Against the Gods

NEW NOVEL: First and foremost, I'm delighted to announce that our long-time veteran translator littleshanks has finally launched his new novel, Rise!  Rise is a novel about the esports scene in Shanghai, the competitive gaming capital of China. It follows the story of Lin Feng, a boy who has just moved to the city for his last year of high school. He's a passionate gamer and dreams of being the best professional League of Legends player in the world. The twist? He almost achieved his dream, but failed at the...

Read More...

Chapter 946 - Freezing Snow City

The trio had unwittingly flown through a few thousand kilometers of the snow region. Snow Song Realm did not have an ocean of water, only a boundless ocean of ice. During the few thousand kilometer journey, the Snow Song Realm touched Yun Che greatly. Aside from the god realm aura that was completely different than that of the Blue Pole Star, there was a stifling empty silence.

The Snow Song Region was much more vast than the Blue Pole Star but whether it be the amount of people or profound beasts, those were incomparably sparse here.

“We’ve arrived,” Mu Bingyun stated as she opened her eyes that had been resting the entire time.

The direction of the flight suddenly shifted downward. The sea of clouds scattered and an enormous world shrouded in illusory icy mist instantly appeared before Yun Che.

The temperature had suddenly dropped and the originally extremely dense energy of heaven and earth quickly became even richer. Even though they were high in up in the skies, the enormous world didn’t seem to have a limit. Within the icy mist, glaciers, cities of ice and ice origins were scattered across the area. They were covered with a layer of might so sharp that its ice-cold suppression caused Yun Che to involuntarily hold his breath.

Scree~

A long cry pierced through the high skies. A huge bird that was at least a few kilometers wide in body length alone flew over from the icy mist. Its approach brought along an oppressive feeling that caused Yun Che’s entire body to stiffen… For him, it was a tremendous, totally incomprehensible suppression. He had no doubt that this huge bird only needed an instant to erase him from this world.

However, the huge bird held not the slightest bit of hostility in its aura. In fact, it shifted the trajectory of its flight and actively made way for them. It seemed as though that long cry was its greeting call. In the next instant, Yun Che was stunned to see countless shadows within the icy mist that filled the air. There were huge blue birds, white single-horned beasts and all kinds of oddly shaped ice beasts… there were even several kilometer long ice dragons!

The profound beasts which flew through the skies of this world were all, without exception, ice attribute profound beasts and any one of them, even the weakest, left Yun Che trembling in fear.

“This is the Ice Phoenix Realm, where Divine Ice Phoenix Sect is located,” Mi Bingyun narrated with a soft voice. “Our Divine Ice Phoenix Sect should not be the same as the sects you know of. Ice Phoenix Realm is around the same size as the Profound Sky Continent but there are not more than two hundred million people here.”

“Two hundred million?” Yun Che was shocked. “These two hundred million people all belong to Divine Ice Phoenix Sect?”

“No.” Mu Bingyun shook her head. “From the lowest Snowfall Palace disciple to the highest Main Sect Master, Divine Ice Phoenix Sect only has a total of ten million members. As for the others, the majority are the Snow Song Realm’s profound practitioners with the minority being lower realm ascenders. In order to enter Divine Ice Phoenix Sect, they would reside within the Ice Phoenix Realm year round to cultivate, settling down in the Ice Phoenix Realm and even go as far as to establish some forces of various sizes here. You can perhaps view the Ice Phoenix Realm as a special country with Divine Ice Phoenix Sect as its core. The places between Divine Ice Phoenix Sect and the borders of the Ice Phoenix Realm are all generations of profound practitioners who work hard in hopes of joining Divine Ice Phoenix Sect.

Mu Bingyun’s gaze slightly shifted as she mumbled softly, “Elder Sister…”

The icy mist grew more and more faint as Yun Che was gradually able to see what was below them. A blue, indistinct silhouette appeared. Yun Che was able to recognize the tail of a phoenix at first glance. However, completely different from the fire phoenix, this phoenix tail was a flowing cold, icy blue color. There was either a city or a huge palace on top of each phoenix feather.

The shape of the Divine Ice Phoenix Sect was precisely a reclining ice phoenix more than fifty thousand kilometers long from north to south. With Yun Che’s eyesight, even at such a high altitude, he was only barely able to see the silhouette of a phoenix tail.

Could it be that the ice phoenix really is an ice type phoenix?

The icicle beneath their feet suddenly accelerated at this time, fast enough to make Yun Che subconsciously close his eyes. When he opened them, the speed of the icicle suddenly slowed before completely grinding to a halt.

Ding!

Amidst a light sound, the icicle disappeared and Yun Che’s feet landed on the incomparably hard ice crystal floor.

Before him were numerous unusually tall structures, palaces and buildings. The tall ones were at most three kilometers tall and the shortest were close to three hundred meters. They were all built with ice crystals and reflected ice-cold light. In this area, the element of ice was so rich and active that it had reached its pinnacle. If he looked into the distance, he would see fast moving white or blue robed silhouettes and the silhouettes of kinds of ice profound beasts and profound arks from time to time.

At the extreme limits of his line of sight was a three kilometer tall palace bigger than the entire Blue Wind Imperial City. Beside the palace was an ice crystal phoenix with its wings spread, as though it was in flight. The might it released was so thick that it nearly enveloped the entire world.

Everything seemed as though he had arrived in a wonderland of ice and snow.

The Snow Region of Extreme Ice could be said to be the Profound Sky Continent’s coldest, purest region where the ice element was the most concentrated and active. However, if it were to be compared to this place, it would be as insignificant as dust.

“Phew! We’re finally back. This is the first time I’ve left for this long after entering Divine Phoenix Sect.” Mu Xiaolan closed her eyes and took a deep breath of the pure cold air in this place. Even though she had only stayed for a month, the Profound Sky Continent’s aura was still turbid to the point where she couldn’t endure it.

“This is the Ice Phoenix Realm.” Mi Bingyun looked at Yun Che and said, “Up ahead is Freezing Snow City, the place where Freezing Snow Hall is located. Unofficial disciples are not allowed to enter and exit at will. If they encounter a disciple of the sect, they would be sure to be interrogated. However, since you were brought here by me, you do not have to worry.”

“Elder Sister already knows that I’ve returned. I must see to her immediately, lest she get too worried. I will also tell her of your situation in passing,” Mu Bingyun stated.

“Ah?” Mu Xiaolan softly gasped. Then, she hung her head and muttered in a small voice, “It’s even hard for someone like Senior Brother Hanyi to see the Great Realm King… How could the Great Realm King even bother with a small lower realm bad guy like him?”

Mu Bingyun slightly shook her head. “Xiaolan, Elder Sister definitely won’t treat him unfairly just based on the fact that Yun Che saved my life. So… Yun Che, you do not need to be too nervous here and just treat this place as an ordinary cultivation ground.”

“Alright.” Yun Che nodded. “I’ll be troubling you then.”

Profound practitioners, even those from the Snow Song Realm that had come to the Divine Ice Phoenix Sect for the first time, would all tremble in fear. Those ascenders from lower realms would be even more nervous, such that they would shrink to their smallest. However, what Mu Bingyun saw from Yun Che’s face was actually deep curiosity and even faint excitement… unexpectedly, not a hint of nervousness was found there.

“Xiaolan, go bring Yun Che to the Freezing Snow Main Hall. Use my name to directly take an Ice Phoenix Engraved Jade for Yun Che so he could become a disciple of Freezing Snow Hall. As for which hall he’ll be placed in, let fate decide that. Afterwards, go take him on a stroll in Freezing Snow City.”

“Yes, Master.” Mu Xiaolan complied with unwillingness written all over her face.

“In addition, let me say this again. You mustn’t tell anyone that Yun Che cured my poison and learned the Ice Phoenix God Investiture Canon!”

“Don’t worry Master, I definitely won’t let out a single word.”

Mu Bingyun slightly nodded. She quickly rose, turned into a streak of blue and completely disappeared from their line of sight.

“Seriously, why does she treat him so well…” It was not known how many times Mu Xiaolan mumbled those words but she did it yet again with a tone that contained a distinct tone of jealousy.

“Cough, Little Sister Xiaolan…”

Once Yun Che said those words, Mu Xiaolan turned around lightning quick and answered aggressively, “What Little Sister Xiaolan! Call me senior sister! Senior sister! Also, before I bring you to Freezing Snow City, you better remember this well, you can’t secretly run around wherever you like, can’t say random things and your eyes can’t randomly roam around! Especially since our Divine Ice Phoenix Sect has more female disciples, y-y-you… you definitely can’t do things you shouldn’t do! Otherwise… otherwise, don’t blame me for not warning you.”

“Things I shouldn’t do? What things I shouldn’t do?” Yun Che asked with a face full of innocence.

“In short… just do whatever I tell you to. Otherwise, you better behave and stand there doing nothing!” Mu Xiaolan said in a really loud voice.

“Understood.” Yun Che gave a rather helpless reply.

“Hmph, now that’s obedient.” Mu Xiaolan nodded in satisfaction after seeing this “lowly bad person” behaved quite well under her admonishment. Then, she flew up, “Follow me.”

Under Mu Xiaolan’s guidance, Yun Che entered the Freezing Snow City. Freezing Snow Hall was located in and directly headed for the Freezing Snow Main Hall. The three kilometer tall palace hall Yun Che first saw upon his arrival was precisely the Freezing Snow Main Hall.

North of the Freezing Snow Main Hall were also exactly one hundred and eight Freezing Snow Halls and they were all around the size of a city in the lower realms.

After entering Freezing Snow City, the surrounding aura changed once more. An extremely dense ice aura assaulted his face as human figures also increased within his line of sight. It was at this time that Yun Che suddenly thought about a phrase Jasmine had once said. He conjured some energy and his right hand suddenly grabbed forward as his profound strength surged.

Bang!!

With Yun Che’s strength, whether it be the Profound Sky Continent or the Illusory Demon Realm, this attack was enough to cave space at a large scale. At this moment, Yun Che’s profound energy did create the ear-splitting sound of an energy explosion but space… forget about caving space, not even a minute distortion or ripple had been created.

Yun Che, “...”

At that time, Jasmine had said that the God Realm’s spatial laws far exceeded that of the Profound Sky Continent. With his power, even if he used all his strength, he should forget about causing the slightest amount of damage to the God Realm’s space. At that time, he somewhat doubted her words but it was now that he completely understood that Jasmine had not exaggerated the least bit back then.

The God Realm and the lower realms… truly were two different planes of existence.

“What are you doing?” The sound behind him caused Mu Xiaolan to be on guard as she turned around.

“Oh… I was just wondering what the ‘Ice Phoenix Engraved Jade’ Fairy Mu was talking about earlier was,” Yun Che stated.

“It is basically the nameplate that says that you are a disciple of Divine Ice Phoenix Sect!” Mu Xiaolan kept her temper as she explained, “Different ranked disciples of Divine Ice Phoenix Sect will also have different Ice Phoenix Engraved Jades. Snowfall Palace is light blue, Freezing Snow Hall is ice blue and our Ice Phoenix Palace is… sky blue!”

Then, she pointed at the sparking stone around her left collarbone which was releasing an illusory blue light. “Look, it’s this! The deeper the color, the higher your rank. It is your proof of identity and it can also be used to store items, transmit sound or even absorb cold energy to assist you in your cultivation. The teleportation formations of various sizes within the sect also require the Ice Phoenix Engraved Jade to activate. Different engraved jades also activate different teleportation formations. For example, once you obtain the Freezing Snow Hall’s engraved jade, you are only able to activate the teleportation formations of Freezing Snow Hall and Snowfall Palace. If you want to go to Ice Phoenix Palace’s regions, hmph, fat chance unless Master or I bring you along.”

“Oh,” said Yun Che.

At this moment, two especially pretty white-robed Freezing Snow Hall disciples came over. When they saw Mu Xiaolan, they hurriedly stepped forward and bowed, “Senior Sister Xiaolan.”

“Strange, why are there so few people here today? Did something happen today?” Mu Xiaolan asked.

The girl on the right side answered, “In reply to Senior Sister, today’s the final day of this year’s new disciple examination for Freezing Snow Hall. The Main Hall Master has ordered all disciples without an assignment to stay in their respective halls. If they don’t have any special matters, no one is allowed to casually walk around.”

“Oh, right!” Mu Xiaolan came to a realization. “It really is around these days, I actually forgot about it.”

“Senior Sister Xiaolan, this is?” The girl on the right looked at Yun Che. His profound strength aura was only at the Sovereign Profound Realm and he didn’t have an Ice Phoenix Engraved Jade so he was a dubious individual who shouldn’t appear in this area.

“He’s someone my Master brought here from a lower realm. From now on, he’ll be your junior brother.” Mu Xiaolan casually explained, then gestured at Yun Che. “Alright, let’s go already. I forgot that these days are Freezing Snow Hall’s new disciple examination days. We should hurry up and go get an Ice Phoenix Engraved Jade. We can’t disturb the busy hall masters.”

Astonishment flashed past the two Freezing Snow Hall’s females as they watched them leave. Mu Xiaolan’s Master… who was also a grand Ice Phoenix Palace Master, brought back someone who was only at the fifth level of the Sovereign Profound Realm from the lower realms?

This?

Mu Xiaolan was an Ice Phoenix Palace disciple. In this Freezing Snow City that was one rank lower than her, she could walk against the law and any Freezing Snow Hall disciples had to immediately greet her upon encountering her.

The most basic requirement to join Freezing Snow Hall was stepping into the divine way. Getting into the Divine Origin Realm was also merely obtaining the qualification to participate in Freezing Snow Hall’s examinations. Every year, countless people who had reached the Divine Origin Realm still did not qualify to enter Freezing Snow Hall and could only continue on as a member of Snowfall Palace.

As such, any person one would encounter the in Freezing Snow City would release the aura of the divine way, were in the formidable Divine Origin Realm and were all well-known people of excellence. If any one among them were to go to the Blue Pole Star, they would definitely be absolute existences without parallel.

This was the terror of the God Realm.

---

Previous Chapter Next Chapter