Chapter 1089: A light burning after death, abstruse mysteries left through millennia
The Encompassing Emperor nodded as they now entered the depths of the back hall together.
The flames parted as a clump of light appeared amidst space. It was bright at times whilst dim at others, appearing real whilst also illusory as it hovered unstably in the air.
Gazing over, Yan Zhaoge saw a tiny black ember at the centre of the light that looked extremely weak, shaking non-stop as it was as if it might be extinguished at any moment.
Still, there was a devilish qi that surged to the heavens struggling within, just that it was eternally unable to grow strong.
It was the original owner of this place, a former devilish Emperor who had once reigned arrogantly between the heavens and earth.
While it was not that they could never be extinguished for good, devils were indeed undying and inextinguishable most of the time.
Even after they had died, they would be reborn within the Nine Underworlds.
Yet, this devilish Emperor of the Nine Underworlds had been suppressed amidst its rebirth as it had been hard pressed to revive for millennia, being in a state equivalent to being eternally extinguished.
“Devils who possess strength equivalent to Immortal Bridge Martial Saints are already very difficult to kill completely as even Devil Shattering Arrows are already useless against them, much less the devilish experts equivalent to True Immortals of Daosim.”
Yan Zhaoge narrowed his eyes, “Suppressing this devilish Emperor and preventing his rebirth is extremely difficult a task in nature.”
Gazing over carefully, he saw that the area around that tiny ember seemed to be enveloped by a layer of boundless darkness.
This darkness dwindled and devoured the heat and light of the ember, eternally preventing it from growing stronger.
Sensing the darkness that could devour the heavens and swallow the sun, Yan Zhaoge coughed.
“The power of corrosion of the Rahu Star!”
The concept within was not foreign to Yan Zhaoge as he recognised it as the power of the Rahu Star of the eclipse that was the opposing star of the Sun Star!
Having been able to slay a major devil here and suppress it from being reborn, the identity of the one who had done this was just obvious.
The Encompassing Emperor and the Brocade Emperor exchanged looks as they now exclaimed in unison, “The Exalted Rahu Luminary?”
The Exalted Rahu Luminary had been one of the Nine Luminaries of new Kunlun Mountain following the Great Calamity alongside the likes of the Earthly Sovereign, the Concealed Sovereign and the Exalted Gold Luminary Yan Xingtang, having played an important role in Daoism’s resurgence.
Looking at Yan Zhaoge, the Brocade Emperor asked, “I heard Southeast Cao mention that your sect seems to have a treasure that is related to the Exalted Rahu Luminary which is also controlled by this Little Friend Feng?”
“It isn’t the Rahu Sabre,” Yan Zhaoge answered candidly, “Instead, it is a new sabre reforged from the remnants of the Rahu Sabre that was destroyed. While it is indeed somewhat related to the Exalted Rahu Luminary, it is still unclear how much this is the case.”
He looked thoughtfully at the darkness that was suppressing the ember, “From the looks of it now, the relation between them seems even greater than I had thought.”
The Brocade Emperor and the Encompassing Emperor both nodded slowly, the former extending a finger and lightly tapping on that clump of light.
It shook slightly, the black ember remaining weak whereas that inauspicious dimness seemed to be rippling to the side like water.
The dark aura transformed into a boundless, endless devilish qi of dark fire that was mournful whilst gloomy and looked even more ferocious and tyrannical than the flames all around them that formed the palace.
A figure gradually appeared amidst this devilish qi as a manifestation of martial true intent.
Yan Zhaoge saw that it was a black-clothed woman with short hair. She was not really beautiful and had hard-set, tough features.
Her entire body emanated a severe, stern air as her gaze was resolute, not wavering in the slightest.
While this was just an image, the killing intent still evoked chills as it shot over.
Yan Zhaoge had learnt much information from his previous visit to Kunlun Mountain’s Northern High Peak’s Jade Capital Crag.
He had viewed the images of all the Kunlun Nine Luminaries, his grandfather included.
The figure before him was precisely the Exalted Rahu Luminary, Jian Shunhua.
Like the Exalted Gold Luminary, she was one of the Nine Luminaries who was confirmed to be dead, having left behind countless legends. She had been a famed lady of steel known for her toughness.
“The Exalted Rahu Luminary died even before my grandfather, the Exalted Gold Luminary, did,” Yan Zhaoge surveyed the devilish palace of flame before them, “This looks like a battle accomplishment of hers from the past too.”
“It is just that...”
Yan Zhaoge frowned, “It does not feel as simple as that.”
Gazing at the image of the Exalted Rahu Luminary, the Encompassing Emperor felt as though that figure that was completely devoid of thought was uncompromisingly meeting his gaze while not shrinking back in the slightest.
Carefully sensing their environment, he then suddenly said after a while, “It is indeed not simple.”
Yan Zhaoge too pondered for a time before saying, “It seems like there once existed a mechanism here. While it is no longer here now, traces of it still remain.”
Beside them, the Brocade Emperor observed things a little before extending his palm and exerting force with it as much black devilish fire suddenly appeared from nowhere.
The devilish qi of black fire condensed, manifesting as numerous characters and symbols in mid-air.
Seeing these, the trio’s gazes flickered slightly.
“Haha...” The Brocade Emperor chuckled, “So this was something the Exalted Rahu Luminary prepared in an attempt to undergo rebirth after her death.”
The Encompassing Emperor shook his head slowly, “She wished to borrow the profundities of rebirth of the devils of the Nine Underworlds to complete her own rebirth? This is really...”
As she was an elder of Daoism, the Encompassing Emperor did not wish to openly criticise her.
Still, Yan Zhaoge and the Brocade Emperor both understood the implied meaning in his words.
The Exalted Rahu Luminary’s actions were basically equivalent to playing with fire!
Whether or not her scheme could succeed, even if it succeeded, just the slightest carelessness and she would immediately fall to the dark side, becoming a devil!
The greatest point of concern was this: Would she not mind becoming a devil in order to succeed?
Perhaps this was just a precautionary measure that might or might not be used. It would be best if this measure remained unused.
Still, the Exalted Rahu Luminary had really died more than two thousand years ago.
“From what was said about the temperament of the Exalted Rahu Luminary, she would probably disdain being reborn at the cost of becoming a devil,” Yan Zhaoge said, “What I fear is more of overconfidence on her part.”
Analysing those dark patterns of light, he murmured aloud, “It feels like this mechanism is not just related to the power of rebirth as it seems to possess some other use as well...”
“She was not just leaving a measure for rebirth in case of her death. Instead, she was even seeking to borrow her rebirth to wrest away the authority and strength of some great Devil!” Yan Zhaoge’s expression changed slightly as inspiration suddenly flashed through his mind.
Hearing this, the Encompassing Emperor’s expression too changed.
This was playing with fire to an even greater extent!
That great Devil which had been able to catch the eye of the Exalted Rahu Luminary must have possessed extraordinary strength!
The Brocade Emperor’s eyes radiated a strange glow as he too was rather taken aback.
“The Exalted Rahu Luminary, Jian Shunhua!” Yan Zhaoge put a hand on his head, “Should I say that you are ambitious, wishing to accomplish something even greater after your death when still alive?”
Really, none of the Kunlun Nine Luminaries was your simple, average character.
“I really even suspect now that maybe you sought death on purpose,” Yan Zhaoge thought rather ill-manneredly.
He was really a little aggravated at this moment.
If this had been anytime else, he might have felt amused to the extent of even giving Jian Shunhua a mental thumbs-up.
However, even Feng Yunsheng had been drawn into this now.
The Encompassing Emperor frowned as he looked at the scene before them, “The mechanism has concluded now. What then was the result?”