, she would be more familiar with the Abyssal Knights than anyone else.”

Yun Che paid no attention to Hua Caili’s expression. He continued, “Let’s talk about your sword style. My master taught me many ways of the sword, and trust me when I say that, up until this point of my journey, there isn’t a single sword style that I don’t recognize... none, except yours.”

“I am aware that the pinnacle of the way of the sword lies in the Heaven Breaker Kingdom of God. Legend has it that their sword arts are unparalleled because they were taught by the Abyssal Monarch Himself, and it makes sense that even my master wouldn’t know about His sword.”

“We have known each other for some time now, but you have never once revealed to me your way of the sword, your sword arts, or even the name of your favorite sword. Now, I know why. Had you revealed even a single word to me, you would have exposed your identity for sure.”

Yun Che slowly but methodically revealed every flaw Hua Caili had unintentionally exposed to him until now.

Hua Caili’s lips moved a little, and she looked up at him almost timidly. No, that wasn’t right. She, the Heaven Breaker Divine Daughter, was acting more timid than she ever had since they met, “Are you angry because I kept my secrets from you? But I... I...”

“Of course not.” Yun Che shook his head before she could continue. “You are the Divine Daughter of a Kingdom of God. You are nobler than almost anyone. Of course you should conceal your identity from me. There is no one in the world who can or will blame you for this.”

Her eyes regained a bit of vigor, and her voice relaxed a little. “So... you aren’t angry with me?”

She took a step forward to grab Yun Che’s wrist as she asked this question, but he immediately backed away from her.

Hua Caili froze, the starlight in her eyes looking like it might fracture at any moment.

“You... you really are angry at me. I suppose it’s understandable. You’ve always given me your full honesty, and you’ve even divulged your greatest secrets to me. But I... I...”

She bit down on her bottom lip hard and just barely stopped her tears from flowing. She did her utmost to put on a smile and declared, “I promise that I won’t hide anything from you ever again from now on, and... and I will share all of my secrets with you. Just ask, and I will tell you whatever you want, so please...”

“...” High up in the sky, Hua Qingying’s eyebrows were furrowing deeper and deeper. It wasn’t long before they looked like a pair of sharp, murderous swords.

Yun Che shook his head again. “I really am not angry with you. I have never blamed you for this either. What reason or right do I have to blame you for this?”

As if he could not bear to meet her crushed look, he dropped his gaze and asked, “Do you remember what I told you before?”

“We belong in different worlds.”

Hua Caili: “...”

“When we first met, I knew immediately that you hailed from an extraordinary background. There is no one who wouldn’t arrive at such a conclusion after examining our aura and presence. But at the time, I thought that you were just a member of a major sect, clan, or even a Kingdom of God... never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that you would be the Divine Daughter herself.”

He smiled self-derisively. “You know what, I was wrong. You are a Divine Daughter, and I am a duckweed without roots. To say that we belong in different worlds is an understatement. No number of worlds would be enough to fill the infinite chasm between us.”

“...” His words dispelled most of Hua Qingying’s killing intent instantly.

“No, no.” Hua Caili shook her head strongly. “I never thought that there was any difference between the two of us. On the contrary, you are the best person I’ve ever seen in my life... the kind of person who is the best in every aspect. Besides, even... even Uncle Abyssal Monarch often told me that ‘all lives are equal’...”

“I know you believe in what you say. I also know it’s because you are like this because you are far too naive, good, and innocent.” Yun Che’s face was carved from stone, and it held none of the expression Hua Caili was hoping to see. “Did you know that ‘all lives are equal’ is a quote that only a superior would say?”

“That said, you are a Divine Daughter of a Kingdom of God... I am sure that even you understand what kind of responsibility a Divine Daughter must bear. After all, that title doesn’t just represent supreme status and honor. It is also a title that carries the fate and future of an entire Kingdom of God.”

“Her honor must not be sullied by a mortal. Her choices must not damage the Kingdom of God even a little. As for her dignity and her will... Can you imagine what the people would say if they learned that a Divine Son or Daughter is close to a mortal with no background? Can you even imagine the destruction it would cause?”

Yun Che’s words were guiding Hua Caili’s thoughts every step of the way. Try as she might, she could not come up with the words necessary to refute him. She could only shake her head harder.

Yun Che reached out and touched the corner of her eye with a fingertip where a single tear lay. It was her first ever tear of love.

Hua Caili stared at him blankly. She couldn’t move, she couldn't speak.

“Sister Qu,” his voice became incredibly gentle. “Every moment I spend with you is like a dream.”

“Your figure, your eyes, your voice, your innocence, your naivety... everything about you pulls at me like an irresistible magnet. I would be lying if I said that I haven’t lost myself in your presence more times than I care to admit.”

“Ah...” A gasp escaped Hua Caili’s lips as tears filled her eyes.

“I guessed your identity a while ago, but I was reluctant to part ways with you. After all, every moment with you is too wonderful, too luxurious. I desire nothing more than to watch over you, protect you, do everything I can to make you happy. That is until...”

He suddenly turned away. His movement was swift and abrupt, but Hua Caili still caught a glint of wetness in his eyes.

“Until I felt you approaching me.”

He slowly removed his hand from her cheek as if to relish that last bit of warmth. Then, he turned away and spoke as quietly as the wind, “I would be lying if I said I wasn’t overjoyed. But the emotion I felt after that moment of joy? It was fear, ten thousand times greater than the joy I felt. I will never allow myself to become your burden, you understand? Not even if that stain is just temporary.”

He let out a long sigh. “I wish you a smooth and joyous life, Rainbow Glass Divine Daughter. I will never forget our time together... Sister Qu.”

By the time he finished, Hua Caili realized that his figure was but a blurry silhouette behind a cloud of fog. He did not look back.

“Young Master Yun!” Hua Caili let out a cry of shock as she subconsciously tried to give chase.

“Your fiance is waiting for you.”

A fading voice entered her ears and shook her soul sea like a bomb. She abruptly stopped in her tracks as her eyes quickly lost focus.

Her fiance...

Everyone knew that the Divine Son of the Boundless Kingdom of God, Dian Jiuzhi was engaged to the Divine Daughter of the Heaven Breaker Kingdom of God, Hua Caili. After all, it was an engagement conferred by the Abyssal Monarch Himself.

Maybe it was because of the “distribution” of Godbearers and the belonging of bloodline inheritances, but an exceedingly few number of Divine Sons and Divine Daughters had ever gotten married in the history of the Abyss. To say that the engagement was stunning would be an understatement.

Ironically, the one person who understood the importance of this engagement the least was Hua Caili herself.

She understood what an engagement was. She also understood what it entailed. However, she had never paid it any heed because it was something her Father had arranged for her.

Her whole life, her Father had arranged everything for her. To her, the engagement was no different from a ritual or a trial her Father had prepared for her. No different at all.

Dian Jiuzhi treated her very well, and she was closer to him than most others. That was why she had no qualms with this engagement whatsoever. She did not oppose it, and she didn’t care. Her Father would arrange everything, and she simply needed to follow through with his plans. There was nothing to worry about.

And yet... the word she had never attached any importance to before became heavier than she could ever imagine. Somehow, it became so suffocating, so oppressive that she could barely breathe.

“Engagement”. It wasn’t “just” an engagement, not “just” a tie that bound her to another person forever and ever.

It was a tie that represented the stability and dignity of two Kingdoms of God.

It was her Father’s expectation and the center of everyone’s attention.

It was the Abyssal Monarch’s infinite might and prestige.

It was...

It was why... he had cut ties with her...

......

The world seemed to have gone silent. Time itself seemed to have stopped.

She did not know how much time had passed, but it did nothing to alleviate the suffocation she was feeling.

She slowly looked up. Where she looked, where her senses stretched... there was no Yun Che. Not even a trace of him.

She closed her eyes. Her countenance was the most beautiful thing in this entire Abyss, and right now, it was etched with a kind of sorrow that could shatter any man’s heart.

I am the Divine Daughter of the Heaven Breaker Kingdom of God. From the beginning, my life belongs to the Heaven Breaker Kingdom of God, not myself.

Is that why...

Our time together... is destined to be a dream...?

Like that short but brilliant meteor shower...?

Hua Qingying gazed toward the distance. Yun Che had walked away without hesitation, and his speed bespoke his determination. As if he was afraid that Hua Caili would catch up to him, he had rapidly flown out of her senses and plunged head first into the Endless Fog.

......

After Yun Che confirmed that he was far enough that there was no way Hua Qingying could possibly detect him, he finally slowed down a little and wiped his sorrowful expression clean like a makeup artist.

Now that he was alone again, his entire body turned limp as if he wanted nothing more than to collapse on the ground and relax. In fact, he took a couple of very, very luxurious deep breaths to calm himself.

After all, he hadn’t had a single moment to relax since joining up with Hua Caili and entering the Sword Fairy’s attention. He couldn’t relax for an instant even if he wanted to.

A long walk later, Yun Che finally could not hold it in any longer and asked, “Why aren’t you bombarding me with questions, Little Li Suo?”

“... Because you always conclude with, ‘you wouldn’t understand’ after answering my questions.”

He wondered if it was his imagination, but Li Suo’s gentle, dreamlike voice seemed to be infused with grievances.

“Ahem... you may be a Creation God, but your common sense is fragmented. You know better than I do that it will take time for you to recover,” Yun Che said slowly, “If you keep watching and asking questions, then you will eventually understand.”

“She approached you of her own accord earlier. It was the success you were dreaming of, wasn’t it? Why did you choose now of all times to back away, and to break ties with her so cleanly and ruthlessly no less?” Li Suo asked.

Yun Che immediately countered, “When is the moment a person truly recognizes the value of something precious?”

Li Suo thought for a brief moment before answering, “When they lose it.”

“That is exactly correct!” Yun Che nodded approvingly.

“That’s it? Is that all you were aiming for?” Li Suo wasn’t satisfied, however. If anything, she sounded more confused than ever.

“Of course not.” Yun Che narrowed his eyes. “This is all preparation for the final step... the most critical of them all.”

“The step that I would not want to see the most?” Li Suo repeated what Yun Che said earlier.

“That’s right,” Yun Che answered without any hesitation. “You may start preparing a dictionary of offensive words now. I wouldn’t want you to find yourself lacking the words to vent and get frustrated later.”

“What on earth are you planning?”

Yun Che smiled, but it was the kind of smile that chilled one to the core. “I have used every tactic I can possibly think of to deepen my tie with her, but there is one thing I cannot remedy, and that is time. How deep can our bond really be when our time together is so short? For example, can our bond really exceed her bond with her Father, the man who has protected her, loved her, and pampered her since birth?”

“It might look like she has completely fallen for me, but that is exactly the problem. She has just fallen for me, and this isn’t enough at all. I want her... to sacrifice everything for me, fight everyone for my sake!”

“If she doesn’t possess at least this much determination, then how can I possibly ruin the Six Kingdoms of Gods using the Heaven Breaker Kingdom of God as my focal point? How can I turn the entire Abyss upside down?”

“...” Li Suo could not say anything for a time. Try as she might, she could not imagine what Yun Che could possibly do to achieve the result he desired.

At the same time, she could not help but let out a sigh of pity for Hua Caili.

The Heaven Breaker Divine Daughter might be a Divine Daughter, but she was innocent and as pure as a white paper. This was her just first time making contact with the world and learning its ways, and she had already run into Yun Che, the man who had sworn to uproot the Abyss and destroy it forever; the most terrifying and dangerous devil god in this entire universe.

If this wasn’t tragic and pitiful, what was?

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