The two of them nodded, “Your words make sense.”
They glanced a final time at those two sword-lights before leaving this dimensional space that was formed of sword-intent and thunderbolts.
As they ventured further into the depths of the Nine Underworlds, even the Brocade Emperor and the Encompassing Emperor had to start being more cautious.
The numerous devils of the Nine Underworlds before them were getting more and more powerful.
While it was not that much of a challenge for them, the possibility of them eventually drawing over great devils that were on the level of True Immortals was definitely not zero.
Of the three of them, the Brocade Emperor executed the Grand Beginning Bright Emptiness Form as he seemed both illusory and real.
The Encompassing Emperor cultivated in the Myriad Phenomena Heavenly Scripture that possessed infinite variations and was adept in self-concealment.
While Yan Zhaoge did not use his foundation of the Peerless Heavenly Scripture, as he circulated the first and twelfth arts of the Dim Radiant Twelve Arts, Shadow Stealth and Peerless Infinity, in unison, he was similarly difficult to locate.
As a result, they were incomparably low key as they did not attract the attention of the peak devils that were a great distance away.
It was just that seeking Feng Yunsheng’s whereabouts in the Nine Underworlds was very difficult indeed.
Yan Zhaoge and the others could only risk trying to capture the devils of the Nine Underworlds, hoping that one of them might have seen her.
The devils of the Nine Underworlds were either violent and bloodthirsty as well as strange and sinister or sly and cunning, being full of lies.
Obtaining some useful information from them was really never an easy thing.
Many torture methods used against humans were less effective against them, and it was also difficult to go about it in a loud, overt manner since there were within the Nine Underworlds.
Finally, they captured a devil that had really battled Feng Yunsheng before. Despite its violent temperament, this devil still had its rationality as they were finally able to obtain some useful information.
This devil clearly had a deep impression of Feng Yunsheng, a human who had ventured deep within the Nine Underworlds on her lonesome.
There were many wounds on its body that had not healed even now, constantly reminding it of that opponent.
Based on the information obtained here, Yan Zhaoge’s party journeyed on.
Boundless charred earth suddenly appeared atop the pitch black soil of the Nine Underworlds up ahead, extended flames blazing between the dim heavens and earth that seemed boundless and without end.
Yet, despite the fact that there was clearly a sea of flames up ahead, the world still seemed dim.
The fiery glow could not dispel the gloomy darkness and evoke a sense of security in them as it instead caused an ominous feeling to well up within their hearts.
“This place appears to be the cave manor of a devilish Emperor of the Nine Underworlds,” The Encompassing Emperor said after gazing over and observing it for a bit.
Despite what he had just said, he showed no intention of halting in the least as he ascended the charred earth without hesitation.
The Brocade Emperor smiled, similarly not stopping as he walked shoulder-to-shoulder with the Encompassing Emperor.
Looking at the inferno and charred earth, Meng Wan murmured aloud, “It somewhat resembles those Flame Devils from back then.”
Yan Zhaoge said as he continued walking, “The Flame Devils rampant in our Eight Extremities World that year were not devils of the Nine Underworlds but sentient lifeforms born from nature. It was just that they were similarly stained with devilish will when they were just born, hence the name ‘Flame Devils’.”
“Tracing it to the source, their strength originated from an expert of pre-Great Calamity times, the Flame Devil Emperor,” Yan Zhaoge explained, “The Flame Devil Emperor’s original title should have been the Heavenly Fire Emperor. Still, it is rumoured that he dabbled in the devilish dao afterwards. While he did not fall to the dark side and become a devil per se, he walked very far on that path, the contention on this matter hence being great.”
Meng Wan nodded in understanding.
“Still, he was unrelated to the Devil of the Six Supreme Devils holding the seat of Fire,” Yan Zhaoge said, “In the annals of history, the devils it produced before were the Fire Devil, Yang Devil and Blazing Devil.”
“The form of address for the Flame Devils in our Eight Extremities World that year was simply a description of their temperaments and characteristics.”
Hearing this, Meng Wan nodded, “No one in the Eight Extremities World has heard about the Six Supreme Devils before, most likely. They would naturally not be able to know about that Devil of Fire.”
Seeing Yan Zhaoge smiling upon hearing this, Meng Wan smiled too, “You, Senior Brother Yan, are the exception.”
While the two were smiling, their brows were furrowed as they gazed at the charred wilderness that stretched out endlessly before them.
They quickly arrived at the core region of this land.
No other devils were visible atop the charred earth as it was like none of them dared infringe upon this domain.
A massive devilish palace soon appeared before the eyes of Yan Zhaoge and the others.
The palace was completely formed of flames. Soaring a thousand feet high, its walls and pavilions were all blazing intensely, evoking fear in those who saw them.
“Senior apprentice-sister Feng has entered this place?” Having entered with the Brocade Emperor, the Encompassing Emperor and Yan Zhaoge, Meng Wan did not fear the scenes before her as she simply appraised this devilish palace of flame that was the size of giants.
The Brocade Emperor and the Encompassing Emperor exchanged looks, “Why does it look weaker than it seemed at first glance? The devilish Emperor is absent? Is he away, or has he already died?”
Outside of the devilish domain of charred earth, devils could be intimidated and kept from drawing near due to the restrictions of devilish qi.
However, the interior was lax in contrast to the intimidating exterior as something immediately seemed wrong.
“It was indeed not for no reason that Yunsheng came here…” Yan Zhaoge narrowed his eyes.
They did not hesitate as they ventured within at once.
The towering, majestic devilish palace of flame was simply completely empty.
Only when they arrived in the centre of the back hall did they suddenly feel a shocking devilish qi surging.
Still, it seemed like it was suppressed, being at the end of its tether as it was exceptionally weak.
Yan Zhaoge stroked his lower chin, “The aura is the same as that of this devilish palace of charred earth. It belongs to the original owner of this land, that devilish Emperor.”
“From the looks of it, it was reborn here in the Nine Underworlds after being slain by someone due to being undying and inextinguishable. Still, it was suppressed amidst its rebirth attempt such that it was unable to succeed.”
The Encompassing Emperor carefully perceived its variations of devilish qi, “It has already been dead for a long time, probably over a millennium. Who did it?”
History's Strongest Senior Brother Chapter 1089: A light burning after death, abstruse mysteries left through millennia
The Encompassing Emperor glanced at Yan Zhaoge as he said this.
Understanding what he meant by this, Yan Zhaoge shook his head, “I cannot say for sure if it was the Exalted Lunar Luminary. Our sect knows little about her, only knowing that she once descended to the Eight Extremities World and left the Extreme Yin Crown there.”
The Encompassing Emperor nodded as they now entered the depths of the back hall together.
The flames parted as a clump of light appeared amidst space. It was bright at times whilst dim at others, appearing real whilst also illusory as it hovered unstably in the air
.
Gazing over, Yan Zhaoge saw a tiny black ember at the centre of the light that looked extremely weak, shaking non-stop as it was as if it might be extinguished at any moment.
Still, there was a devilish qi that surged to the heavens struggling within, just that it was eternally unable to grow strong.
It was the original owner of this place, a former devilish Emperor who had once reigned arrogantly between the heavens and earth.
While it was not that they could never be extinguished for good, devils were indeed undying and inextinguishable most of the time.
Even after they had died, they would be reborn within the Nine Underworlds.
Yet, this devilish Emperor of the Nine Underworlds had been suppressed amidst its rebirth as it had been hard pressed to revive for millennia, being in a state equivalent to being eternally extinguished.
“Devils who possess strength equivalent to Immortal Bridge Martial Saints are already very difficult to kill completely as even Devil Shattering Arrows are already useless against them, much less the devilish experts equivalent to True Immortals of Daosim.”
Yan Zhaoge narrowed his eyes, “Suppressing this devilish Emperor and preventing his rebirth is extremely difficult a task in nature.”
Gazing over carefully, he saw that the area around that tiny ember seemed to be enveloped by a layer of boundless darkness.
This darkness dwindled and devoured the heat and light of the ember, eternally preventing it from growing stronger.
Sensing the darkness that could devour the heavens and swallow the sun, Yan Zhaoge coughed.
“The power of corrosion of the Rahu Star!”
The concept within was not foreign to Yan Zhaoge as he recognised it as the power of the Rahu Star of the eclipse that was the opposing star of the Sun Star!
Having been able to slay a major devil here and suppress it from being reborn, the identity of the one who had done this was just obvious.
The Encompassing Emperor and the Brocade Emperor exchanged looks as they now exclaimed in unison, “The Exalted Rahu Luminary?”
The Exalted Rahu Luminary had been one of the Nine Luminaries of new Kunlun Mountain following the Great Calamity alongside the likes of the Earthly Sovereign, the Concealed Sovereign and the Exalted Gold Luminary Yan Xingtang, having played an important role in Daoism’s resurgence.
Looking at Yan Zhaoge, the Brocade Emperor asked, “I heard Southeast Cao mention that your sect seems to have a treasure that is related to the Exalted Rahu Luminary which is also controlled by this Little Friend Feng?”
“It isn’t the Rahu Sabre,” Yan Zhaoge answered candidly, “Instead, it is a new sabre reforged from the remnants of the Rahu Sabre that was destroyed. While it is indeed somewhat related to the Exalted Rahu Luminary, it is still unclear how much this is the case.”
He looked thoughtfully at the darkness that was suppressing the ember, “From the looks of it now, the relation between them seems even greater than I had thought.”
The Brocade Emperor and the Encompassing Emperor both nodded slowly, the former extending a finger and lightly tapping on that clump of light.
It shook slightly, the black ember remaining weak whereas that inauspicious dimness seemed to be rippling to the side like water.
The dark aura transformed into a boundless, endless devilish qi of dark fire that was mournful whilst gloomy and looked even more ferocious and tyrannical than the flames all around them that formed the palace.
A figure gradually appeared amidst this devilish qi as a manifestation of martial true intent.
Yan Zhaoge saw that it was a black-clothed woman with short hair. She was not really beautiful and had hard-set, tough features.
Her entire body emanated a severe, stern air as her gaze was resolute, not wavering in the slightest.
While this was just an image, the killing intent still evoked chills as it shot over.
Yan Zhaoge had learnt much information from his previous visit to Kunlun Mountain’s Northern High Peak’s Jade Capital Crag.
He had viewed the images of all the Kunlun Nine Luminaries, his grandfather included.
The figure before him was precisely the Exalted Rahu Luminary, Jian Shunhua.
Like the Exalted Gold Luminary, she was one of the Nine Luminaries who was confirmed to be dead, having left behind countless legends. She had been a famed lady of steel known for her toughness.
“The Exalted Rahu Luminary died even before my grandfather, the Exalted Gold Luminary, did,” Yan Zhaoge surveyed the devilish palace of flame before them, “This looks like a battle accomplishment of hers from the past too.”
“It is just that…”
Yan Zhaoge frowned, “It does not feel as simple as that.”
Gazing at the image of the Exalted Rahu Luminary, the Encompassing Emperor felt as though that figure that was completely devoid of thought was uncompromisingly meeting his gaze while not shrinking back in the slightest.
Carefully sensing their environment, he then suddenly said after a while, “It is indeed not simple.”
Yan Zhaoge too pondered for a time before saying, “It seems like there once existed a mechanism here. While it is no longer here now, traces of it still remain.”
Beside them, the Brocade Emperor observed things a little before extending his palm and exerting force with it as much black devilish fire suddenly appeared from nowhere.
The devilish qi of black fire condensed, manifesting as numerous characters and symbols in mid-air.
Seeing these, the trio’s gazes flickered slightly.
“Haha…” The Brocade Emperor chuckled, “So this was something the Exalted Rahu Luminary prepared in an attempt to undergo rebirth after her death.”
The Encompassing Emperor shook his head slowly, “She wished to borrow the profundities of rebirth of the devils of the Nine Underworlds to complete her own rebirth? This is really…”
As she was an elder of Daoism, the Encompassing Emperor did not wish to openly criticise her.
Still, Yan Zhaoge and the Brocade Emperor both understood the implied meaning in his words.
The Exalted Rahu Luminary’s actions were basically equivalent to playing with fire!
Whether or not her scheme could succeed, even if it succeeded, just the slightest carelessness and she would immediately fall to the dark side, becoming a devil!
The greatest point of concern was this: Would she not mind becoming a devil in order to succeed?
Perhaps this was just a precautionary measure that might or might not be used. It would be best if this measure remained unused.
Still, the Exalted Rahu Luminary had really died more than two thousand years ago.
“From what was said about the temperament of the Exalted Rahu Luminary, she would probably disdain being reborn at the cost of becoming a devil,” Yan Zhaoge said, “What I fear is more of overconfidence on her part.”
Analysing those dark patterns of light, he murmured aloud, “It feels like this mechanism is not just related to the power of rebirth as it seems to possess some other use as well…”
“She was not just leaving a measure for rebirth in case of her death. Instead, she was even seeking to borrow her rebirth to wrest away the authority and strength of some great Devil!” Yan Zhaoge’s expression changed slightly as inspiration suddenly flashed through his mind.
Hearing this, the Encompassing Emperor’s expression too changed.
This was playing with fire to an even greater extent!
That great Devil which had been able to catch the eye of the Exalted Rahu Luminary must have possessed extraordinary strength!
The Brocade Emperor’s eyes radiated a strange glow as he too was rather taken aback.
“The Exalted Rahu Luminary, Jian Shunhua!” Yan Zhaoge put a hand on his head, “Should I say that you are ambitious, wishing to accomplish something even greater after your death when still alive?”
Really, none of the Kunlun Nine Luminaries was your simple, average charact
er.
“I really even suspect now that maybe you sought death on purpose,” Yan Zhaoge thought rather ill-manneredly.
He was really a little aggravated at this moment.
If this had been anytime else, he might have felt amused to the extent of even giving Jian Shunhua a mental thumbs-up.
However, even Feng Yunsheng had been drawn into this now.
The Encompassing Emperor frowned as he looked at the scene before them, “The mechanism has concluded now. What then was the result?”
History's Strongest Senior Brother Chapter 1090: Feng Yunsheng’s message
Whether it was because of concern for Feng Yunsheng or they were curious if the plan of the Exalted Rahu Luminary Jian Shunhua had succeeded, everyone present was deeply interested in this matter.
Yan Zhaoge took a deep breath and closed his eyes.
A faint screen of light appeared near his body, gradually transforming into the blurry light of water which made everything appear white and black, losing their lustre.
As the light that resembled water seeped in, the time in the area seemed to slow and then fall still.
Seeing this, the Brocade Emperor and Encompassing Emperor both nodded inwardly, “Considering his age and cultivation base, his attainments in the Aeon Light Heavenly Scripture are unexpectedly high.”
“Please assist, Emperors,” Yan Zhaoge’s voice sounded rather ethereal as it seemed fast at times whilst slow at others.
The Brocade Emperor and Encompassing Emperor did not refuse him as they moved in unison.
With their help, time seemingly flowed in reverse there as Yan Zhaoge circulated the Aeon Light Heavenly Scripture.
It was not that time was truly flowing in reverse. Even if it was, it would still be difficult to revert back to a few months or even a few years ago.
Still, the rippling light of time combined with the devilish qi of black fire amidst space, gradually forming a scene of light as it sought to reconstruct the images of the past.
Suddenly, white light flickered amidst space.
Yan Zhaoge’s gaze was solemn, “A message left behind by Yunsheng.”
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