HSSB1065: The compromised Emperor
Wang Pu, Qiu Jiahai and Yan Zhaoge exchanged looks.
Qiu Jiahai sighed, “Southern Zhuang really is…”
“He probably never thought that things would end up like this. He likely just wanted the Brocade Emperor to be distracted so that he would be unable to make it to our Broad Creed Mountain’s opening ceremony,” Yan Zhaoge sighed too, “After all, being an Emperor who has already accomplished the realm of a True Immortal, he should be able to remedy his deficiency.”
“It was only from hearing you mention the evaluation of senior apprentice-uncle Yue from back then that I know that the Brocade Emperor probably had some hidden problems left behind from pushing open the door to Immortality that year, thus having become like this now.”
Qiu Jiahai asked, “Why is that such a problem has only happened now? If that Meng Wan grew up in the World beyond Worlds, she should be around the same age as Red Lotus Fu, right? It has been so many years.”
The corners of Yan Zhaoge’s mouth twitched, “The Brocade Emperor was probably wholly unaware of this that year, only having come to learn of this recently because of Zhuang Shen. He must have seen Meng Wan in person this time, the crisis hence erupting.”
There was no need for further words or explanation. As long as the Brocade Emperor saw Meng Wan in person, it would have been enough then.
Qiu Jiahai stared wide-eyed, “How could he have been wholly ignorant?”
Let alone the Brocade Emperor, any random martial practitioner who had accomplishments in the martial dao would be able to control whether they left their seed.
This was unless they had been ‘harvested’.
Still, there was probably no one at all in the World beyond Worlds who might be able to harvest the Brocade Emperor.
It was even more impossible that someone might have been able to do so with the Brocade Emperor wholly unaware.
Liu Xianting’s cultivation base had been much lower than the Brocade Emperor’s that year. There was no possibility of this happening at all.
“Heaven knows what happened,” Yan Zhaoge curled his lips.
Wang Pu said, “While this matter seems not to have any direct connection to us, it is actually no minor affair at all.”
The Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors were the ultimate figures in the World beyond Worlds.
Any slightest disturbance that occurred might be able to affect the entire World beyond Worlds.
“There may actually be some direct connection,” Yan Zhaoge smacked his lips, “My father’s Grand Simplicity Splendour Cloud may well have caught his eye. Otherwise, that could have happened with my Taiyi Fist of Grand Simplicity too.”
Who knew what might be done by the Brocade Emperor whose rationality had been compromised.
“The question now is: Could the Brocade Emperor recover?” Wang Pu looked at Yan Zhaoge, “If the Brocade Emperor had obtained the Taiyi Fist that year, things may not be as troublesome as they are now.”
“Of course, I am not asking you to offer it up for nothing, junior apprentice-brother Yan. If you offer some conditions now, I trust that Ingenious Flying Peak will not try to bargain the price lower at all.”
Yan Zhaoge lightly rubbed his temples, “If only it could be so simple.”
“In having studied supreme martial arts of the Grand Clear lineage these past years, I have gained some insights into them.”
He forced a smile, “The foundation of the Brocade Emperor is already fixed as it cannot be changed. Studying the Taiyi Fist now would certainly help him as it would raise his strength greatly. Sadly, though, its effects would still have to exerted atop the current foundation that he possesses.”
In other words, it would not solve the current problem as it would simply make a madman even stronger than before.
Hearing his words, Wang Pu felt helpless as well.
Qiu Jiahai pondered for a moment before asking, “What state is the Brocade Emperor in now? Is he simply not in his right state of mind, or has something like a split consciousness occurred with him?”
“If I were to guess, it should be the latter,” Yan Zhaoge raised his head slightly, “With the Brocade Emperor having entered cultivation deviation, the most possible situation is a split personality in him, with one who emphasises greatly on feelings, and another who has already forgotten it all!”
The Brocade Emperor’s journey of mental states all these years had proceeded in stages.
Before birthing Fu Ting and Meng Wan, he had walked through countless meadows, unstained by a single leaf.
At this stage, the Brocade Emperor could be described as not letting a single ship sail amongst thousands.
Of course, over the past millennia and more, the actual number of women he had experienced should long have surpassed thousands.
At this stage, he had existed in between emotionality and forgetfulness.
He invested sincerity and devotion into every relationship of his. Yet, it was like he had countless selves who respectively dealt with these countless relationships.
Around a hundred years ago, the Brocade Emperor had entered a whole new stage or phase.
Amongst thousands, only a single ship had sailed.
He could be considered solely devoted at the extremity of feeling at this point.
In this refinement process, there had indeed existed the possibility of the Brocade Emperor’s cultivation base advancing further.
Yet, during this process, for some unknown reason, a flaw had appeared for the Brocade Emperor.
It should originally have been ‘many’ becoming ‘one’. In the end, it had been ‘many’ becoming ‘two’.
The roots of calamity had been planted in the end.
As it erupted now, the lofty Emperor had really been compromised.
Of course, despite that, he was still an Emperor.
He was also even more dangerous.
With just a casual wave of a hand, he would be able to render countless people dead.
“While the state of extremity of feeling has receded, he should be unable to return to the first stage from before, that which looks like emotionality whilst also forgetfulness,” Yan Zhaoge guessed, “Instead, a split has occurred in his mind as his feeling and unfeeling sides have separated.”
Qiu Jiahai was silent for a time before he suddenly asked, “That is to say that the Brocade Emperor should still be in possession of his rationality and his memories. He will definitely be able to judge the current state of his body, seeking a way to remedy it.”
“With that, is it possible that he might…” Qiu Jiahai made a slow, chopping motion with his palm.
After pondering in earnest for a moment, Yan Zhaoge shook his head, “It would probably be useless. To him, the main thing is not that he has two daughters right now, but that he birthed two daughters in the past. He cannot change this past simply by denying the present.”
“Killing one of them would not be able to let him start over.”
Yan Zhaoge paused for a moment before continuing, “But if he killed both at once, maybe then…”
Wang Pu said, “If your words are true, junior apprentice-brother Yan, and the Brocade Emperor’s soul has indeed been split into two, the unfeeling side will probably have such intentions in mind.”
Qiu Jiahai said, “Whereas the feeling side will definitely move to prevent this.”
The three simply looked at one another.
Yan Zhaoge slowly said, “These are all just guesses on my part. We should take a look at what exactly is up with the Brocade Emperor before considering what should be done.”
Qiu Jiahai gazed towards the south, “In heading to the southern Blazing Heaven Territory right upon his return, it should have been to take revenge on Southern Zhuang and Wutong Slope?”
“It would have been a wasted journey…”
Upon Zhuang Shen’s death, facing the looming threat of Yan Di and Broad Creed Mountain, beneath the lead of its new Chief, Mao Yuansheng, Phoenix Ritual Mountain’s Wutong Slope had already long since moved away from Wutong Slope, seeking to find a new, secret location.
“No, that’s not right,” Partway through his words, Qiu Jiahai rejected his own guess, “Not only would the unfeeling one not have love or sympathy, he would also not have emotions like hatred and fury.”
Yan Zhaoge nodded, “That’s right. For the unfeeling Brocade Emperor, emotions would not be his benchmark in considering affairs. Instead, it would be how reasonable something is, or whether such might benefit him.”
“Being unfeeling does not mean that one has no desires. Still, in the process of seeking to achieve a goal, he will do whatever it is that might aid him in doing so, and avoid all that would be pointless.”
“For example, if he wishes to regain his original state or advance further, and taking revenge on Zhuang Shen and Wutong Slope would not be of any help in this, he would probably not do so.”
“But…” Yan Zhaoge lightly rubbed his temples, “The feeling one would probably have the exact opposite benchmark in his decision-making process.”
It was just-exactly what state of mind was the Brocade Emperor currently in?