Chapter 1898: With me! (2 in 1)
Ye Xiao looked at everyone’s expression, his heart having wind and clouds stretch and roll, while his bearing was leisurely.
In this time period that no one saw, his face had a layer of fantastic light flit across it.
“My target… precisely isn’t this insignificant Human Realm Upon Heavens, with the praise of that so-called Senior, how should I stop on this one plane…”
Ye Xiao muttered a sentence wordlessly.
“Order the external troops, they are to do their utmost to scout out the whereabouts of the Brotherhood, most of all, traces of the Brotherhood’s nine big shots.” Ye Xiao gave the order, finally making a command to the outside.
…
The Brotherhood’s members spread out and scattered through the Jianghu to cultivate. The majority of the members weren’t well behaved and didn’t like rules binding them, and the majority was scattered out to the four seas. Only when the Brotherhood’s high ranking cultivators gave the order to gather would they flock back and converge, therefore, no one actually knew how many members the Brotherhood had. This chaos was one of the most difficult to solve puzzles of the entire Human Realm Upon Heavens for hundreds of thousands of years.
However, this one time, the Brotherhood actually really had suffered serious injuries.
This was because in this time period, regardless of whether it was the Hall of Returning Nature, the House of Chaotic Storms, or the Ye Family forces, those three factions in themselves were hostile powers. At the same time, the Brotherhood was in full swing moving fiercely, in sorrow because of a killer.
For a moment the Brotherhood was unexpectedly subjected to rivals on all sides, in the circumstances of being surrounded by enemies. The whole power contracted, and contracted again, and finally decided to scatter their members, disseminating their traces into the Jianghu. The reason why they would adopt this most passive way of handling it is because although the Brotherhood’s foundations were deep, they came into contact and were being besieged by three of the Limitless Ocean’s most powerful influences. In any event, they were unable to find a solution and could only choose to temporarily escape the vanguard. As long as their side temporarily withdrew from this chaotic situation, then those three sides would attack each other. There was no possibility of peaceful coexistence, they would definitely take revenge on each other. However, it was a pity that before the three sides had once again begun their mutual fight, the large-scale world power struggle had already had the rumbling of war drums appear on the scene.
Under this kind of environment, if the Brotherhood congregated again, what would they start doing?
This time when they went out, they would have to make their standpoint clearly known. Not choosing a group and not attaching themselves to one side is in many ways offending them all, and finally whatever power became dominant in the end would not let off the Brotherhood. How was this different from courting death?!
But… even if they stood with a group, was that not also courting death?!
The situation before their eyes faintly showed that advancing was death, but not advancing was also death, this kind of vile situation!
The Brotherhood’s nine big shots were seated in a circle around a big table, remaining relatively silent.
Even the most resourceful and most expert in improvisation, Shangguan Lingxiao, was unexpectedly also not saying a word.
This world’s big shots were rising as a group. The small armed small legged Brotherhood, acting as a Jianghu organization, how would they dare to involve themselves in it?
In the seat of honor, the golden gowned big shot was also not feeling too relaxed.
“Youngest brother’s enmity, have you discovered any sorts of trails!?” That golden robed big shot was precisely the Brotherhood’s number one, Nine Heavens Clouds Mo Feiyun. At this moment, his eyes were bloodshot.
“Concerning youngest brother’s matter… from head to tail, it’s completely fishy.” Shangguan Lingxiao’s two eyes were also bloodshot. This world renowned sage’s eyes were brimming with a hard to describe instability.
“Fishy how? Can you clarify this?” The eight brothers looked over at him.
“Youngest brother’s matter, the trails that were left behind are actually too clear. It shows that it was precisely the doing of the Ye Family forces,” Shangguan Lingxiao said. “But the more it’s shown this way, the more it has the appearance of shenanigans…”
“Shenanigans? What shenanigans could there still be!?” Crossing Mountain Dragon Cheng Biao said angrily. “The Ye Family forces had already clucked at our appearance before, how would it not make sense for them to ambush and kill youngest brother, this is seriously intolerable bullying! On the contrary, you, old thing, are obstructing us and not letting us move, but what is the reason? Don’t tell me that this ocean of blood’s deep enmity just will not be avenged? That we’ll let youngest brother breathe his last in just this way, and die with eyes open and grievances remaining?!”
Shangguan Lingxiao was angry, and said, “What did you just say? Don’t tell me that I’m not also worried about youngest brother’s enmity?! That is also my youngest brother! But not understanding the dark hand behind the scenes and blindly taking revenge would be truly ignorant, and secondly would thus damage our resources and manpower. I’m even more afraid that our rash movement would not only not help us take revenge for youngest brother, but would instead be made the sharp knife in the hands of the shady person behind the scenes! Even though I’m anxious to take revenge I also can’t lose my calm head!”
Mo Feiyun said, “Old Three’s words are reasonable. Before our eyes, it has already turned into a chaotic situation. Haze fills our eyes, and we must indeed prevent the possibility of being turned into the lent knife of another person. However, how specifically can we do this?”
Shangguan Lingxiao said, “Of course our youngest brother had participated in the death of Ye Changqing, this matter. The Ye family hasn’t had too many unexpected reactions towards our movements. First off, though, the Ye Family’s retaliation has already come. That time’s movement was especially unpleasant and hard to take. Secondly, that Ye Changqing did bad things, and had not only created enmity with us, but also with the son of the first wife of the Ye Family. Nowadays, the Ye Family forces are gathering under this person who also has a great enmity, therefore the Ye Family shouldn’t be likely to continue to pressure our side. Although the influence from that time’s retaliation was great, it actually didn’t create too many casualties. This might be evidence that Ye Family doesn’t desire to make a big fuss with us, so much so that it would be enough to dissolve the former intent… this we can almost be sure of.”
“Since the other side is of this mind, they absolutely won’t take revenge afterwards. But then to go and assassinate youngest brother, as this indeed makes both sides arrive once again at a death enmity with no margin for error?”
Shangguan Lingxiao said, “This doesn’t make any sense in the least!”
“The most important thing is, if the Ye Family’s side truly wanted to go take action, they would only need to go dispatch any one of the Seven Golden Lotuses, and they would be able to eliminate all of the higher-ups of the Brotherhood! Then why did they just stop when they had only killed youngest brother? Could it be that they didn’t know that when youngest brother perished, it was a death enmity to both sides, and we would kill to the last person? Calculating to the end, although the Brotherhood doesn’t have a top-notch almighty, in the end it is still counted as one of the big powers of the Limitless Ocean. If we use our whole strength to counterattack, wanting to target the Ye Family’s higher-ups is admittedly beyond our reach, but there’s still leeway to bring about equivalent casualties to the Ye Family’s forces…”
“Therefore, concerning this matter, I would even dare to assert that it absolutely is not the Ye Family’s doing.” Shangguan Lingxiao’s complexion was gloomy. “Although right now we still don’t have a grasp on who the target of our enmity is, something that is definite is that this person set up this arrangement on purpose so that our Brotherhood would go fight with the Ye Family forces. If we truly go look for the Ye Family forces to take revenge, that will truly only be achieving their plans!”
Shangguan Lingxiao looked at Crossing Mountain Dragon Cheng Biao, and said, “Our life or death is on the line, the outcome of this sort of action really would not let youngest brother peacefully close his eyes in death!”
Crossing Mountain Dragon Cheng Biao’s face reddened. He opened his mouth, seemingly wanting to say something, but in the end he was unable to say it and could only lower his head.
“Then Third Brother, who do you believe this matter’s dark hand behind the scenes is in the end?” Mo Feiyun deeply inhaled a breath of air, his eyes exposing an extremely dangerous light in them.
“I believe…” Shangguan Lingxiao still hadn’t finished this one sentence of words when suddenly, someone from outside hastily ran in and entered. “Big Uncle, Second Uncle, Third Uncle, someone came calling on us…”
Someone came calling!
This one sentence caused the Brotherhood’s nine people to simultaneously change their expressions.
This was because this current stronghold was the Brotherhood’s most secret stronghold.
Being exposed here was almost the same as having the entire higher-ups of the Brotherhood dropped in front of an aspiring person’s eyes.
With the current stormy and treacherous Limitless Ocean, this was simply a drowning level disaster!
“Who is this person who came?” Mo Feiyun’s complexion hadn’t stirred.
“It’s, Monarch’s Hall… Monarch Ye himself has graced us with his presence.” That guy’s expression was also looking rather blank and frightened. Someone capable of holding this kind of position was naturally someone who had quite the status in the Brotherhood, and he naturally knew how terrible this situation was.
Monarch’s Hall’s Monarch Ye?
Ye Xiao?
But how did Ye Xiao know that we would be meeting here?
The nine brothers looked over. Shangguan Lingxiao opened his mouth and asked, “How many people have come?”
“It’s only Monarch Ye by himself.”
By himself!
Mo Feiyun relaxed a breath, and said, “Ask him in.”
…
The Brotherhood’s nine people were all tall and beefy with huge builds. Shangguan Lingxiao, the Spirit Demon’s Hand, one of the Human Realm Upon Heavens’s deep pockets of wisdom, also fit this mold. He was born with a robust frame.
Ye Xiao sat across from these nine brothers, sitting counterpart to nine burly chaps. This sort of sight left Ye Xiao with a subtle feeling like he was confronting a mountain range.
“Monarch Ye actually possesses remarkable abilities. We would very much like to know how honored sir has investigated our quite hidden secret residence.” Mo Feiyun looked at Ye Xiao, his smile not an actual smile. “Only, I apparently should be admiring Senior Monarch’s high-level daring even more!”
Ye Xiao faintly smiled. “I possess remarkable abilities? High-level daring? This brother in charge is confused in his praise, I wouldn’t dare to take these two things up!”
He raised his head to look at Mo Feiyun. “First of all, regarding this stronghold of the Brotherhood’s, according to what this Ye knows, not including me, there are at least still several people who know. It’s just that the other people still have matters to attend to at the present time, and the only one who is free is this Ye… It’s merely a small advantage of others being occupied and me preceding them by a step, how should that be worthy of saying I possess remarkable abilities!?”
“Eh?” Mo Feiyun’s pupils shrank.
Ye Xiao immediately gave a faint smile. “As for a high-level daring and so on… This Ye’s courage is consistently small, naturally I wouldn’t dare to accept the praise of this brother in charge. As for the theory of being high-level, contrary to expectations I’m ashamed and I dare not accept this praise.”
Mo Feiyun’s complexion, upon hearing what was said, immediately sunk. “Senior Monarch dares to speak words in this way, how can it be said that your courage is small? But, we don’t yet know, what exactly does Monarch Ye desire with this visit?”
Ye Xiao said, “This Ye’s intention is the whole world!”
Ye Xiao’s suddenly arriving sentence was like a strange mountain breaking through the earth and appearing suddenly, an earth-shattering occurrence!
Mo Feiyun deeply inhaled.
It was useless to say any other words, as this one sentence was already sufficient.
Too sufficient!
This combined with what Ye Xiao hadn’t said. The whole world has already turned into this chaotic situation, your Brotherhood doesn’t have a road to walk on. He also hadn’t said that right now is already not just a Jianghu conflict but rather a world sized battle, and he even more hadn’t said that relying on me for help is your only correct choice, I can become your brothers and help you take revenge and so on…
He merely said that this Ye’s intention was the whole world, this one sentence, but in Mo Feiyun’s ears, this one sentence of words was already sufficient!
Sufficient to state everything clearly!
Mo Feiyun’s complexion was indefinite for a very long time as he remained silent, not cloudy and hidden but neither was it clear. To the side, Shangguan Lingxiao suddenly said lightly, “It’s just that, right now, the Monarch’s Hall’s power is still by far not enough.”
Ye Xiao tranquilly watched Shangguan Lingxiao, not immediately having any words in response.
The always deep as an ocean Shangguan Lingxiao didn’t quite know how, but under Ye Xiao’s attentive watch and tranquil gaze, his heart unexpectedly birthed a slight bit of reverence.
It was precisely this Monarch Ye who, if released four years ago, would have had to raise his head to look up at himself, afraid he wasn’t qualified. Now, however, at this time, it changed to becoming him provoking his own superior.
Shangguan Lingxiao shook his head, making an effort to push this idea deep down, and said in a deep voice, “At least at the present time, our Brotherhood actually has power equal to or possibly exceeding the Monarch’s Hall.” If he didn’t say these words now, and allowed this thought to continue to ferment, Shangguan Lingxiao was afraid that he wouldn’t have another opportunity to say them.
Ye Xiao’s smile was not quite a smile. “Does it? I of course still thought that the Brotherhood Sirs in charge seriously knew that this Ye person was high-level, that’s how I originally thought!”
Along with the end of this sentence, Ye Xiao’s body suddenly bubbled up a torrential qi momentum, rocking the heavens.
Ye Xiao’s whole person remained sitting upright without the slightest movement, so much so even his complexion and gaze were all maintained the same as before. However, along with the idea in his heart, his Undead Stage Rank 8 peak astonishing qi momentum was already pouring out in torrents.
A copious amount of irresistible momentum pressed down.
Shangguan Lingxiao’s complexion immediately changed. To the side, his few brothers also simultaneously raised and congregated their cultivation bases, jointly cooperating to resist Ye Xiao’s unexpected issue of his copious qi momentum. They moved together as one, without a better option, but found that no matter how much effort they put into it, Ye Xiao’s qi momentum was the same from beginning to end, copious and irresistible, unstoppable.
That is the same as how a big mountain overpowers the might of a rice straw. Even if you have that last life-saving straw of hope in hand, it is actually of no use!
In this short but exhausting period of resistance, Ye Xiao broke through their joint defensive perimeter like a huge wave cresting over the horizon, carrying the whole ocean’s boldness, one wave even higher compared to the next. How could they possibly defy and resist this?
The nine brothers at last gave up in disappointment with little choice.
Then each person looked at the lights of Ye Xiao’s eyes. Unexpectedly they were all overflowing with fright, amazed that they weren’t actually equal to him.
Only Mo Feiyun still gazed tranquilly at Ye Xiao.
His seat was directly opposite the direction that Ye Xiao was facing. When Ye Xiao’s tide of qi momentum rushed over, copious and irresistible, it almost completely disregarded the other eight people’s defensive perimeter. However, when it came into contact with Mo Feiyun, it was like ocean water had run into an underwater reef, and it automatically bypassed it and went around.
Mo Feiyun unexpectedly possessed astonishing strength that was absolutely not inferior to Ye Xiao’s. This was very different from the external rumors about this Brotherhood’s man in charge’s strength!
Undead Stage Rank 8 strength was almost equal to the present famous finest powerhouses’ strength. It’s no wonder that the Brotherhood was capable of unfailingly standing straight for 100,000 years in the Human Realm Upon Heavens. It seemed unexpected, but it was in fact very reasonable!
Mo Feiyun reached out a hand and got involved, and Ye Xiao’s qi momentum immediately vanished to become intangible. Soon after, he sprinkled a smile on his face and said, “We already know Monarch Ye’s purpose in coming. However, the Brotherhood has many years of foundation. To only say a few words between us even if that is to bow and give way… this is unavoidably too much of a joke.”
Ye Xiao smiled. “That is natural.”
To the side, Shangguan Lingxiao’s expression was tense. He swallowed a mouthful of spit, and said, “Eldest Brother.”
Widely known as the Brotherhood’s purse of wisdom, Shangguan Lingxiao’s view is the clearest. Right now, in the Jianghu and the entire world, there already isn’t a position for the Brotherhood.
Even if Eldest Brother’s true strength is rather hard to come by, the conclusion in the end would still remain the same and not change, so much so that there would be even more dangers instead!
The current situation makes the hero. This saying wasn’t applicable to the Brotherhood. Wanting the sort of muddled Jianghu like before already was impossible.
Their side’s power was already made up of a lot of ruffians afraid of consequences. When the Brotherhood met a chaotic situation in the world, they would only sigh to no avail to deal with it. Without any sort of overlord giving the Brotherhood a huge threat, they would drift away outside of the battlefield!
The five sides Sky Kings and the sixth side of Heaven’s Leaf were in a war situation. Were it not for the fact that both sides were weary and their strength exhausted to a degree, how would you speak of win or lose, victory or defeat?!
However when it really arrives at that moment and the Brotherhood bores its way out, they would certainly be a huge variable.
Don’t look right now at how the Brotherhood isn’t in the eyes of any of the six great powers and any of them could easily wipe out the Brotherhood’s strength. When they arrived at the final moment and the battle of the century was over, who would dare guarantee that they still had the strength of when they were at their most magnificent?!
Therefore, so long as the war started, if at any time it was possible for that power to wipe out the Brotherhood, they would absolutely snip this hidden danger before it could sprout!
This point, Shangguan Lingxiao had long ago predicted as the inevitable outcome!
Even more frightening is, the Brotherhood’s current position is exceptionally awkward. People they are capable of choosing, you can’t say they are few, rather… they are basically nonexistent!
Rely on help from the five sides Sky Kings?
If the five sides Sky Kings agreed to admit them, the Brotherhood was naturally happy to do it, but the Brotherhood was precisely a scattered cultivation alliance of the Jianghu. This point was already enough to make them not see eye to eye with the deeply rooted imperial regimes, especially since the Brotherhood had already existed for too too long. Seeking refuge? Before long ago, what did you do? For quite a few tens of thousands of years you haven’t had to rely on help from anyone, nowadays, with a great catastrophe imminent you finally want to seek help?
The five sides Sky Kings refusal can be inferred!
In that case, could they rely on help from the Ye Family forces?
Originally, relying on help from the Ye Family forces was almost the best option for the Brotherhood. Shangguan Lingxiao had already brought this point to attention long ago when the Brotherhood was setting in motion the plan to kill Ye Changqing. This, one may say, would be the higher-ups in the Brotherhood’s most happily seen outcome, but right now…
The Brotherhood had already from beginning to end arranged to kill Ye Changqing. No matter what their original intentions were, no matter what the chain of cause and effect was, this enmity and blame had already been produced, and it was difficult for both sides to once again save or mediate the situation!
As for relying on help from the House of Chaotic Storms, the Evil League, or the Hall of Returning Nature, these big influences, they absolutely didn’t need to consider it at all. These influences had various Sky Kings behind them, and they had many conflicts with each other. One person’s heart compared with popular feeling, the Brotherhood’s people in charge didn’t dare to even imagine the consequences. Therefore, the theory that they could rely on their old foes for help just absolutely wouldn’t hold water!
In this way of considering the future and thinking on the past, taking a count of who would have the capability of dealing with the current chaotic situation of the world, in surveying the whole world, there would appear to be only one left over Monarch’s Hall that could still embrace the warmth of a fire with the Brotherhood.
This was the only alternative, but it still had one problem that needed resolving: the Monarch’s Hall’s relations with other people were fabulous. They had favorable relations with the Ye Family, favorable relations with the Evil League League Master Ling Wuxie, they also had favorable relations with the Glaze Sky’s major pair of dragon phoenix kings. The most crucial point is, they still didn’t need to worry about the safety issue.
So long as they went inside the tree fortress to hide, they could directly just have everything be right with the world!
But the Brotherhood was still in an imminent crisis, where the dawn could not ensure the dusk, and at all times they were in danger of collapsing.
In this time period, wanting to follow other people to embrace the warmth as a group, wouldn’t it be indulging in fantasy, pure nonsense?!
Other people of course precisely are in a warm bedding situation, why would they still need to embrace your group?
Therefore, the Brotherhood didn’t hold out hope for this one and only alternative!
Merely, Ye Xiao’s sudden gracing them with his presence caused this lost hope to once again return!
However, Ye Xiao came this time, but he looked to provoke and subdue them into a change of command. He put everything out on the table and let the Brotherhood make the choice!
Actually, where did they still have an alternative? Besides seeking shelter with the Monarch’s Hall, they seriously didn’t have a second way out!
The rest were all dead ends, dead end ways!
