History's Strongest Senior Brother c1-1474

by 八月飞鹰, Ba Yue Fei Ying, August Eagle

  However, the Shadow Devil could only transform in front of his opponent and form himself like a shadow.

  From the ancient era until now, there had never been a case where the Shadow Devil could take someone’s appearance even without meeting them.

  Of course, this didn’t necessarily imply that he was unable to do so. The Shadow Devi was known to be cunning. No one else knew what he would be capable of doing.

  The Shadow Devil had been very active since it was born. The main reason he was more challenging to kill than the Heart Devil was solely because of his superior authority.

  It was marvelous. He could almost transform into anyone.

  According to the legends’ records, the Shadow Devil had taken the form of the head of the Four Imperials of Daoism – the Heaven Reigning Purple Tenuity Polaris Grand Sovereign Emperor. He had also transformed into the Demon Race’s Great Sage Who Overturns The Sea – the Saurian Demon King, the Jizo Buddha of Buddhism, and even the first generation Devil of Fire from the Nine Underworlds.

  “Our peers cultivate martial arts and comprehend the creation of the world, which is also classified as the laws of nature,” explained Ye Xiwen. “While we’re comprehending the world, we’re also imposing some influence on the world. Then, the laws of the world would give us some feedback.”

  “The great part about the Shadow Devil could be that he could come in contact with the feedback of the world’s laws. As a result, he can perform the act of becoming as real as one’s shadow.”

  “However, a shadow would always be a shadow. Even if he was able to use various kinds of supreme arts through his transformation, he wasn’t able to truly make those supreme arts his, which prevents it from being passed down.”

  “Most people think that he wasn’t able to transform to an existence older than him, or an expert that was above the Heavenly Immortal Realm.”

  Yan Zhaoge spread out his hands, “Even so, he’s still very domineering. After all, as the first generation Wood Devil, he is already ancient. There are only a few that’s older and have higher cultivation than him.”

  Of course, even if the Shadow Devil managed to become as real as his opponent’s shadow, it didn’t necessarily mean that he couldn’t be countered.

  At least, the head of the Grand Clear Later Heaven Five Ultimates, the Black Skies Yellow Earth Exquisite Prana was something that he wasn’t able to replicate.

  Although it hadn’t been tested yet, the Shadow Devil most likely wouldn’t be able to replicate the first Jade Clear scripture – the Peerless Heavenly Scripture and the Prime Clear’s final scripture – the Chaos Extinguishing Origin Scripture.

  Recently, Suo Mingzhang had proven that his Heavens Severing scripture could cancel the Shadow Devil’s transformation.

  If it wasn’t for that, the Shadow Devil might not just leave so decisively.

  “These are the problems the Wood Devil would face when going against a bigwig expert in the same realm as him. And now…” Meng Wan looked at Feng Yunsheng with her worried eyes.

  Feng Yunsheng smiled slightly, “Can’t help it. Luckily, everyone despises the Nine Underworlds Devils. Even the Wood Devil can’t act too recklessly.”

  After chatting for a while longer, Yan Zhaoge and Feng Yunsheng departed from the Red Lotus Cliff. They exited this space and returned to where the eastern Vast Heaven Territory was located.

  The eastern Vast Heaven Territory was now unfolding itself, and the Broad Creed Mountain started operating once more. Everyone in the Broad Creed Mountain was waking up one after another.

  Everyone was cultivating by consuming the pill qi and medicinal qi while trying to accommodate their feeling of dread.

  The people in the Broad Creed Mountain were comparatively calm.

  As someone that witnessed a legend unfold, their confidence for Yan Zhaoge was much firmer compared to others.

  “The New Kunlun Nine Luminaries’ bigwig experts had truly caused a glorious era in the past.” Ah Hu intimidated Yan Zhaoge’s action, and touched his chin with his palm, “However, they both had their own agendas.”

  “In the end, the Earthly Sovereign remained alone. No one among the Nine Luminaries had the same intentions as him.”

  Xiao Ai sat in a lotus position and placed both of her hands on her knee while supporting her chin. She snorted, “Serves him right.”

  Yan Zhaoge shrugged, “Strictly speaking. They’re completely on the same side. The only exception would be the Exalted Solar Luminary, the Exalted Lunar Luminary, and the non-existent Exalted Concealed Luminary.”

  “Although the Exalted Wood is more biased to the Southern Extremity Longevity Emperor, he still has his way of thinking. His condition is the same as our ancestor – the Exalted Gold Luminary.”

  “Moreover, we aren’t sure if Gao Han and Ling Qing would always remain on the same side. This is something that nobody is certain of.”

  Even if their goals were the same, it didn’t imply that their execution methods, principles, and techniques would be the same.

  It might be different for each of them.

  History's Strongest Senior Brother Chapter 1324 - The Exalted Earth Luminary Who Felt Terrible

  Although Yan Zhaoge was in opposition with Jiang Shen, Yan Zhaoge would also feel exhausted being in the position of Jiang Shen.

  The Exalted Solar Luminary – Gao Han was Jiang Shen’s number one antagonist in the past.

  The Exalted Rahu Luminary – Jian Shunhua was famous for doing everything herself and doing it the way she pleased. She would cause havoc anytime she wanted to.

  The Exalted Lunar Luminary – Ling Qing rarely makes an appearance in public and seemed like her relationship was better with Gao Han and Jian Shunhua. However, according to the rumors, she was a woman with her way of thinking. Even though she acted according to Gao Han, Gao Han wouldn’t dare to proclaim that he could control her actions.

  The Exalted Fire – Suo Mingzhang was a lone person and preferred to do things on his own. Comparatively, he had a much more passive temperament and was more interested in cultivating.

  Jiang Shen wouldn’t have to worry about Suo Mingzhang having any ideas. On the contrary, no one would be able to instruct Suo Mingzhang at all.

  The only exception might be the Exalted Wood – Shao Junhuang. And yet, Shao Junhuang had opposed Jiang Shen’s way of thinking.

  The Exalted Gold Luminary – Yan Xintang was just like his sword. Just like how his sword wouldn’t allow itself to be bent, Yan Xintang would never work under anyone. As his sword would rather break, he would rather die than doing so. Sometimes, Yan Xintang would even be more problematic than Gao Han and Shao Junhuang.

  The Exalted Water Luminary – Chen Xuanzong was the calmest person in the New Kunlun Nine Luminaries. Due to his easygoing personality, he never cared about anything and wasn’t biased towards anyone.

  He was still interested in bringing the orthodox Daoism back to its prime. Only, he wasn’t biased to neither the North Star Emperor nor the Southern Extremity Longevity Emperor.

  However, he was still a good friend of the Exalted Gold Luminary – Yan Xintang. In the past, he joined the World beyond Worlds establishment because Yan Xintang contacted him.

  Just like how Shao Junhuang might influence Suo Mingzhang, Yan Xintang would always influence his decision.

  When Yan Xintang perished, Chen Xuanzong finally became unbiased once more. Whenever Jiang Shen asked him for help, he would help if he could. Of course, he wouldn’t just put in all his efforts for helping Jiang Shen, or even sacrifice his life.

  Naturally, there was no need to mention about the Exalted Concealed Luminary.

  Yan Zhaoge felt that whenever Jiang Shen remembered that Concealed Sovereign, he would feel terrible in his heart.

  There were many talented people in the New Kunlun Nine Luminaries in the past. They kindled the era after the Great Calamity and became the first light of the Daoism’s reappearance.

  However, one tends to have a st
rong opinion, the more talented they are. Hence, making them troublesome to deal with. They each had their way of thinking, which led to them splitting up with each other.

  Although it was a pity, it was something destined to happen.

  “People like the Exalted Earth Luminary might think back to his actions, but he definitely won’t be swayed that easily.” Yan Zhaoge swung his hand, “Although we’re not on the same side as him, I’ll have to admit that he is an extraordinarily resolute person. After all, he has been through so many ups and downs. The lonelier and helpless one was, the more resolute they would become.”

  Ah Hu chuckled, “After being tricked by the Exalted Solar Luminary like that, would he be so suspicious of everyone that we wouldn’t trust anyone anymore?”

  Yan Zhaoge shrugged, “That’s hard to say.”

  After conversing and joking for a while, Ah Hu and Xiao Ai continued sitting in a lotus position and went on with consuming the pill qi’s essence to cultivate.

  Yan Zhaoge went to take a walk with Feng Yunsheng by the forest.

  “Although I’ve been to the Buddhist’s Blessed Lands universe together with you before, and we even went to the Obscured Way World, I wouldn’t have known the existence of the Immortal Court without my previous adventure in the Nine Underworlds,” said Feng Yunsheng as she let out a sigh. “That Immeasurable Heavenly Lord as well. It bewildered me.”

  Yan Zhaoge narrowed his eyes slightly, “There might be many kinds of reasons involved, which relates to their origins. The clues we hold are limited. No matter how much we guess, it would be pointless.”

  He said softly, “Many things that we aren’t sure of had happened during the Great Calamity.”

  After a short pause, Yan Zhaoge added, “Actually, we aren’t sure of many kinds of things even by now. We can only guess what had happened.”

  “Just like the White Deer Demon’s appearance, with the strength comparable to or Daoism’s Heavenly Monarch Realm. The ones that accompanied him to search for the Pill Hall wasn’t only the White Face Fox Clan alone. There was even the Jade Face Fox Clan and the Bull Demon. This vaguely hints that the White Deer Demon might not be the only one coming out of seclusion.”

  Instead, the Demon Race, which had remained low-key after the Journey to the West Era, had finished conditioning themselves. Their entire race started making a move quietly.

  “The Immortal Court, the Blessed Lands. There’s even the Demon Race’s reappearance. The situation has become messy now,” said Yan Zhaoge. “Even if everyone despises the Nine Underworlds, some faction might even work together with them temporarily.”

  No one had ever ignored the existence of the Nine Underworlds.

  Even during the difficult era brought upon by the Great Calamity, the Southern Extremity Longevity Emperor and the North Star Emperor had never forgotten about the Nine Underworlds before.

  Otherwise, the Exalted Rahu Luminary – Jian Shunhua wouldn’t have made her move.

  But, Yan Zhaoge wasn’t confident whether she had been aiming for the Doomsday Heavenly Devil since the beginning, or if she had a change of plans.

  Feng Yunsheng nodded silently, “Speaking of the Nine Underworlds…”

  “When the heretics cultivate, they would borrow the treasured light and the Buddha light. Not only would it improve their speed of cultivation…” She stopped her steps and faced Yan Zhaoge, “… In fact, they can even ascend to a height unobtainable through self-cultivation.”

  Yan Zhaoge also stopped walking and nodded, “That’s right. Its effect differs from everyone. The more mundane one is, the more effective it will be for them.”

  This wasn’t based on Suo Mingzhang, Chen Xuanzong, and Yue Zhenbei’s explanation alone. When Yan Zhaoge went to find Suo Mingzhang in the past, he had secretly infiltrated the Immortal Court and passed by numerous worlds within.

  When he first arrived at the Blessed Lands of Buddhism, other than the Obscured Way World, he had passed by many worlds within the Blessed Lands as well, in search of the pathway to return to the Dao universe.

  Yan Zhaoge had personally come in contact with numerous heretic martial art practitioners with different levels of cultivation. Along with the texts that recorded the Buddhist martial art practitioners’ conditions before the Great Calamity, he was already sure of his assumption.

  When one can only reach the Martial Saint Tenth Realm no matter how hard they cultivate, they would have a chance to push open the Immortal Door if they joined the heretics.

  As for those that could only reach the Martial Grandmaster Tenth Realm, not only would they have a chance to ascend to the Martial Saint Realm, they might even achieve better results by joining the heretics.

  Of course, it wouldn’t be better by a large margin. Only, if their original foundations were weak, the increase in their cultivation would be comparatively higher.

  “I still remember the havoc caused by the Decimating Abyss group in the Eight Extremities World very clearly.” Feng Yunsheng reminisced, “Many senior experts among them had joined the Devils’ path and failed when they were on the verge of succeeding.”

  “The reason why they were allured by the Nine Underworld’s Decimating Abyss and nurtured their devil intent was because their life force was about to end soon, and they had no more hopes of improving. To escape death, they chose to join the devils and take the risk to break through their cultivation. With that, their life force would increase as well.”

  Feng Yunsheng frowned slightly, “Do you think anyone would willingly join the heretics and accept illumination for this?”

  History's Strongest Senior Brother Chapter 1325 - Heretics, Externally But Not Internally

  “Just as you said, the four Heavenly Immortals which perished by the hands of Senior Suo were legendary figures of our Daoism before the Great Calamity. They should be considered to be quite old.”

  Feng Yunsheng said, “If a Virtual Immortal doesn’t have the protection of a stronger expert, they won’t survive the change of an era. Even if they managed to survive the change, a Virtual Immortal only has a yuan’s lifespan. The four of them were already famous during the Investiture of the Gods era.”

  A yuan implied one hundred twenty-nine thousand and six hundred years.

  However, one wouldn’t achieve such a lifespan with just Five Qis Unification alone. They would need to form at least Two Flowers Converged Crown. Only with that would their natural life force be increased to the limit of a yuan.

  As a result, if they did not suffer from any severe injuries, they would enjoy the lifespan of a hundred and twenty-nine thousand and six hundred years.

  This was the highest lifespan a Virtual Immortal could possess. Without receiving a murderous tribulation, they could only possibly survive these years without undergoing the change of an era. They wouldn’t be able to break through the upper limits.

  The only exception was the Longevity God, who was in charge of the lifespan of humans.

  Nature’s laws and the myriad of phenomena happening in the world wouldn’t affect the Longevity God alone. No matter if it were a human of a demon, no matter what kind of martial arts they cultivate, or what kind of pills and medicine they consume, they would never exceed a yuan’s lifespan.

  Before the four Immortal Court Grand Heavenly Immortals that died by the hands of Suo Mingzhang joined the heretics, they were all Daoism Heavenly Monarchs.

  No matter if it was the Zhao Heavenly Monarch – Zhao Jiang, the Treasure Confinement Heavenly Monarch – Cao Bao, the Sinister Black Star Lord – Gao Jineng, or the Main Smallpox Emerald Cloud Origin Monarch – Yu Hualong, they were all the Heavenly Monarchs during the Investiture of the Gods era.

  Although they managed to survive the change of era twice, both due to the Heavenly Court’s Immortal Palace and the Investured Gods’ rankings, time is heartless after all.

  “When the four of them became Investured Gods, the situation was a little special,” answered Yan Zhaoge. “They aren’t able to culti
vate, and their strength wouldn’t be able to increase any further. The flow of their lifespan became slower as well.”

  “However, after they weren’t Investured Gods anymore, everything returned to normal. Only, when they underwent the investiture tribulation, it wounded their vitality greatly. It would influence their remaining lifespan for sure.”

  Yan Zhaoge smiled slightly, “If they only hoped to increase their lifespan through the treasured light imbued with faith power, it would be difficult to do so.”

  “Of course, increasing their strength wouldn’t be a problem, even if it wasn’t as strong as them cultivating on their own.”

  “Oh?” Feng Yunsheng was a little surprised.

  Yan Zhaoge said, “You didn’t inherit the Exalted Rahu Luminary’s memories, and have limited knowledge regarding the Immortal Court. After we returned from the Blessed Lands, we didn’t discuss much about this anymore.”

  “Actually, I just need to say this, and you’ll understand. The reason why we refer to the Immortal Court and the Blessed Lands as heretics, is mainly because their achievements through cultivation affect them externally, not internally.”

  Feng Yunsheng’s current strength and knowledge were already much different compared to the past.

  Only, she had a limited amount of knowledge of the Immortal Court heretics. After hearing Yan Zhaoge’s words, she instantly understood.

  “The reason why our lifespan increases along with cultivation is because our Daoism martial art practitioners have more precise control of our own body. Through constant polishment and discarding of impurities contained within our body, our body would become more refined and delicate while becoming stronger at the same time. With that, we would be able to withstand the corrosion of age for a longer period.”

  Feng Yunsheng came to a realization, “The heretic martial art practitioners can’t do things to our level and aren’t able to achieve the same amount of lifespan as us?”

  Even if they pushed open the Immortal Door, ceased to be human, and were reborn as an Immortal through Immortal qi’s refinement, it was still considered forcefully changing their bodies.