Then, her gaze that was on Yan Zhaoge turned even more complex.
So many years having passed, upon their reunion now, her son actually nearly had a wife already…
Still, she quickly shook off this mood of hers and turned serious once more.
“The mechanisms of the Exalted Rahu Luminary are hard to trace,” Light flickered slightly within Xue Chuqing’s left pupil as she said solemnly after some time, “Without any definite clues to help me, I too am helpless. That is the Nine Underworlds, after all.”
Yan Zhaoge nodded. He too knew that it was a bit too much to ask for. Still, he was not willing to give up on any possibility.
Xue Chuqing glanced rather worriedly at Yan Zhaoge.
She was unfamiliar with Feng Yunsheng, instead having heard quite a bit about the Exalted Rahu Luminary Jian Shunhua.
She did not think very well of Feng Yunsheng’s chances as she fought for dominance with such a figure.
“It is unknown when the Concealed Sovereign will emerge from seclusion as well as whether the Earthly Sovereign or senior apprentice-uncle Yue will be first to return to the World beyond Worlds,” Yan Zhaoge instead laughed, “There is no need to think so far ahead. We should concentrate on the matters at hand.”
“I will sort out some affairs at the Heavenly Mysteries Pavilion before heading to the northern Profound Heaven Territory to try looking for the Astro Sovereign.”
“Father, you should complete the foundation of the Area Latitude Formation along with mother. Such a big formation will require much effort even overtly, and now that the two of you are finally reunited, I am sure you would like to happily spend alone time with each other.”
Yan Di and Xue Chuqing did not say much else to Yan Zhaoge’s teasing.
While they were reunited now, Feng Yunsheng’s whereabouts were still unknown.
Any consolatory words now would just be useless, only serving to add on to the melancholy.
“As things now are not so peaceful, we should handle the important things first. We can slowly catch up afterwards. Be careful in your trip north,” Xue Chuqing said in a gentle tone.
Yan Zhaoge smiled and nodded, “I will.”
Yan Di now laughed mildly, “With the death of Daoist Oneheaven, our lineage should simply occupy the eastern Vast Heaven Territory. With that, it will actually be fitting with Broad Creed Mountain’s name of Daoism’s East Peak.”
He had an unbridled, domineering personality in the first place. Now that he had found Xue Chuqing and been freed of his worries, his sharpness was showing through even more.
“A great idea!” Yan Zhaoge rubbed his palms in glee.
Despite the pressure brought about by the Earthly and Concealed Sovereigns, Yan Zhaoge’s and Yan Di’s arrogance had not diminished in the least as they were instead filled with fighting spirit.
“Whether we establish contact with the Astro Sovereign or the Exalted Fire Luminary, both are just strategies we have,” Yan Di said, “Most important is still the raising of our own strength like it has always been. You have always done very well in this area, Zhaoge, so I will not say more about it.”
“Just like your mother, all I ask for is that you be careful and stay safe.”
Yan Zhaoge smiled, “Rather than relying on others, it is always best if we can depend on ourselves. I naturally understand this principle.”
If he had not gathered the required materials and forged the Seven Paths Centred Mechanisms, with his and Yan Di’s cultivation bases thus rising swiftly in a mere few years, things today would probably have ended very differently.
The Earth Exalt Wang Zhengcheng and co had wished to covertly kill Xue Chuqing without alerting Yan Zhaoge and Yan Di.
As the two of them had been paying attention to Xue Chuqing’s whereabouts too, it would have been difficult for Wang Zhengcheng’s lot to succeed by simply acting covertly.
It would not be easy to find Xue Chuqing as quite a disturbance would surely arise as a result.
Therefore, Wang Zhengcheng had needed to find helpers to distract them in the meantime.
For him, a better plan might have been to concentrate his forces in encircling the Heavenly Mysteries Pavilion.
With that, Yan Di and Nie Jingshen would have been lured over there as well, the two sides entering a standoff or even battling in the central Jun Heaven Territory.
This would make it seem as though the cause of the incident was that Qilin Cliff was dissatisfied with how the Heavenly Mysteries Pavilion had raised Jade Capital Crag’s reputation and influence.
This would provide cover for Daoist Oneheaven, the one charged with apprehending Xue Chuqing.
Sadly for them, the Heaven Emperor would not have participated unless it meant going to the Royal Reed Sea to obtain the Later Earth Text.
While it was true that he had enmity with Yan Zhaoge and Yan Di, rather than that, it was the Later Earth Text that was more important to him.
If he did not obtain the Later Earth Text, Xue Chuqing’s matter was just of no real concern to him.
The enmity between him and Yan Zhaoge had not reached the point where they would harm the other side even if it brought no benefit to themselves.
The Heavenly Emperor ultimately still wished to profit, with that being his foremost concern.
With that, Wang Zhengcheng could only launch an independent operation as they split up in respectively obstructing Yan Zhaoge and the others.
This had made it easier for Yan Zhaoge to detect the abnormalities, discovering his true goal.
But even then, Wang Zhengcheng had still lined things up in a very well-thought out manner.
The Female Emperor and white-clothed Brocade Emperor were unable to make it, the Encompassing Emperor was neutral, the Heaven Emperor to the Royal Reed Sea, the black-clothed Brocade Emperor to the Heavenly Mysteries Pavilion and Wang Zhengcheng himself staying as the reserve power along with the Yin Yang Earth Mountain River Diagram. Additionally, there was also the Upper Exalt Chen Qianhua who could make a move at any time.
He had even deployed someone to hinder and delay the Origin Opening Sword from being taken out at Jade Capital Crag.
It could be said that if Yan Zhaoge had still been an eighth level Martial Saint and Yan Di a ninth level Martial Saint, Wang Zhengcheng’s plan would at least most likely have succeeded.
Wang Zhengcheng had also taken into account the rapid rate at which Yan Zhaoge and Yan Di raised their cultivation bases.
Still, that Yan Zhaoge would actually reproduce the Seven Paths Centred Mechanism had surpassed his expectations, this being a long-lost relic.
This had caused their cultivation speed to be boosted even further, again far surpassing everyone’s predictions.
And so, Yan Zhaoge’s family of three had reunited after a long time, happy, harmonious and joyful.
In the meantime, things had ended in tragedy for the remainder like Wang Zhengcheng, the black-clothed Brocade Emperor, the Heaven Emperor and Chen Qianhua.
“Xiao Ai is currently in Yuanzhou City in the central Jun Heaven Territory. She will definitely be overjoyed when she hears you are back,” Yan Zhaoge smiled, telling Xue Chuqing, “That aside, Auntie Yun in the Floating Life World also really misses you.”
The ‘Auntie Yun’ whom Yan Zhaoge spoke of naturally referred to Xue Chuqing’s former attendant in the Floating Life World, Su Yun.
“After things have settled down over here, I will naturally go to see Yun’er. She is a thoughtful child who treasures relationships greatly,” Xue Chuqing said with a gentle gaze, “Since Xiao Ai is in the World beyond Worlds, it will be convenient to see her then.”
History's Strongest Senior Brother Chapter 1167: The battle that shook the World beyond Worlds
HSSB1167: The battle that shook the World beyond Worlds
“I will be making a trip to Kunlun Mountain next to return the Origin Opening Sword,” Yan Zhaoge smiled, “I must also settle some affairs at the Heavenly Mysteries Pavilion. When
I see Xiao Ai and mention this to her later on, she will definitely gallop over here at once without a second thought.”
Xue Chuqing smiled too, “That child…”
“Right, mother, do you want to meet junior apprentice-sister Sikong?” Yan Zhaoge asked, “Right, and some people who are similar to her too. I inadvertently found them and brought them back to Broad Creed Mountain.”
Xue Chuqing shook her head, “Frankly speaking, I have done them wrong. It was I who changed their lives.”
Yan Zhaoge suddenly thought of something as he asked, “Mother, did you scatter those fragments of the Heavenly Essence Stone around totally randomly or was there a certain pattern to it?”
“If there was, were they split evenly amongst the worlds or according to population size?”
“From things back then, it seems that the larger a world’s population, the more of such people there should be,” Xue Chuqing was rather taken aback, “I definitely would have preferred spreading it evenly across the worlds. Otherwise, the number of them in the World beyond Worlds would probably surpass the sum total in all the lower worlds, being overly conspicuous. Sadly, this was out of my control.”
She acutely detected something, “In order to avoid anyone realising anything and finding them because of me, I have always avoided meeting with any such people. How do they look like?”
Yan Zhaoge and Yan Di exchanged looks. Yan Di raised a palm, an image of light appearing.
On seeing the completely identical facial features of Sikong Qing, He Ying, Yue Baoqi and the rest, Xue Chuqing was rendered at a loss for words.
“Their looks are all so exquisite and outstanding…”
Yan Zhaoge and Yan Di both looked like they knew not whether to laugh or to cy.
“Not only are their appearances outstanding, their martial talents are extraordinary too. Still, this only manifests after they have refined their qi into aura-qi and attained the Martial Scholar realm,” Yan Di said.
Xue Chuqing had a despondent look on her face, “…Only today do I realise what a dumb thing I did.”
People like Sikong Qing who all had such outstanding appearances and were all talented in the martial dao yet all looked the same-it would really be difficult for people not to notice then.
Even if many of them never developed their talents, with their quantity being great, it was still possible that someone looking would notice something.
It would still be fine if they had ordinary faces and were more on the average side.
They were so outstanding, and generally the first to be noticed in a group of people-how might it be possible to keep this under wraps?
Especially in the World beyond Worlds, where there were probably hundreds, even thousands of such people considering its population base.
“From what you were saying earlier, it seems that they are rare in the World beyond Worlds?” Xue Chuqing now asked.
“It is much fewer than I expected, at least. I have only seen two so far,” Yan Zhaoge said solemnly, “If it is really as you say and there are even more of these people who resemble junior apprentice-sister Sikong in the World beyond Worlds than the sum total in the various lower worlds, someone should have noticed this long ago.”
Thereby leading to a mass, large scale search for people like Sikong Qing in the various lower worlds.
Things would not still be calm and peaceful as they were now.
“Either my initial judgment was wrong and it was not spilt evenly according to population but evenly amongst the various worlds,” Xue Chuqing’s expression turned extremely serious, “The possibility of this is very low, though. I should not have seen wrongly back then.”
“Or, someone long since discovered this and has been capturing these people who resemble junior apprentice-niece Sikong in secret. Also, this person has found many, only not having broadcast this,” Yan Di finished.
“This is something we should pay some real attention to,” Yan Zhaoge smacked his lips.
Yan Di and Xue Chuqing nodded in agreement.
The three discussed this for a while longer before splitting up as per their original plan.
Yan Zhaoge took his leave of Yan Di and Xue Chuqing, next returning to the Heavenly Mysteries Pavilion.
Due to his earlier battle with the black-clothed Brocade Emperor, the ongoing auction over at the Heavenly Mysteries Pavilion had been stopped midway.
Those who had been attending it and the local inhabitants of Yuanzhou City had retreated from the city together to avoid being affected by the aftershocks of the battle.
After Yan Zhaoge and the black-clothed Brocade Emperor had left, they had still not returned to Yuanzhou City as they had simply stayed where they were and waited in silence.
No one knew how the battle would end or whether the two might return to Yuanzhou City in continuation of that earlier conflict.
Before things were conclusively settled for good, it was really better to be safe than sorry.
If they died from the aftershocks of an Immortal-level battle, they could only suck it up.
Still, those scenes from before the combatants had left Yuanzhou City had already broadened everyone’s horizons.
Despite only being at the ninth level of the Martial Saint realm, Yan Zhaoge had actually suppressed the black-clothed Brocade Emperor head-on!
This was unprecedented and also totally unheard of for anyone at all.
Even if Yan Zhaoge did not obtain victory in the end, how he had continuously beat the black-clothed Brocade Emperor into retreat as they departed from Yuanzhou City was itself already sufficient to be recorded in the historical annals of the World beyond Worlds, becoming an undying legend.
Everyone yearned desperately to know the conclusion of that battle.
The news that was intermittently transmitted back afterwards, both brief and detailed, revised their worldviews time and time again.
Not only had Yan Zhaoge unexpectedly risen from the eighth to the ninth level of the Martial Saint realm within a short amount of time, Yan Di had also risen from the ninth to the tenth level of the Martial Saint realm, accomplishing the Human Exalt stage!
There were numerous hidden and obscure acupoints within the human body as it was extremely difficult to get them to resonate with the starry sky. Thus, cultivation was a progressively harder thing as some late Immortal Bridge Martial Saints would only have a few acupoints still yet to be refined but faced a challenge as difficult as ascending to the heavens despite this paper-thin difference.
In the World beyond Worlds where there were as many experts as there were clouds, while the number of ninth level Martial Saints was not high, it still amounted to quite a bit.
Some of them, like the Southeastern Swordsmistress Zhang Yunying, the Star Plucking Practitioner Guan Lide and the Grand Plainness Origin Lady Tao Yu etcetera were longtime experts who had been stuck in the ninth level of the Martial Saint realm for many years.
Yet, they could just never succeed in this final step. The difficulty of attaining the Human Exalt stage could be seen therein.
After many years of development, numerous geniuses had appeared in the World beyond Worlds, successfully converting their potential to strength.
Many had surpassed their predecessors as the Human Exalt stage was within sight for they who were lower in seniority.
Yet, all these years, there was only Nie Jingsheng who had successfully managed to achieve it.
Everyone else, considering those with more potential like Qilin Cliff’s Li Junxin and Ingenious Flying Peak’s He Xixing while ignoring the deceased Qing Shuzi, were still late Immortal Bridge Martial Saints.
And now, following Nie Jingshen, yet another newly arisen Human Exalt had manifested.
This person was Yan Di who had still been unheard of over a decade ago, only having risen to prominence in recent years!
Li Junxin, He Xixing and the others had surpassed many predecessors as their fame overshadowed those of earlier generations like Tao Yu.<
br />
Having arisen like a shooting star, having once been noted as not having any Immortal Bridge Martial Saints just some years back, Broad Creed Mountain had now already produced an Exalt!
The news that arrived next left them even more amazed.
“Just having attained the Human Exalt stage, Broad Creed Mountain’s Chief Yan successively defeated both the Upper and Lower Exalts?!” Everyone who heard it was left dumbfounded, “Immortal Artifact in hand, the Earth Exalt was still defeated?”
History's Strongest Senior Brother Chapter 1168: Central Kunlun, East Broad Creed
HSSB1168: Central Kunlun, East Broad Creed
The newly ascended Yan Di had successively defeated the Earth Exalt Wang Zhengcheng and the Upper Exalt Chen Qianhua.
Everyone was shocked upon learning of this.
Still, thinking about it again, while it was unexpected, it actually seemed reasonable.
After all, he was someone who had slain the former Southern Exalt Zhuang Shen at the eighth level of the Martial Saint realm…
“I heard that when Chief Yan was in that lower world, others dared not refer to him directly as they added a character to his name and called him Yan Wudi, meaning Yan Invincible. It denoted how he was invincible amongst Martial Scholars, invincible amongst Martial Grandmasters.”
Manor Lord Heng Xianda of Wind Thunder Manor sighed emotionally, “Many thought this title to be a joke at first in the World beyond Worlds. It was only after Chief Yan slew the former Southern Exalt that no one mentioned it any longer.”
“After today, however, it will probably revive once again…”
Also, it would be no joke at all.
Everyone in the World beyond Worlds would have to seriously keep an eye out as this figure who had suddenly risen to prominence like a shooting star, son of the deceased Exalted Gold Luminary, was almost surely all but invincible amongst Martial Saints now.
He was already one of those closest to this glorious accolade, at least.
The news that was successively transmitted back was increasingly shocking.
The Eastern Exalt Daoist Oneheaven had been slain by Yan Di in the eastern Vast Heaven Territory!
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