Translator: Sparrow Translations Editor: Sparrow Translations
Lin Feng looked at Miao Shihao and said, “To what I know, when the Hades Emperor invaded the Divine Lands many years ago, the reason why he chose to attack the Great Thunderclap Temple was that Empress Hades was defeated by a powerful cultivator of the Great Thunderclap Temple. Is that right?”
Hades Empress was the empress and companion of the Hades Emperor. She was a powerful demon in her own right too.
Miao Shihao nodded his head and said, “That’s the main reason, no doubt. However, there are other factors. The location of the Hades Empress was first discovered by the Great Void Sect, which then relayed the information to the Great Thunderclap Temple.”
Lin Feng looked at him and said, “Emperor and Empress Hades were very close. The entire Grand Celestial World knew that. It was impossible that the Great Thunderclap Temple did not know about the repercussions of killing Hades Empress. Even though the Great Void Sect passed them the information, and even incited them, the Great Thunderclap Temple was ultimately responsible for her death. They should have been mentally prepared to face the wrath of the Hades Emperor.”
Miao Shihao shook his head and said, “The Great Thunderclap Temple never expected this result. There was one thing the Great Void Sect knew but not the Great Thunderclap Temple. When they told the Great Thunderclap Temple her location, they left one thing out.”
Lin Feng frowned and said, “From what you said, could it be…”
Miao Shihao said, word-by-word, “During the War of the Two Worlds, the Hades Empress was heavily pregnant!”
Lin Feng nodded and mumbled to himself, “So that’s it.” Regardless whether one was human or demon, a woman’s strength during pregnancy would be greatly diminished. She would be weaker than an ordinary person. Regular injuries may prove to be fatal.
When one was heavily pregnant, this would be even more accentuated.
Miao Shihao replied, “I don’t know about the specifics. All I know is that the Hades Empress hid temporarily in a Middle World. The Great Thunderclap Temple sought to seal her in it, preventing her from taking part in the War of the Two Worlds.”
“However, there were defensive measures around the Middle World too. These defensive measures resisted the Great Thunderclap Temple’s seal and the two sides battled through the Middle World. Hence, the powerful Great Thunderclap Temple cultivators were not fully aware of her condition.”
“Afterwards, the Hades Empress and her guards broke out, but no one knew where did they go,” said Miao Shihao softly. “In the Middle World, the Great Thunderclap Temple cultivators were able to detect that something was amiss from the traces they had left behind in the Middle World. Hence, they left immediately. However, soon after, the enraged Hades Emperor barged into the Great Thunderclap Temple.”
“No one knew if the Hades Empress died because she over-exerted in defending her Middle World, or if she died due to an accident on the way back. The Great Void Sect did not know much about it too.”
Miao Shihao looked at Lin Feng and said, “The Great Void Sect knows even less about what happened to their offspring. However, judging from the Hades Emperor’s anger, it was likely that both mother and child died.”
Lin Feng said nothing as he sank into a deep thought. This was because he thought of something else.
It was the mysterious cultivator who had intruded into the Parasol Tree Forest and injured the Parasol Tree King.
Initially, Lin Feng thought that this person did not only know Xuehua, the Hades, but the entire Hades Tribe. All the Phoenix Grand Sage knew about her and the Hades Tribe originated from sources within the Divine Lands.
The Great Void Sect possessed the best intelligence in the Divine Lands and yet, they were unable to find out who the powerful cultivator was. Hence, the only possible source of information from the humans was the Great Thunderclap Temple.
As the Great Thunderclap Temple was met with calamities, they lost much of their manuals and scriptures. Much important information perished along with the cultivators into the flowing river of time.
Looking at it now, the powerful cultivator was likely the Hades Empress. The incident in the Parasol Tree Forest was likely instigated by the sister and the wife of the Hades Emperor.
In the War of the Two worlds, after she escaped from the Great Thunderclap Temple’s ambush, the cultivators from the Great Thunderclap Temple could have discovered some traces of her involvement. Hence, while they did not tell the Great Void Sect, they informed the Divine Parasol Tree and the Phoenix Tribe to prevent their entrance into the war.
Lin Feng thought, “If the Hades Empress was really the powerful cultivator, then the only question that is left is why do the Heavenly Charms Grand Sage and the Sirius Grand Sage possess only the Hunyuan Demonic Code of the Demonic Book of the Heavenly Tao if they were the Hades Empress’ disciples?”
“This is not well-answered and according to the information we possess right now, the Golden Roc Grand Sage appears more successful in uncovering the secrets of the Hades Emperor right now.”
“Could it be that the Heavenly Charms Grand Sage deliberately chose not to reveal whatever information she has?”
Thinking about it here, Lin Feng shook his head, looked at Miao Shihao, and said, “I finally understand why did the Great Void Sect instigate the previous War of the Two Worlds even though they were not fully prepared back then.”
Miao Shihao said, “Correct, everything had been planned out. They had to take advantage of the Hades Empress’ pregnancy. While the Hades Emperor was arrogant and ruthless, he loved his wife deeply. When she was pregnant, he would not start a war. Regardless whether it was from an emotional or strategic perspective, this would be the wisest choice.”
“However, to the Great Void Sect, starting a war then was the most ideal, even if they were not fully prepared.”
Lin Feng smiled and said, “Their plan could only work if they had acted then. If not, with the Hades Emperor’s personality, he would have attacked Mount Baiyun.”
“From a purely strategic perspective, fighting in the Great Thunderclap Temple was beneficial to the humans,” Lin Feng said as his gaze turned cold. “After all, the Great Void Sect was able to move their Supreme Yin-Yang Void Formation over to the Great Thunderclap Temple. Together with their Supreme Heavenly Mirror, they were able to keep the Hades Emperor in check.”
“Had they fought in Mount Baiyun, the Great Thunderclap Temple would not have been able to bring their Vairocana Formation over to Mount Baiyun. The Golden Forms of the Ten Great Disciples were inextricably connected to the Great Thunderclap Temple.”
“Fighting in the Great Thunderclap Temple allowed the humans to maximize their strength,” said Lin Feng as he shook his head and laughed. “As to whether the monks of the Great Thunderclap Temple were willing or not, that was not within the Great Void Sect’s consideration.”
Miao Shihao said, “The Great Void Sect did not trust the Great Thunderclap Temple. Before the War of the Two Worlds, the Great Void Sect knew that the Great Thunderclap Temple had contacted some demons and sought to teach them the Buddhist way. Perhaps the Great Thunderclap Temple wanted to save the souls of the demons, but that was unacceptable to the Great Void Sect.”
“Hence, the ultraconservatives led by the Tai Yi Holy Man were unable to accept that. The Radical Faction and the Conservative Faction were happy to watch the Great Thunderclap Temple and the demons wear each other down. The Great Thunderclap Temple was deemed as an ‘unstable power’ by the Great Void Sect back then.”
Miao Shihao looked at Lin Feng and said, “An ‘unstable power’ in the eyes of the Great Void Sect means that they are unable to ascertain whether the sect will be beneficial or harmful to their efforts in the next War of the Two Worlds. All they can do at the moment is to observe till the war is over. Ideally, they would have worn the ‘unstable power’ down enough during the War of the Two Worlds by requesting that they fight the demons head-on.”
A half-smiled crossed Lin Feng’s face as he said, “I understand, I understand. Simply speaking, it means that they aren’t sure if an unstable power would fight for the humans and be beneficial in the next war. Hence, the Great Void Sect will do something to force them to get involved and use up all their strength without considering what they might think about it.”
Miao Shihao nodded his head and said, “Correct, that’s exactly what it means. They will then observe the ‘unstable power’ after the war.”
“If one is deemed harmful or an ‘enemy power’, then the Great Void Sect would eliminate them before the War of the Two Worlds. If the Great Void Sect deems the sect too difficult to eliminate up-front, then they will treat it just like how they treat an ‘unstable power’; They will try and get the demons to wear them down as much as possible and then eliminate them after the war.”
Lin Feng shook his head slightly and said, “In the War of the Two Worlds all those years ago, the Great Thunderclap Temple probably did not plan on completely enraging the Hades Emperor and hence, they did not want to kill the Hades Empress. However, as they knew that she was the Hades Tribe’s weak spot, they planned on sealing her. Evidently, they did plan to take part in the War of the Two Worlds, but they also sought to protect themselves.”
He looked at Miao Shihao and said, “In that case, for bigger powers, the only difference between an ‘enemy power’ and an ‘unstable power’ is whether the Great Void Sect will eliminate them or not after the war?”
Miao Shihao nodded his head and said, “During the previous War of the Two Worlds, the Great Thunderclap Temple was sent to battle as an ‘unstable power’. After the war, they were under close observation by the Great Void Sect. To what I know, the Great Thunderclap Temple suspected something was amiss with the information provided by the Great Void Sect. However, they were unable to ascertain whether the Great Void Sect knew of the Hades Empress’ pregnancy.”
“They did not suspect that by teaching demons Buddhist cultivation, they would earn the enmity of the Great Void Sect. After the previous War of the Two Worlds, they continued, and the Golden Cicada was the result.”
“During the War of Buddha Annihilation, the Great Void Sect gave tacit consent. It could be because they had designated the Great Thunderclap Temple as an ‘enemy power’. However, by then, I had already survived the tribulations and reincarnated. While I do not know the details, the overall strategy should be as such.”
Lin Feng’s eyes narrowed into slits as he said, “Regardless, they are truly powerful and capable. They were able to make the Hades Emperor himself follow their battle plan.”
“Hehe, they are truly the premier Holy Ground in the Divine Lands. Regardless what I feel about them, I have to say that they truly deserve their title.”
Miao Shihao said quietly, “Internally, the Great Void Sect had done their analysis and organized whatever information they had about the Hades Emperor. Their conclusion was that his only weak spot was his wife.”
“While the Hades Empress was a powerful demon in her own right, she was the only chink in the armor of the Hades Emperor. Hence, with her around, the Hades Emperor would lose his cool.”
“They used emotions as their enemy’s weakness. Since Yan Xinghe, the Great Void Sect has been using this strategy. The more success they obtain, the more they believe in it.”