“Interesting…Did he find someone to help him?” Elder Huo smiled faintly as he looked at the two figures in the distance. “I wouldn’t have shown mercy if I knew he would come looking for trouble…”
“I didn’t expect this as well…” Duan Ling Tian said as he shook his head, “I was being gracious by sparing his life since he looked compassionate. To think, he dares to bring help and return to look for trouble…”
At this moment, the old monk had already arrived in front of the Smudge Crow Sect. He had brought a fat middle-aged monk who was two meters tall with him. As soon as he saw Duan Ling Tian, Duan Ru Feng, and Elder Huo, he cried out, “Brother! It’s them!”
Shiva Ping, the old monk, glared at Duan Ling Tian and Elder Huo. The compassionate expression on his face from a few days ago had vanished without a trace and was replaced by a vicious expression; he looked like a completely different person.
Meanwhile, a huge wine gourd could be seen hanging on the waist of the fat middle-aged monk. The wine gourd was the size of a five or six-year-old child. Upon hearing Shiva Ping’s words, he looked at Duan Ling Tian, Duan Ru Feng, and Elder Huo. When his gaze landed on Elder Huo, he narrowed his eyes and asked frostily, “Are you the one who injured my third brother?”
“That’s right.” Elder Huo took a step forward toward the fat monk fearlessly. “Your third brother intervened in matters unrelated to him and tried to save those who deserved death. I had spared his life because I felt he harbored no ill intentions. Do you intend on seeking revenge on his behalf?”
“He’s my brother; is it so surprising for me to stand up for him?” the fat monk said, “Sir, state your name. A titled Celestial Emperor who had comprehended triple-fused profundities can’t be a nobody.”
There were reclusive and sectless titled Celestial Emperors in the Devata Realms, but their numbers were not a lot. Most titled Celestial Emperors who had reached a certain level of strength would mostly join heaven-grade forces or the Heavenly Palace of their respective Devata Realms.
The fat monk had learned from his third brother that the red-clad old man before them had learned how to fuse three profundities. With such strength, he was certain the red-clad old man had to be somebody important.
“Perhaps, you should introduce yourself first,” Elder Huo said indifferently to the fat monk.
Before the fat monk could speak, Shiva Ping scoffed. Then, he lifted his chin arrogantly and said, “You better listen carefully. My eldest brother is Shiva Nu, the strongest titled Celestial Emperor under the Purple Revelation Heaven’s Heavenly Emperor. His title is the Wine Gourd Celestial Emperor!”
After Shiva Ping finished speaking, he stared at Elder Huo’s face intently, looking for traces of fear.
“So you’re the Wine Gourd Celestial Emperor, Shiva Nu.” Elder Huo nodded as he looked at the fat monk, Shiva Nu. “Tatoo, the Heavenly Emperor of the Purple Revelation Heaven, and I can be considered acquaintances. We had a chat once…”
Shiva Nu frowned upon hearing these words. “You’re acquainted with our Lord Heavenly Emperor?”
Tatoo was the name of the Heavenly Emperor of the Purple Revelation Emperor. He lived a reclusive life and did not make any new friends since he became the Heavenly Emperor of the Purple Revelation Heaven. It was not because he was opposed to it; it was mostly due to the circumstances. After all, once one had reached a certain height, it would become more difficult for them to find friends on equal ground with them. As the saying went, ‘It’s lonely at the top.’ For this reason, most of Tatoo’s friends were people he knew before he became a Heavenly Emperor. He was someone who valued friendships, therefore, he almost never said no to friends who sought help from him.
Knowing this, Shiva Nu’s attitude eased up slightly when he found out Elder Huo was acquainted with Tatoo.
On the other hand, Shiva Ping’s expression turned unsightly upon hearing Elder Huo’s words. “Are you sure you’re acquainted with our Lord Heavenly Emperor? I think you’re lying to get out of this situation after finding out about my brother’s identity…” Although he was not certain if Elder Huo was lying, he was unwilling to give up. He continued to say, “I’m rather curious actually. Who are you? How do you know our mighty Lord Heavenly Emperor?”
Elder Huo glanced at Shiva Ping icily. A disdainful smirk appeared on his face as he turned back to Shiva Nu and said, “I’m Elder Huo, the Three-legged Golden Crow from the Heavenly Palace of the Solitary Destructive Heaven… I met Tatoo when he came over to the Solitary Destructive Heaven to congratulate our Lord Heavenly Emperor’s return from the Asura Hell. If you’re truly the strongest titled Celestial Emperor under Tatoo, I’m sure you must have heard about this matter…”
Back when Feng Qing Yang just returned from the Asura Hell, many Heavenly Emperors had come to the Solitary Destructive Heaven to congratulate him. Among them was Tatoo, the Heavenly Emperor of the Purple Revelation Heaven. Most importantly, the other Heavenly Emperors were disdainful of Tatoo and ostracized him at that time. He did not even get to speak to Feng Qing Yang at length after greeting Feng Qing Yang. The only person he had spoken at length with was Elder Huo; at that time, he had even invited Elder Huo to visit the Heavenly Palace of the Purple Revelation Heaven.
“Are you the Golden Crow Celestial Emperor?” Shiva Nu’s eyes widened imperceptibly. It was just as Elder Huo had said; when Tatoo returned from the Solitary Destructive Heaven he had mentioned Elder Huo. That was when he had first heard of the Golden Crow Celestial Emperor from the Heavenly Palace of the Solitary Destructive Heaven.
Shiva Nu was quick to regain his senses. After taking a deep breath, he said with an attitude that was much more polite than before, “As it turns out you’re Elder Huo. I apologize if I have offended you…”
Although Shiva Nu and Elder Huo were peers with both of them being subordinates of a Heavenly Emperor, Tatoo could hardly compare to Feng Qing Yang. Due to the differences in strength between the two Heavenly Emperors, Tatoo even had to curry favor with Feng Qing Yang. For this reason, Shiva Nu was respectful toward Elder Huo.
Before Elder Huo could reply, Shiva Nu said sternly, “Third brother, apologize to Elder Huo now.”
Shiva Ping had recounted everything to Shiva Nu so Shiva Nu knew Shiva Ping’s conflict with Elder Huo was just a minor one. Even if it was a major one, he would still make Shiva Ping apologize. When he saw the dissatisfaction and unwillingness on Shiva Ping’s face, he warned Shiva Ping through Voice Transmission, “Let me tell you, even if I don’t consider the Heavenly Emperor of the Solitary Destructive Heaven, I’m not confident I can defeat the Golden Crow Celestial Emperor. Our Lord Heavenly Emperor once told me the Golden Crow Celestial Emperor should be ranked second among the titled Celestial Emperors under the Heavenly Emperor of the Solitary Destructive Heaven. This means his strength is below Meng Luo, the Heavenly Savage Celestial Emperor. The Golden Crow Celestial Emperor isn’t someone we can afford to offend!”
After listening to Shiva Nu’s words, despite feeling unwilling, Shiva Ping still apologized to Elder Huo. “I apologize, Elder Huo. I was wrong, and I hope you can forgive me.”
“There’s no need for you to apologize to me,” Elder Huo said as he turned to look at Duan Ling Tian who stood beside him and said, “This is the Young Master of the Solitary Destructive Heaven, the only true disciple of our Lord Heavenly Emperor. He’s the one you should be apologizing to…”
Shiva Nu’s expression changed instantly. He had assumed Shiva Ping had only offended Elder Huo; he did not expect Shiva Ping to have offended the only true disciple of the Heavenly Emperor of the Solitary Destructive Heaven as well. He inhaled deeply and looked at Shiva Ping meaningfully with a dark expression on his face. “Third brother.”
At this time, a hint of fear could be seen in Shiva Ping’s eyes. There was no need for Shiva Nu to warn him anymore as he bowed and said, “Young Master, I was nosy. I hope you’ll forgive me.”
Duan Ling Tian had no intention of making a big deal out of this matter so he nodded and said indifferently, “Let this be the end of this matter.”
“Thank you, Young Master.” Shiva Nu was quick to express his gratitude. Following that, he asked with a smile, “Young Master, since you’re here in the Purple Revelation Heaven, why don’t you visit our Heavenly Palace? I’m sure our Lord Heavenly Emperor will be happy to meet you.”
Elder Huo was certain Duan Ling Tian would refuse the invitation when Duan Ling Tian nodded. “Alright. However, I’m afraid it’ll have to wait until my mother is done dealing with the Smudge Crow Sect.”
“It’s fine, it’s fine. We can wait,” Shiva Nu said enthusiastically. After that, he asked curiously, “Young Master, the Smudge Crow Sect is just a sixth-grade sect; I wonder how it’s related to your mother?”
Meanwhile, Shiva Ping alternated between looking at Duan Ling Tian in awe and avoiding Duan Ling Tian’s gaze. He thought to himself, ‘The true disciple of Heavenly Emperor Feng Qing Yang? I know he only had a few nominal disciples in the past. His status should be of equal value with Meng Luo in Heavenly Emperor Feng Qing Yang’s eyes.’
‘Heavenly Emperor Feng Qing Yang’s divine artifact was destroyed when he was forced to enter the Asura Hell. Despite that, I heard after he left the Asura Hell, he gave Meng Luo a divine artifact. This means that Heavenly Emperor Feng Qing Yang probably collected many divine artifacts while he was in the Asura Hell.’ Greed flashed in Shiva Ping’s eyes, and he quickly lowered his head to hide it. ‘If this young man is Heavenly Emperor Feng Qing Yang’s true disciple, it stands to reason that Heavenly Emperor Feng Qing Yang must have given him a divine artifact as well… Even our Lord Heavenly Emperor doesn’t own a divine artifact…’