Yan Zhaoge smiled, “I dare not live up to the seeking of advice. It is more about mutual interaction.”
Qiu Jiahai felt rather admiring of him too as he watched on by the side.
While he had previously been supportive of Yan Zhaoge’s decision, he had not been fully certain of success as he had only been helping him as best he could due to the ties between them.
Now, he could finally completely rest assured for real.
After the two had finished discussing the initial stages of their cooperation with Heng Xianda, they left Wind Thunder Manor, with Qiu Jiahai saying appreciatively, “You are not just powerful in the martial dao, junior apprentice-brother Yan. Your abilities in other fields are truly marvellous too.”
Yan Zhaoge smiled, “I was often lectured by my elders when I was young for pointlessly dabbling in everything.”
The two conversed happily as they returned to Kunlun Mountain.
On their way back, they received a piece of news.
The Brocade Emperor who had been missing for quite some time had finally returned to the World beyond Worlds.
Yet, his first stop upon his return had not been his cave manor back at Ingenious Flying Peak as he had instead headed straight for the southern Blazing Heaven Territory!
History's Strongest Senior Brother Chapter 1064: Amongst thousands, two have sailed
HSSB1064: Amongst thousands, two have sailed
Upon returning to the Northern High Peak’s Jade Capital Crag, the two met Wang Pu who said at once, “It is indeed like you thought, junior apprentice-brother Yan, and it was actually because of Southern Zhuang that the Brocade Emperor previously failed to show up.”
He felt rather curious and shocked, “I wonder how exactly Southern Zhuang managed to do this?”
Whatever method Zhuang Shen had employed, in the eyes of the world, him having managed to tie up the Brocade Emperor for so long was virtually a feat comparable to Yan Zhaoge mightily resisting the Heaven Emperor.
Qiu Jiahai shook his head too, sighing, “With Southern Zhuang having already died beneath the sabre of senior apprentice-uncle Yan, the Brocade Emperor has nowhere to get rid of his embarrassment this time.”
“He has always conducted himself in an esteemed manner as he would surely not take his anger out on the remnants of Phoenix Ritual Mountain’s Wutong Slope as a result. He can only just tolerate what he has suffered.”
Hearing his words, a rather strange expression appeared on Yan Zhaoge’s face.
He rubbed his temples lightly, saying in a low tone, “There is no saying for sure this time.”
Wang Pu and Qiu Jiahai exchanged looks, both able to sense that Yan Zhaoge was secretly hinting at something as they asked, “Is it that you know something about this, junior apprentice-brother Yan?”
“I too am not clear on the truth of the matter,” Yan Zhaoge answered, “I only have some guesses that are yet to be verified.”
Feeling interested, Wang Pu and Qiu Jiahai asked, “What are they?”
Yan Zhaoge hesitated momentarily before he asked, “How do you think things would be if the Brocade Emperor has another daughter besides Red Lotus Fu?”
These shocking words rendered Wang Pu and Qiu Jiahai dazed on the spot.
It was a long while before Wang Pu regained his wits, exclaiming with a solemn expression on his face, “It could be that nothing would happen, but it could also be that something major will occur!”
He slowly said, “If the Brocade Emperor has another daughter besides Red Lotus Fu, that would not be as simple a matter as having birthed another child outside!”
The Brocade Emperor was an incomparable playboy as he had experienced countless women. Still, he had never birthed a son.
Many people of the World beyond Worlds talked about this behind his back.
Afterwards, when his sole daughter, Fu Ting, had been born, many had even suspected that the Brocade Emperor had been made a cuckold of.
It was only when Fu Ting had travelled about the World beyond Worlds after coming of age and everyone could tell that she was indeed of the Brocade Emperor’s blood that these rumours had gradually quelled.
Still, this was just how the middle and lower echelon martial practitioners saw it. Being of the Sword Sovereign’s lineage, Wang Pu and Qiu Jiahai naturally knew that things were not that simple.
From them, Yan Zhaoge was able to verify a guess that he had had from the start.
As the current strongest expert of the Grand Clear direct lineage in the World beyond Worlds, the Brocade Emperor Fu Yunchi had indeed established his foundation upon the intricacies of the dao of grand forgetfulness.
The Brocade Emperor who was rather an ambitious person had hoped to regather the complete set of supreme martial arts of the Grand Cosmos Five Manifestations through this.
It was actually because of this that the Brocade Emperor had walked through countless meadows, unstained by a single leaf.
Afterwards, it was similarly the manifestation of this path that amongst thousands, only a single ship had sailed.
The dao of grand forgetfulness did not mean that one was heartless and emotionless.
For the countless outstanding females that the Brocade Emperor had experienced, he had similarly had to devote his feelings for every one of them.
His feelings were always pure and fervent for every single one of them that he was with.
Only with the final person, when this had risen and been refined to the maximum level, had the crystallisation of his emotions been produced in the form of Fu Ting.
He indeed bore deep feelings for Fu Ting, doting on her greatly.
At least, this would not change at all before he begun on the next step as it was both pure and sincere.
Yet, if an accident occurred during the process of this cultivation, things would be completely different then.
It entailed that his entire path might be diverted.
“The Brocade Emperor has already pushed open the door to Immortality at the end of the day, transcending the ties of mortality,” Qiu Jiahai said rather disbelievingly, “Being a leakless True Immortal, the truth is that he should be perfect and complete. A major problem shouldn’t be occurring, right?”
Wang Pu shook his head solemnly, “It would be fine if the Brocade Emperor was not so ambitious. Yet, he had to choose this as his foundation. With an anomaly having arisen here, it will immediately be a calamity on the level of the heavens collapsing for him.”
Qiu Jiahai frowned, “Having birthed descendants is something that the Brocade Emperor did after he had become an Immortal as he sought a path to advance further.”
“As he had already surpassed the gulf between the mortal and Immortal realms at that time, gaining a leakless body as a result, he should be able to adjust even if something has happened, right?”
“There is something you are not aware of, junior apprentice-brother Qiu,” Wang Pu sighed, “While I am not clear on the specifics, I once heard Master mention this.”
“Master once said that the Brocade Emperor was fortunate to have accomplished his dao. He has to be cautious and vigilant in the future, for the slightest mishap and perils would abound.”
Wang Pu forced a smile, “I was puzzled by Master’s words, unable to comprehend it at all. Only now have I gradually come to understand part of what he meant.”
Qiu Jiahai was momentarily stunned before he too could only smile bitterly.
Yan Zhaoge put a hand on his head, “Really, this is…”
Actually, he too was basically able to guess that while the Brocade Emperor had been incomparably lofty and carefree in the past, it was not that he had not been under any pressure.
Despite having been suppressed, Mars Halberd would definitely return one day.
For having assisted the dragon race in suppressing Mars Halberd that year, the Grand Clear lineage was sure to be a target of Mars Halberd’s once he had broken free of his seal.
As the Brocade Emperor had gra
dually become the foremost figure of the Grand Clear direct lineage, this was something which he would definitely have to face sooner or later.
Events afterwards had proven this to be true.
Mars Halberd had indeed made a comeback.
In the end, it was also none other than the Brocade Emperor who had repelled him.
Sadly, having improved heedless of the consequences back then, he had left roots of calamity buried within himself.
Only he himself could know how intense and troublesome this could prove.
The Brocade Emperor’s accomplishments in the dao originated from grand forgetfulness. If something went wrong here, a problem would thus surface with the feelings of he himself.
There was just no way of knowing how this Emperor could have made a mistake in something so crucial.
While only a single ship should have sailed, he had left his seed on another one too.
As a result, in the art of grand divination where there were forty-nine points that were used and only the point of grand unity that was to be unused, ‘unity’ had instead become ‘duality’.
“It would spell cultivation deviation at least, and falling out of the Immortal realm at worst!” Yan Zhaoge sighed, “Still, an outstanding figure like the Brocade Emperor would probably forcibly make adjustments so that his cultivation realm would not fall. It should have been cultivation deviation…”
His expression was rather strange, “He should not have become psychotic, right?”
Wang Pu looked at Yan Zhaoge, “How do you know of this, junior apprentice-brother Yan? Also, if I did not listen wrongly, you asked from the start how it would be like if he had another daughter, and not if he had a son?”
“I cannot be certain if this really is the case,” Yan Zhaoge said, “What I said earlier cannot be verified, just…”
He sighed, “After hearing what the two of you have said, I increasingly fear that my guess was right.”
“The reason for this guess of mine also lies with Southern Zhuang.”
Yan Zhaoge narrated the matter of Meng Wan and her mother, Liu Xianting.
After hearing of this, Wang Pu and Qiu Jiahai sighed emotionally, “Why must it be so?”
Wang Pu said quietly, “Having been able to cause such abnormalities in the Brocade Emperor, your guess is probably close to the truth, junior apprentice-brother Yan.”
The trio exchanged looks.
The most pressing concern now was already not how the Brocade Emperor might have become.
Instead, the question was this: What would he do next?
Simple madmen were nothing much to be afraid of.
One would be able to interact with an Emperor who was in his right mind.
Yet, if an Emperor had gone crazy, no one could predict what might happen as a result.
This was especially the case with how this Emperor was also in possession of an Immortal Artifact.
History's Strongest Senior Brother Chapter 1065: The compromised Emperor
HSSB1065: The compromised Emperor
Wang Pu, Qiu Jiahai and Yan Zhaoge exchanged looks.
Qiu Jiahai sighed, “Southern Zhuang really is…”
“He probably never thought that things would end up like this. He likely just wanted the Brocade Emperor to be distracted so that he would be unable to make it to our Broad Creed Mountain’s opening ceremony,” Yan Zhaoge sighed too, “After all, being an Emperor who has already accomplished the realm of a True Immortal, he should be able to remedy his deficiency.”
“It was only from hearing you mention the evaluation of senior apprentice-uncle Yue from back then that I know that the Brocade Emperor probably had some hidden problems left behind from pushing open the door to Immortality that year, thus having become like this now.”
Qiu Jiahai asked, “Why is that such a problem has only happened now? If that Meng Wan grew up in the World beyond Worlds, she should be around the same age as Red Lotus Fu, right? It has been so many years.”
The corners of Yan Zhaoge’s mouth twitched, “The Brocade Emperor was probably wholly unaware of this that year, only having come to learn of this recently because of Zhuang Shen. He must have seen Meng Wan in person this time, the crisis hence erupting.”
There was no need for further words or explanation. As long as the Brocade Emperor saw Meng Wan in person, it would have been enough then.
Qiu Jiahai stared wide-eyed, “How could he have been wholly ignorant?”
Let alone the Brocade Emperor, any random martial practitioner who had accomplishments in the martial dao would be able to control whether they left their seed.
This was unless they had been ‘harvested’.
Still, there was probably no one at all in the World beyond Worlds who might be able to harvest the Brocade Emperor.
It was even more impossible that someone might have been able to do so with the Brocade Emperor wholly unaware.
Liu Xianting’s cultivation base had been much lower than the Brocade Emperor’s that year. There was no possibility of this happening at all.
“Heaven knows what happened,” Yan Zhaoge curled his lips.
Wang Pu said, “While this matter seems not to have any direct connection to us, it is actually no minor affair at all.”
The Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors were the ultimate figures in the World beyond Worlds.
Any slightest disturbance that occurred might be able to affect the entire World beyond Worlds.
“There may actually be some direct connection,” Yan Zhaoge smacked his lips, “My father’s Grand Simplicity Splendour Cloud may well have caught his eye. Otherwise, that could have happened with my Taiyi Fist of Grand Simplicity too.”
Who knew what might be done by the Brocade Emperor whose rationality had been compromised.
“The question now is: Could the Brocade Emperor recover?” Wang Pu looked at Yan Zhaoge, “If the Brocade Emperor had obtained the Taiyi Fist that year, things may not be as troublesome as they are now.”
“Of course, I am not asking you to offer it up for nothing, junior apprentice-brother Yan. If you offer some conditions now, I trust that Ingenious Flying Peak will not try to bargain the price lower at all.”
Yan Zhaoge lightly rubbed his temples, “If only it could be so simple.”
“In having studied supreme martial arts of the Grand Clear lineage these past years, I have gained some insights into them.”
He forced a smile, “The foundation of the Brocade Emperor is already fixed as it cannot be changed. Studying the Taiyi Fist now would certainly help him as it would raise his strength greatly. Sadly, though, its effects would still have to exerted atop the current foundation that he possesses.”
In other words, it would not solve the current problem as it would simply make a madman even stronger than before.
Hearing his words, Wang Pu felt helpless as well.
Qiu Jiahai pondered for a moment before asking, “What state is the Brocade Emperor in now? Is he simply not in his right state of mind, or has something like a split consciousness occurred with him?”
“If I were to guess, it should be the latter,” Yan Zhaoge raised his head slightly, “With the Brocade Emperor having entered cultivation deviation, the most possible situation is a split personality in him, with one who emphasises greatly on feelings, and another who has already forgotten it all!”
The Brocade Emperor’s journey of mental states all these years had proceeded in stages.
Before birthing Fu Ting and Meng Wan, he had walked through countless meadows, unstained by a single leaf.
At this stage, the Brocade Emperor could be described as not letting a single ship sail amongst thousands.
Of course, over the past millennia and more, the actual number of women he had experienced should long have surpassed thousands.
At this stage, he had existed in between emotionality and forgetfulness.
He invested sincerity and devotion into every relationship of his. Yet, it was like
he had countless selves who respectively dealt with these countless relationships.
Around a hundred years ago, the Brocade Emperor had entered a whole new stage or phase.
Amongst thousands, only a single ship had sailed.
He could be considered solely devoted at the extremity of feeling at this point.
In this refinement process, there had indeed existed the possibility of the Brocade Emperor’s cultivation base advancing further.
Yet, during this process, for some unknown reason, a flaw had appeared for the Brocade Emperor.
It should originally have been ‘many’ becoming ‘one’. In the end, it had been ‘many’ becoming ‘two’.
The roots of calamity had been planted in the end.
As it erupted now, the lofty Emperor had really been compromised.
Of course, despite that, he was still an Emperor.
He was also even more dangerous.
With just a casual wave of a hand, he would be able to render countless people dead.
“While the state of extremity of feeling has receded, he should be unable to return to the first stage from before, that which looks like emotionality whilst also forgetfulness,” Yan Zhaoge guessed, “Instead, a split has occurred in his mind as his feeling and unfeeling sides have separated.”
Qiu Jiahai was silent for a time before he suddenly asked, “That is to say that the Brocade Emperor should still be in possession of his rationality and his memories. He will definitely be able to judge the current state of his body, seeking a way to remedy it.”
“With that, is it possible that he might…” Qiu Jiahai made a slow, chopping motion with his palm.
After pondering in earnest for a moment, Yan Zhaoge shook his head, “It would probably be useless. To him, the main thing is not that he has two daughters right now, but that he birthed two daughters in the past. He cannot change this past simply by denying the present.”
“Killing one of them would not be able to let him start over.”
Yan Zhaoge paused for a moment before continuing, “But if he killed both at once, maybe then…”
Wang Pu said, “If your words are true, junior apprentice-brother Yan, and the Brocade Emperor’s soul has indeed been split into two, the unfeeling side will probably have such intentions in mind.”
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