HSSB1081: Dense Encompassing Emperor
After parting ways with Chen Mingying, Yan Zhaoge left the Eight Extremities World together with the Brocade Emperor and Meng Wan, returning to the World beyond Worlds.
This time, they directly passed through the wound of the sky located at the former headquarters of the Sacred Sun Clan, arriving beneath Water Ridge Peak, a back mountain of Broad Creed Mountain in the World beyond Worlds.
“Shall we head to Golden Court Mountain first?” Yan Zhaoge directed an enquiring gaze at the Brocade Emperor, “Senior Brother Tang will necessarily require the support of the Southeastern Exalt to rebuild the Sacred Sun Clan.”
The Brocade Emperor smiled, “That is naturally fine. It has been a long time since I last saw Fellow Daoist Cao too.”
They immediately set off for Golden Court Mountain.
On the way there, Yan Zhaoge was contacted via some of his information channels as he gained an understanding of the latest situation in the World beyond Worlds.
There were both good and bad news.
The worst news of all was that the Concealed Sovereign was in death seclusion and totally isolated from the outside world.
Whether it was Wang Zhengcheng and Li Junxin of the Southern High Peak’s Qilin Cliff or Wang Pu’s lot of the Northern High Peak’s Jade Capital Crag, they were all helpless and unable to do anything about this.
The Female Emperor Jie Mingkong never ever got involved in such matters that were unrelated to her.
The Heaven Emperor and the Brocade Emperor had not been on good terms in the first place. The former’s interference in this issue would make the Brocade Emperor’s reaction difficult to predict.
A great battle between True Immortals might really break out.
Of course, there was good news as well. The Dense Encompassing Emperor who was acclaimed alongside the Brocade Emperor and the Heaven Emperor had recently returned to the World beyond Worlds from extradimensional space.
The Dense Encompassing Emperor Li Jun was also called the Encompassing Emperor.
One of the Five Emperors and possessing remarkable strength, he was the Chief of the World beyond Worlds’ central Jun Heaven Territory’s Kunlun Mountain’s Circle Intelligence Ridge’s Myriad Phenomena Cave.
He had been one of those to bear witness in the conflict between the Brocade Emperor Fu Yunchi and Mars Halberd as a mediator previously.
Only then had the Brocade Emperor and Mars Halberd settled on battling it out amidst space.
Still, the Encompassing Emperor had left for extradimensional space on the day of the agreed battle as he not stayed behind to view it. The Earth Exalt Wang Zhengcheng had been left solely in charge of bearing witness to it.
In the years afterwards, the Encompassing Emperor had constantly been amidst extradimensional space alongside other experts like the Earthly Sovereign and Sword Sovereign, not having returned to the World beyond Worlds.
He had only just returned a short time ago.
Right upon his return, even before he arrived at his dao arena at Circle Intelligence Ridge’s Myriad Phenomena Cave, he was already first notified that cultivation deviation had befallen the Brocade Emperor.
The name of the Immeasurable Heavenly Lord had been revealed at the southern Blazing Heaven Territory’s Star Reflecting Lake for no reason at all as sizeable trouble had nearly arisen as a result.
While this matter had been suppressed because of Yan Zhaoge, the Brocade Emperor’s own disciple He Xixing and the Earthly Exalt’s disciple Li Junxin had both been compromised.
Many believed that this was also the case for Yan Zhaoge who had similarly been present.
After learning that Yan Zhaoge and the Brocade Emperor had both gone to Golden Court Mountain, the Encompassing Emperor went there as well.
Yan Zhaoge had naturally long since heard about the Encompassing Emperor Li Jun. Still, this was his first time seeing him in person.
He was dressed in black and had youthful features but snowy white hair which was immaculately combed.
As he stood there, he seemed one with the world and hard to distinguish from it, with all his movements appearing wholly natural and virtually like the dao.
“Yan Zhaoge greets the Brocade Emperor,” Yan Zhaoge smiled and gave his greetings.
Looking at Yan Zhaoge, the Encompassing Emperor nodded slightly, “A youth hero indeed. It is truly fortunate for we of Daoism that the bloodline of the Exalted Gold Luminary has produced someone like you.”
“You overpraise me, Encompassing Emperor,” Yan Zhaoge smiled slightly as he clearly saw a bit of a regretful look in the other party’s eyes.
Indeed, after greeting Yan Zhaoge and Cao Jie, the Encompassing Emperor’s gaze fell on the Brocade Emperor.
The Brocade Emperor said with a friendly expression on his face that was just like a refreshing spring breeze, “I feel ashamed to be troubling Fellow Daoist again.”
The Encompassing Emperor sighed, “If you had only listened when advised not to walk this path that year, would things still have come to this?”
“What must come must surely come. After a millennium of tranquillity before, didn’t that tribulation still come in the end?” The Brocade Emperor smiled, “At least the tribulation from Mars Halberd was tided through successfully.”
The Encompassing Emperor said, “After the old tribulation, a new tribulation was born. The trial you currently face is not an easy one too.”
The smile on the Brocade Emperor’s face vanished as he said after pondering for a moment, “True.”
He raised his head and looked at the Encompassing Emperor, “Having come here now, how does Fellow Daoist intend to handle this matter?”
“That will depend on what you intend to do,” The Encompassing Emperor frowned slightly, “What happened at Star Reflecting Lake definitely cannot be allowed to occur again.”
The Brocade Emperor tilted his head slightly, muttering after a while, “What I intend to do? Even I myself cannot say this for sure now…”
On hearing his words, Yan Zhaoge, Cao Jie and the Encompassing Emperor all had solemn expressions on their faces.
They knew that the Brocade Emperor’s words were actually literally the case now.
“My daughter has a bosom friend who headed to the Extreme Northern Lands and has yet to return for a long time after entering extradimensional space. It has already been many years since they last met as they both miss each other,” The Brocade Emperor finally recovered, saying, “I intend to bring my daughter to the north and try to search for her.”
“The two of us have been separated for so many years as I have never ever fulfilled my duties as her father. I feel rather guilty every time I think of this.”
His gaze was tender as he looked at Meng Wan, “Wan’er is obedient and has been consoling me on this. Now that there is something that she would like done, I as a father would naturally do my best to try to fulfil this rare request of hers.”
The Encompassing Emperor’s gaze was calm and rippleless as he just glanced calmly at Meng Wan.
After looking between the Brocade Emperor and Meng Wan, the Encompassing Emperor said slowly, “Some of the dimensional passageways in the Extreme Northern Lands that lead to extradimensional space are vaguely related to the Nine Underworlds.”
“Yes, my daughter has been worrying about precisely this,” The Brocade Emperor nodded, “Still, those are in the minority at the end of the day.”
The Encompassing Emperor asked, “Does Fellow Daoist Fu mind if I come along with you and your daughter?”
As the matter concerned the Nine Underworlds, the Encompassing Emperor would surely not take it lightly.
Despite the fact that he was old acquaintances with the Brocade Emperor as they currently seemed to be conversing happily, with the Brocade Emperor appearing perfectly normal, no one at all could know what he might get up to with how he was right now.
The incident at Star Reflecting Lake alone was sufficient for all those in the know to feel like they were facing a great enemy as they upped to their utmost caution against this Lord of Ingenious Flying Peak’s Red Lotus Cliff.
“I naturally would not mind this. It is just that I feel uneasy at troubling you like this,” The Brocade Emperor smiled as he looked at Yan Zhaoge, “Right, Wan’er’s friend is none other than the wife of this Little Friend Yan.”
The Encompassing Emperor raised his brows, “Oh? Little Friend Yan will be going too?”
Yan Zhaoge smiled, replying, “It has also been many years since I last saw my wife as I too miss her greatly. It is a rare chance indeed now that two Emperors are helping to search for her. I should go along too no matter what. I hope that you will allow it, Encompassing Emperor.”
The Encompassing Emperor shot him a deep look before nodding, “Of course that’s fine.”
The Brocade Emperor looked at Cao Jie, smiling, “We should be off then. Please help out more with the re-opening of the Sacred Sun Clan in the World beyond Worlds, Fellow Daoist Cao.”
A worried look flashed through Cao Jie’s eyes, but he still answered calmly, “You can rest assured on that.”
The party immediately set off, leaving Golden Court Mountain.
They headed north to the northern Profound Heaven Territory via the central Jun Heaven Territory.
The Brocade Emperor did not stop at Kunlun Mountain or return to Ingenious Flying Peak’s Red Lotus Cliff, seemingly having forgotten completely about his lineage and the fact that he had another daughter there, Fu Ting.
Yan Zhaoge and the Encompassing Emperor tacitly did not bring this matter up as well.