History's Strongest Senior Brother

He had a short beard which was very trimmed very neatly.

“We have a common enemy in Cao Jie,” Lang Qing said, “The newly arisen Broad Creed Mountain is an unexpected variable.”

“From how things look now, this Broad Creed Mountain is virtually like a new watchdog that Cao Jie has reared. If we do not first get rid of this nail, Golden Court Mountain will forever remain stable.”

Lang Qing slowly nodded, “I too would be very happy to pull out this nail first. Still, this does not seem possible at the moment.”

Zhuang Shen did not feel that Lang Qing was trying to push things away as he instead asked calmly, “Have you heard something, Brother Lang?”

“That’s right. I came here this time for the sake of informing you about it.” Lang Qing nodded, “The Brocade Emperor is back in the World beyond Worlds.”

“Also, word from Ingenious Flying Peak is that he intends to protect Yan Zhaoge and Broad Creed Mountain.”

As soon as this was said, the expressions of all the Wutong Slope martial practitioners present sunk.

They had not expected that the Brocade Emperor would express such a clear and definite stance.

Still, no one raised any doubts regarding this.

The Southeastern Exalt Cao Jie was on close terms with the Brocade Emperor. Meanwhile, while the Western Exalt Lang Qing and Cao Jie could not easily coexist, he could be considered a good friend of the Brocade Emperor’s.

After failing to successfully mediate between Cao Jie and Lang Qing, the Brocade Emperor generally helped neither of the two sides, maintaining a neutral stance.

Still, for Wutong Slope, this was a mountain that would be difficult to overcome.

Zhuang Shen slowly asked, “Since when was this?”

“It was virtually at the same time as when we emerged from seclusion,” Lang Qing answered, “He was clearly planning for this since long ago.”

“With the Heaven Emperor still yet to return from extradimensional space, if we head to the southeast now, we will only be pointlessly colliding with a wall.”

Lang Qing was speaking rather politely with this.

For Lang Qing whose relationship with the Brocade Emperor was not bad, it might just be colliding with a wall. Still, for Zhuang Shen and Wutong Slope, things might not end up as simply as that.

Someone blurted out, “If we only make a move on Broad Creed Mountain, not laying a hand on Golden Court Mountain, would the Brocade Emperor still act?”

Lang Qing did not mind him suddenly interjecting as he just nodded slowly.

That Wutong Slope martial practitioner’s expression suddenly changed slightly, “Could some of those rumours be true? The Brocade Emperor is choosing a groom for Red Lotus Fu? The one he has set his eyes on is that fella surnamed Yan?”

Hearing this, Zhuang Shen looked at Lang Qing with an enquiring look on his face.

While Wutong Slope hated Yan Zhaoge to the core, they had to admit that he was probably the most outstanding person of the World beyond Worlds’ younger generation in recent years, a favoured son of Heaven.

The name Fallen Deity was widespread even in the southern Blazing Heaven Territory.

“We cannot say that he does not intend this for sure. Still, this should not be the case,” Lang Qing shook his head, “Word from Ingenious Flying Peak is that Yan Zhaoge once rescued Fu Ting. Thus, they wish to return this debt.”

Zhuang Shen pondered for a moment before saying, “The Brocade Emperor might not able to act.”

“Oh?” Lang Qing was rather taken aback as he looked at Zhuang Shen.

Beside him, Mao Yuansheng coughed dryly before elaborating, “It is not that the news you received is erroneous. What Chief means that is while the Brocade Emperor might want to lend a hand, when the time comes, he might not be able to do so.”

Lang Qing knit his brows, “Why do you say that?”

Zhuang Shen spoke some words in a low tone. Lang Qing’s expression changed.

“I would like Brother Lang’s help in ascertaining if my method is viable,” Zhuang Shen requested.

Lang Qing pondered for a moment before slowly nodding, “There seems to be a high chance. There is indeed much certainty of success.”

He turned to look at Zhuang Shen, “It looks like Brother Zhuang has been plotting for a long time.”

Zhuang Shen said calmly, “This was initially because of Golden Court Mountain. While the Heaven Emperor is in a conflict with the Brocade Emperor, I still wanted to make some more preparations.”

“Still, it is now for that Yan Zhaoge and Broad Creed Mountain.”

“There is no need to be disappointed, Brother Lang. If I do not guess wrongly, Cao Jie will definitely act to aid Yan Zhaoge and Broad Creed Mountain. We still share a common enemy.”

Lang Qing said, “Brother Zhuang speaks rightly. Still, since you have this move, I would prefer that you wait for a while longer.”

Zhuang Shen nodded, “Awaiting the Heaven Emperor’s return?”

“That’s right. A gentleman does not mind waiting ten years to exact his revenge. Moreover, the circumstances are far from requiring as many as ten years,” Lang Qing said, “With the Brocade Emperor, there will be the Heaven Emperor to stop him. Without the Brocade Emperor, there would be a surefire chance of winning. There would not be a chance of an accident happening in the least.”

“There is a high chance of your method succeeding, Brother Zhuang. Still, we also have to consider the scenario where the Brocade Emperor is still able to rush over and make it.”

Zhuang Shen’s expression was calm as he slowly said, “You speak rightly, Brother Lang. Actually, even if the Brocade Emperor cannot act, our combined might still cannot be assured of taking him down for sure. I already intended to seek further assistance in the first place.”

Lang Qing asked, “Who do you intend to look for?”

“I believe Brother Lang knows the appearance of that Yan Zhaoge,” Zhuang Shen asked rather than answered, “Don’t you feel that his appearance is similar to someone’s?”

Lang Qing focused his mind as an image of Yan Zhaoge quickly flashed through it, being compared with all those within his memory.

It would have been fine if Zhuang Shen had not mentioned it, but now that it had, Lang Qing too gradually gained his suspicions.

“That disciple of Hu Yuexin’s, Xue Chuqing?” Lang Qing frowned, “They are related by blood? Mother and son? While there is a resemblance between their brows, there are also many who appear similar yet are wholly unrelated…”

At this point, the Western Exalt Lang Qing suddenly halted, his gaze flickering as he appeared to be pondering something.

Zhuang Shen said, “That’s right. It would be fine if only their appearance was similar. Still, I noticed one thing.”

“You and I both know that Cao Jie has protected the descendants of the Dim Radiant Sect. However, even if that brat surnamed Yan did not acquire an Immortal Artifact in the Dim Radiant Mausoleum, he still benefited from Yin Tianxia’s remnant legacies for sure. With him not being an orthodox descendant of the Dim Radiant Sect, Cao Jie was not enraged, instead actually having been constantly watching over him? This is not normal.”

Hearing Zhuang Shen’s words, Lang Qing stroked his beard, “It is suspected that Hu Yuexin’s descendant may have inadvertently acquired a clue left behind by Yin Tianxia. It is because of that Yan Zhaoge’s relation to Hu Yuexin’s descendant that Cao Jie views him in a different light?”

“That’s not right…” Lang Qing shook his head, his eyes narrowing into slits, “It was not inadvertently. From the looks of it now, Hu Yuexin and Yin Tianxia were close from the very start. It was because of that that what Yin Tianxia brought back ended up in Hu Yuexin’s hands, now being in the possession of that descendant of hers!”

He opened his eyes, “What a Dim Radiant Emperor, what a pulling the wool over everybody’s eyes. His successors were never his descendants of the Dim Radiant Sect in the first place, instead being that lineage of Hu Xinyue’s.”

Zhuang Shen nodded, “Cao Jie should be in the know to some extent.”

Lang Qing looked at him, “In that case, the people you wish to seek for assistance…”

“Fellow Daoist Oneheaven of the east,” Zhuang Shen replied, “Lian Zulin of the northwest.”

Daoist Oneheaven was the Lord of the eastern Vast Heaven Territory, the Eastern Exalt who ruled Remote Cloud Mountain’s Clear Light Locale.

Lian Zulin was the Lord of the northwestern Dim Heaven Territory, the Northwestern Exalt who ruled the Red Sea.