History's Strongest Senior Brother

Chapter 1491: Tracking the Traitor

With the resurrection of the Devil of Aged Metal, malicious auras skyrocketed within the Nine Underworlds.

Those with a lower level of cultivation wouldn’t sense it. However, a majority of the top-notch experts managed to feel it.

The Buddhists, Daoists, and Demons fighting against the Primordial Heart Devil, the Wood Devil, and other Great Devils scowled in their hearts.

In fact, some Grand Heavenly Realm experts came out of seclusion from the Western Pure Lands and the Astro Mountain Starry Seas and immediately headed toward the Nine Underworlds.

However, at this moment, the Nine Underworlds seemed to have come to life and obstructed these Grand Heavenly Realm bigwig experts from advancing any further.

The ritual for the Devil of Aged Metal’s resurrection was far too quick. It was a lot quicker compared to the Earth Devil and the Water Devil.

Very quickly, the malicious auras dwindled. However, it became much sharper and ruthless.

In the depths of the Nine Underworlds’ Abyss of Devilish Sea, ice-cold radiances of metal lit up within one of its worlds of bizarreness, which symbolized the return of one of the Twelve Devilish Gods.

The bigwig experts retreated reluctantly while the Nine Underworlds regained their peace.

Those who retreated decided to join in the besiegement of the Primordial Heart Devil and the other Great Devils.

The Primordial Heart Devil, the Shadow Devil, and the other Nine Underworlds Great Devils didn’t see the need to retain their stance further. They started grouping together and only focused on returning to the Nine Underworlds.

When Yan Zhaoge got wind of the commotion in the Nine Underworlds and knew that the Devil of Aged Metal had resurrected, uneasiness filled his heart.

After joining Gao Qingxuan, they continued searching for Nie Jingshen, Yu Ye, and Yue Zhenbei within the vast and boundless void.

“When choosing a vessel, a Great Devil wouldn’t care about cultivation nor talent. They mostly care about compatibility with themselves.” Thoughts clouded Yan Zhaoge and the others’ minds, “However, those who are more ruthless and upright would easily become the Devil of Aged Metal’s vessel.”

This included most martial art cultivators who cultivated the sword dao.

“The Devil of Aged Metal hid it so well. There wasn’t even any premonition of it happening...” Yan Zhaoge frowned.

Suddenly, his expression changed, and he stopped moving.

The others stopped to look at him.

After a while, Yan Zhaoge continued advancing, “Clues for senior apprentice-uncle Yue have been unveiled!”

Upon receiving the transmission of the Brocade Emperor – Fu Yunchi, Yan Zhaoge, and the others immediately went to meet up with him.

Yue Zhenbei had passed by where Fu Yunchi was now and left behind some concealed seals.

Through the seals, Yan Zhaoge and the others followed after the clues.

As they continued advancing, Yan Zhaoge’s face was filled with angst, “Wait!”

He looked around for a while and headed toward another direction. Then, he stared at the dark and vast void for a while.

Yan Zhaoge waved his hand, causing faint smokes to dissipate.

Then, a glistening seal appeared in his sight.

Yan Di, Gao Qingxuan, and the others followed after him. After analyzing the seal for a while, they noticed that something was off, “This seal wasn’t imbued with the secret technique. Anyone could access this information.”

Yan Zhaoge unveiled the seal and noticed the messages left behind by Nie Jingshen. It briefly described their situation and left behind clues to locate them.

However, a chill ran down the spine of Yan Zhaoge and the others.

According to this seal, the Lofty Sovereign – Zhang Buxu and those of the Immortal Court were pursuing them. If they found these seals and managed to retrieve information from them, they could easily track Nie Jingshen and Yu Ye.

“Senior apprentice-brother Nie shouldn’t be so careless. What in the world happened?”

Yan Zhaoge and the others couldn’t pay heed to it any longer. They immediately followed after the clues left behind by Nie Jingshen.

After a while, a ray of sword-light flickered in front of them. Someone was flying toward them.

It was Yue Zhenbei.

Upon seeing Yan Zhaoge’s group, he opened his mouth, but no voice came out.

After a momentary pause, Yue Zhenbei finally said softly, “Little friend Yu is gravely wounded. She needs to be taken care of.”

Seeing the appearance of their granddaughter, Gao Qingxuan and Long Xingquan felt a deep sense of sorrow in their hearts.

Yan Zhaoge, Yan Di, and the others looked at each other, the uneasiness in their hearts growing stronger and stronger.

After looking at Yu Ye, Long Xingquan forcefully curbed his anguish and asked Yue Zhenbei. “Where’s Jingshen?”

Only silence replied him.

Yan Zhaoge and the others felt a sense of chilliness rushing from their feet straight to their head.

“...Was he killed? Or...” asked Yan Di solemnly.

Yue Zhenbei briefly described the things he witnessed.

Everyone became silent.

“Zhang Qingchao... and that bunch of trash from the Immortal Court...” Yan Zhaoge gritted his teeth.

Being of the Three Clear Lineage, Daoist Cloud Conquest, and the Brocade Emperor let out a sigh.

“Zhaoge, is there no other way?” asked Long Xingquan with a solemn expression.

Yan Zhaoge shut his eyes and entered the state of contemplation. While suppressing the rage in his heart, he forced himself to think calmly.

To Zhang Buxu and the Immortal Court, Nie Jingshen becoming the Devil of Aged Metal’s vessel was a nightmare for them.

After the Devil of Aged Metal’s resurrection, he wouldn’t be able to regain his prime state so quickly.

However, if one succumbs to darkness, their wounds would recover immediately, no matter how severe it was.

Exceptions would be for people like Yu Ye, who was in a dire state and had her soul on the verge of dissipating. Just like Ying Yuzhen in the past.

If the Devil of Aged Metal’s vessel was Yu Ye, Zhang Buxu and the others could still press on further.

If Nie Jingshen succumbed to darkness, his wounds would recover.

With this alone, Zhang Buxu and the others would only be unable to pursue him any further.

However, from the looks of it now, Nie Jingshen had challenged the True Profound Tribulation and ascended to the Profound Immortal Realm!

If a martial art cultivator succumbed to darkness, their cultivations would have hopes of rising.

The lower their cultivation was, the higher the possibility.

When reaching the Immortal Realm, the hopes of crossing the empyrean gulf was already remarkably diminutive.

Moreover, Nie Jingshen was heavily wounded. Due to the healing of his wounds, he might lose the hope of his cultivation leaping upon succumbing to the darkness.

As such, Zhang Buxu was unwilling to give up the chance to kill Yu Ye. He never expected there to be any danger involved.

However, he never expected Nie Jingshen to improve his cultivation and ascend to the Tranquil Profound Immortal Realm, ultimately resulting in the perishment of Zhang Buxu and the others.

“Earlier Heaven Nascent Form...Earlier Heaven Nascent Form!” Yan Zhaoge widened his eyes, “Senior apprentice-brother Nie’s physique is way too unique. Others need one step to succumb to darkness, while he requires two.”

“However, precisely because of this, he holds some difference when succumbing to darkness compared to others.”

Yan Zhaoge muttered to himself, “Earlier Heaven is everlasting, and won’t ever succumb to the Later Heaven. The Six Extinct Devils were born when creation was established in the world. They aren’t from the Earlier Heavens...”

However, he shook his head.

Yue Zhenbei stared tightly at Yan Zhaoge. Yan Zhaoge pursed his lips and said, “Compared to the vessel of other Great Devils, senior apprentice-brother Nie would have more control over himself. But...”

Everyone remained silent.

“What’s done is already done. We can only see how things will turn out.” After a long while, Yue Zhenbei finally said, “Now, let’s find out who betrayed Jingshen and Yu Ye!”

He looked at his surroundings, “Someone touched Jingshen’s seal. The only ones capable of unveiling it are among us!”

“They won’t escape,” said Yan Zhaoge coldly.

Then, Yan Zhaoge opened his palm, presenting the seal that he found earlier.

Yue Zhenbei and the others also passed the other seals onto Yan Zhaoge’s hand.