The tall figure belonged to Yan Zhaoge’s North Ocean Clone. Pan-Pan was quietly following behind him as well. Contrary to his usual slothful appearance, his demeanor was now leaking with ruthlessness.
As the spiritual beast of Yan Zhaoge, he could feel his master’s feelings to a certain degree.
The small courtyard’s door opened, with Xu Fei’s figure emerging from within.
He didn’t bother asking what happened or where they were going. He just nodded and said, “Ok.”
“Let’s talk about it on the way.” Yan Zhaoge’s North Ocean Clone wasn’t in a rush of explaining as well. With the trust between them, he didn’t have the need to blabber any further.
After notifying the others, the two men and one beast trio instantly left the Sky beyond Skies. They egressed from the Awakened Sky Cosmos and entered the void’s boundless outskirts.
After traversing through the fabrics of space, they met up with Yan Zhaoge.
“Senior apprentice-brother Xu.” Yan Zhaoge looked at Xu Fei, who came together with his North Ocean Clone and nodded.
Currently, Xu Fei’s aura was still a little unstable, as if he had just recovered from a malady.
On the way here, Xu Fei was already informed with the general idea of what happened. Now, upon seeing Yan Zhaoge himself, he merely said, “If we’re going to go, then let’s do it as soon as possible.”
The Immortal Court might use He Mian as bait and lure the members of orthodox Daoism inside.
Since they had decided to make a move, they ought to do it as soon as possible. The longer they stall, the more preparation time their enemies would have.
“Now.” Yan Zhaoge calmly nodded, “Let’s go.”
As he spoke, his figure quivered and was enveloped within a dark-red sword-light. Then, he enveloped his North Ocean Clone, Xu Fei and Pan-Pan, and instantly disappeared within the void.
The dark-red sword-light traversed through the fabrics of space, slowly approaching a “wall-like” existence.
Without closing in any further, Yan Zhaoge could already feel the intense energy being released from within, which seemed to engulf the entire cosmos with their permeating presence.
“We’re here,” muttered Yan Zhaoge as the dark-red sword-lights vanished, causing Yan Zhaoge’s figure to reappear. Then, he looked at the universe in front of him.
He had arrived at the cosmos governed over by the Immortal Court before.
However, that was during the time of peace. The two heretic factions were still recuperating from the damage of warfare. At that time, although clashes occurred by the borders of their cosmos, things were still considered as peaceful.
Now, the two sides were involved in large-scale warfare, with countless experts participating within. In almost every instance, tremendous force capable of obliterating worlds was unleashed.
Yan Zhaoge calmly stared at the transpiring warfare and continued his advancement while considering his method of infiltration.
However, things were now vastly different from the past. Before he even entered the Immortal Court’s cosmos, treasured lights already shot out from within, warning the nearing outsiders from intruding.
Immediately afterward, a figure appeared from within.
“Who are you?” As the somber voice resounded, two Immortal Court martial art practitioners appeared in front of Yan Zhaoge.
Before they could see his face clearly, Yan Zhaoge waved his hand.
His actions seemed so leisurely and insignificant. However, the two Immortal Court martial art practitioners’ figures instantly vaporized by the void.
Then, Yan Zhaoge extended his palm and pressed it on those treasured lights.
As his palm clenched, the treasured lights turned into light screens and started distorting, with tears slowly spreading through it.
With those tears, a gaping hole was formed. Through the hole, one could see the empyrean brilliance of the starry skies. One humongous world after another appeared before his eyes, like stars glistening in the astronomical skies of stellar signs of brilliance. Rays of treasured lights skyrocketed, their end unable to be perceived by the naked eye.
When Yan Zhaoge intended to continue forward, starlights lit up in the dark void behind him, which became brighter and brighter. When nearing in, the diminutive starlight transformed into the scorching radiance of a sun.
The sun was rushing toward Yan Zhaoge with full speed. Upon closing in, its speed finally decreased, and the sunlight faded.
The colossal sun seemed to have disappeared within the dark void, yet the cosmos was still glistening with brilliance.
A teenage man in white emerged from the sunlight. The figure belonged to the Exalted Solar Luminary – Gao Han.
“Nice technique, Exalted Solar Luminary.” Without turning his back, Yan Zhaoge plainly said, “You could find me even when I’m here.”
“I don’t have such capabilities.” Gao Han sighed and said, “I was merely near this area, which was why I could reach in time.”
“In time?” Yan Zhaoge finally turned around. His gaze was as calm as ever, the emotions within unable to be perceived.
However, Gao Han’s heart sank upon seeing his complexion.
He felt like he was facing a volcano on the verge of exploding.
The calmer the volcano seemed, the more explosive it would be.
“I knew about the matters regarding the Water Devil, the Earth Devil, and the Devil of Aged Metal.” Gao Han said, “However, this time, I was bound with a duty I cannot abandon, and hence I couldn’t assist you. I hereby apologize for that.”
Yan Zhaoge’s tone was as calm as ever, “I’ve always been aware of your prescience and know that you have your plans. Most of the time, your actions require taking advantage of the most subtle moments, and you can’t afford to delay them at all. It’s very normal for you to be caught up in your matters. There’s no need to apologize, is there?”
Gao Han sighed, “While the Immortal Court is busy dealing with the Blessed Lands of the white Lotus, there’s still the Buddhas from the Western Pure Lands presiding over it. I know that you rescued the Great Sage Equalling Heavens and received hefty compensation in return. However, a Virtual Immortal Realm Golden Body isn’t enough for you to invade the Immortal Court. Even if it’s the Golden Body left behind by the Great Sage Equalling Heavens, even if the Immeasurable Heavenly Lord doesn’t do anything, the results would remain the same.”
“If you aren’t planning on helping me, just stand aside and watch.” Yan Zhaoge calmly said, “Could it be, you’re planning on helping the heretics?”
“Of course not.” Gao Han shook his head, “I’m merely asking you to reconsider your actions.”
He looked at Yan Zhaoge, “I know that you don’t trust me. But, right now, I’m not provoking you to make your move.”
“At the moment, the two heretic factions are still busy fighting against each other. With how the situation is now, the warfare might last up to even hundreds of years. Albeit being in a disadvantageous situation, the Immortal Court had yet to forgo their hopes. With the way things are, they would naturally have to place all their attention on the confrontation against the Buddhist heretics and barely have any time to focus on us.”
“The matters regarding Little Friend Nie and Little Friend Yu were merely mishaps. If Daoist Cloud Conquest’s disciple didn’t leak their secrets, things wouldn’t have turned out like this.”
“Now is the most appropriate moment for us to reap the benefits from their warfare. The longer the warfare lasts, the more beneficial it is to our orthodox Daoism. Even if you want to take action, you should band together with the weaker side and maintain the battle’s status quo. Attacking the Immortal Court might cause the situation to spiral out of control and plunge it deep within the abyss of uncertainty. A wise man wouldn’t choose such an unwise path.”
Gao Han corrected his expression and solemnly said, “Please keep the grand scheme of things in your mind, and don’t be too impulsive. I won’t just say empty words with no meaning behind them. Please follow me. The hefty rewards definitely won’t disappoint you.”
Gao Han was someone with an unreliable persona. However, whenever he did something, he was someone you could trust.
The hefty rewards he mentioned would be a significant amount.
However, Yan Zhaoge decided to ignore him.
“I won’t interfere with your dealings with the Western Pure Lands.” Yan Zhaoge calmly said, “However, today, He Mian must die.”
“I know what’s the most beneficial outcome. But, in this world, things shouldn’t be weighed with profits alone.”
Gao Han frowned, “While your bravery might seem arrogant, you’re always calm and collected. Things had already happened. Killing He Mian won’t bring back anything…”
Yan Zhaoge interrupted him and said, “In the past, within the World beyond Worlds, senior apprentice-brother Nie originally had the strength to ascend to the Exalt Realm. However, to reserve that space for us, he suppressed his cultivation at the Martial Saint Ninth Level. Later, only when Chen Qianhua intended to become the Southern Exalt, and threaten my father, did he ascend to the Exalt Realm. He wielded his sword toward the south and helped my father, and I stopped Chen Qianhua from invading the southern territories.”
“When Wang Zhengcheng, the Heavenly Emperor, the Black-clothed Brocade Emperor, and the others intended to pressurise our Broad Creed Mountain, and even intended to kill my mother, senior apprentice-uncle Yue had yet to return to the World beyond Worlds. In the end, senior apprentice-brother Nie helped us, using his Human Immortal physique to help us stall the Heavenly Emperor, who was in the True Immortal Realm.”
“This time, when the Devils of Water, Earth, and Aged Metal reincarnated, senior apprentice-brother Nie and senior apprentice-sister Yu managed to save our brethren’s mother-son duo, which in turn placed them at death’s door. If that weren’t the case, senior apprentice-brother Nie wouldn’t have fallen to the Devil of Aged Metal so easily.”
As Yan Zhaoge narrated everything, his tone was as calm as ever, as if he was merely mentioning something insignificant.
However, his calmness sent a shiver down Gao Han’s spine.
“Now that something happened to him, you’re asking me to remain rational?” Yan Zhaoge turned his head. Changes finally appeared on his expression and tone, relinquishing himself off his previous calmness.
All the pent-up rage he accumulated started exploding in this instant!
He coldly stared at Gao Han. Within his gaze, icebergs seemed to be cracking apart. The calmness in the previous instant was shattered apart, replaced by the tsunami which blotted the skies.
“Either you stand aside or get beaten up by me! I’ll pass the freedom of choice to you. Now, am I rational enough?”
Amidst his violent roar, a brilliance popped out of Yan Zhaoge’s head, with the North Ocean Clone’s appearance appearing within.
The North Ocean Clone bent his waist, causing golden lights to skyrocket from his right shoulder.
As the golden lights interluded together, a colossal Gigantopithecus wearing a Phoenix Feather Purple Golden Crown, clad in a Golden Chainmail, and wearing the pair of lotus silk root cloud-stepping shoes bellowed toward the skies.
The audacious and unrestricted Demonic qi started permeating throughout the world in that instant!
His huge demonic hands grabbed the air, instantly bringing two silhouettes into his grip.
One belonged to the Viridescent Thunder Heavenly Monarch, while the other was the middle-aged Daoist who cultivated the Meng Zhang Azure Empyrea Archives.
The monkey’s humongous hands were grabbing the two Immortal Court Heavenly Monarchs.
Upon seeing the Immortal Court, the middle-aged Daoist was taken aback, “You dare come here?”
Qinglei Heavenly Monarch yelled angrily, “Even if I die today, you shall perish alongside me…”
As he spoke, the ape clapped his hands!
It instantly squashed the two Virtual Immortals flat.
Then, the ape lifted both his hands, throwing the two heretic Heavenly Monarchs’ corpses to the Immortal Court’s cosmos.
Then, he somersaulted and entered the boundaries of the Immortal Court. Wherever he passed, the skies shuddered, destroying the trail of stars in his wake!
Rays of starlights lit up and intertwined together, forming a prison that intended to entrap the ape.
The ape stretched his hand out, converging flashes of brilliance to manifest a Ru Yi Golden Cudgel, which swept through the universe.
With a swing of his stuff, all the starlights were shattered apart.
From afar, the void opened, causing a silhouette to emerge from within.
After sensing Yan Zhaoge’s break into the Immortal Court’s cosmic boundaries, another Immortal Court Heavenly Monarch was dispatched to this location.
“Who in the world…” When this Immortal Court Heavenly Monarch yelled, he saw golden lights quivering in his sight. Then, a sanctimonious ape jumped to his front.
The Heavenly Monarch was caught by surprise. Before he could think of anything else, his cultivation was instantly utilized to his max.
As his aura surged explosively, two flashes of brilliance floated atop his head.
Winds and lightning soon followed suit. Boundless strength converged, causing this Immortal Court Heavenly Monarch’s demeanor to reach a frightening degree. He then took out his weapon, which astonished everyone present.
Moreover, rays of starlights shot out from the Immortal Court’s grounds, which further reinforced his strength.
At this moment, this Immortal Court Heavenly Monarch reached the peak of his life.
However, at that moment, the ape suddenly lifted his cudgel and whacked toward him.
A loud “bang” resounded!
The two brilliances atop his head shattered in unison!
The all-encompassing starlights disintegrated!
The Immortal Court Heavenly Monarch’s head was smashed right into his trachea, instantly bringing him to perishment!