“This disciple greets Master,” Jie Mingkong took a deep breath to cool off her mind and bowed to the iceberg, resuming her cold face as usual.
It seemed all Yan Zhaoge just saw on her face was but a delusion.
He lowered his eyelid with no further actions.
He believed that Female Emperor didn’t want a soul to notice that look on her face.
Therefore, out of courtesy, he pretended to look at nothing and to know nothing.
“But…” Suddenly, some doubts and suspicions overtook him as he thought to himself, “Did I read it wrong? I saw on her face some guilt and uneasiness…?”
For what did she feel guilty and uneasy?
Did Astro Sovereign’s current situation relate to her, or was it caused because of her?
He frowned, many thoughts flashing through his mind.
“The one with me is the descendant of Exalted Gold Luminary,” Jie Mingkong said toward the iceberg with respect.
Seeing this, Yan Zhaoge took half a step forward and also bowed to the iceberg, saying, “Your Highness, this is Yan Zhaoge, a young descendant of grandfather Yan Xingtang.”
“Descendant of Yan Xingtang?”
The voice, as steady as before, didn’t change in tone.
While the enormous iceberg began to shake. There at the foot of the mountain, ice cracked to unveil a path.
“Get in,” Jie Mingkong said to Yan Zhaoge. “My master seems in a good mood and wants to meet you as he finds the descendant of Yan Xingtang is safe.”
Yan Zhaoge was in surprise and asked, “Aren’t you coming with me?”
“No, just walk down along the tunnel at the bottom of the iceberg and you will meet my Master.” After seconds of silence, she shook her head and said.
“Well, may we meet again, Your Majesty.” Yan Zhaoge nodded before walking into the cave.
However, although he was finally meeting Astro Sovereign, he became anxious now.
At the very moment Jie Mingkong refused to get down, he seemed to feel her sudden mood swing.
It was odd. She must be plotting something.
The next moment, he felt the ice-made steps underfoot, that were hard as iron, started to quake.
“HEY! Is it Astro Sovereign who intends to teach me a lesson, or you? Or…..it is Astro Sovereign you’re plotting against?” He muttered.
He was quite used to judging someone with a vicious intention, naturally now he took it as a conspiracy.
The thing was no matter how hard he pondered over the matter, he just failed to figure out any clue that would justify his speculation.
It made little sense either if they were on Earthly Sovereign’s side, since from Female Emperor’s hot temper, if she had supported Earthly Sovereign, she would have fought with Yan Zhaoge long ago.
Yan Zhaoge was lost in a series of questions, “Is it that Astro Sovereign is controlling something and can’t move, so Female Emperor pities him and plans to find him a scapegoat? Then, I am the scapegoat?”
“It still makes little sense…”
Though struggling in random thoughts and fancies, he acted composed when going through the path inside the iceberg and reached the bottom where a light came out of the endless darkness.
It shone over the entire world, like the first light appearing at the time of the creation of heaven and earth.
Yan Zhao attentively looked forward and found there was large water under the light at the end of the path.
The willful water was boundless like the ocean.
It was the sea in the glacier and under the iceberg!
On the surface of the water, Yan Zhaoge walked nonstop forward and found a giant ice pillar in the distance, towering and magnificent as if it was stabilizing the vast sea at the bottom and sustaining the ice canopy overhead.
The ice pillar crossed through the iceberg to the deeper layers of ice under the bottom of the sea, connecting the whole glacier like a central shaft.
Inside the icicle stood a vague figure.
Yan Zhaoge came close and raised his head, but he couldn’t get a clear view of his look because of the ice.
It wasn’t the ice that blocked his sight but the other’s formidable strength that froze the Land of the tranquil stream and shut off the way to the Nine Underworlds.
“The descendant of Xingtang as you are, you look much different in appearance. Is that because of Grand Simplicity Splendor Cloud?”
The sound came out of the ice, and then the figure became clear.
He looked just like a youngster around age of twenty, almost at the same age with Yan Zhaoge.
However, his eyes betrayed his young look with the vicissitudes of life. His features were only average when viewed separately, but with them pieced together, one would immerse in his charming face out of instinct.
He looked calm and composed in his light blue robe with white stripes. He was still in the ice but Yan Zhaoge now could see the other’s face clearly. And this was the first time he saw with his own eyes how Astro Sovereign looked like, though he had seen his image many years ago.
Right before him stood Astro Sovereign, who was reputed as one of the Three Sovereigns besides Earthly Sovereign and Concealed Sovereign in World beyond Worlds before Sword Sovereign Yue Zhenbei did.
He was the Exalted Water Luminary, Chen Xuanzong, one of the Nine Luminaries of Kunlun.
“Astro Sovereign, Your Highness,” greeted Yan Zhaoge with a bow.
Astro Sovereign looked quite gentle without putting on any domineering air. He asked after sizing Yan Zhaoge up, “You are grandson of Xingtang, then Grand Simplicity Splendour Cloud should be your father’s. Is he still alive?”
Yan Zhaoge was surprised. It seemed that Astro Sovereign just heard about Yan Di and Yan Zhaoge, knowing nothing about what had happened to them before.
Several years passed after the opening ceremony of Broad Creed Mountain, yet no one ever told Astro Sovereign about Yan Zhaoge and his father.
Concealed Sovereign was in his close-up cultivation, while Earthly Sovereign and Sword Sovereign hadn’t returned yet, so they didn’t get the chance to keep Astro Sovereign informed.
As for Earthly Exalt Wang Zhengcheng, he would try every means to stop Yan Zhaoge and his father from getting another backer.
But what about Female Emperor?
“She intentionally keeps it secret or this is also the first time she actually sees Astro Sovereign for all these years?” thought Yan Zhaoge as he narrated their current situation and what he and his father had been through all these years in World beyond Worlds.
Though Yan Zhaoge didn’t have the Grand Simplicity Splendour Cloud to prove his identity, Astro Sovereign had no intention to question that as Yan was brought here by Female Emperor.
Astro Sovereign was short-spoken and only occasionally asked a few questions when Yan Zhaoge paused. Most of the time he just listened in silence.
When Yan Zhaoge finished, he nodded, “I’m much delighted to know that Xingtang has descendants. And he and Fellow Daoist Di of Roving Jade Heavens can finally rest in peace.”
“Pity that grandfather and grandmother died long ago that this junior and my father couldn’t fulfill filial duty before them,” said Yan Zhaoge in a gentle voice.
Astro Sovereign praised after looking Yan up and down, “A 9th level martial saint in the late stage of immortal bridge you are, you managed to kill Wang Zhengcheng who had the Yin Yang Earth Mountain River Diagram to protect himself. Even with the help of Origin Opening Sword, you’re remarkable.”
Instead of responding to the praise, Yan Zhaoge just waited silently for Astro Sovereign’s decision.