Chapter 1294: Chapter 1292: The Final Calm
Shi Xiaole was too proud to ask for help from anyone, including his own father, but Shi Xuanzhong could not pretend as if nothing had happened.
He was a man of justice, but not a fool.
In fact, Shi Xuanzhong’s character had allowed him to reach this stage, which proved his wisdom was far beyond that of ordinary people. Otherwise, he would have been killed long ago.
The intentions of several Supreme Lords were clear to any fool, let alone the discerning eye of the Holy Monarch.
"Shi Xuanzhong, you actually made a move on my child. What, do you want to provoke infighting?"
The ancestor of the Fire Stiffs was furious, his aura erupting like a super volcano, turning the sky blood red.
"Who is truly stirring up infighting?"
Shi Xuanzhong stood firm, pushing forward with his palm. Within a hundred yards, time slowed, and everything gradually came to a halt, including the momentum of the Fire Stiff’s ancestor, which solidified like magma.
The ancestor of the Fire Stiffs tried to break free but found himself unable to control his body. It was at this moment that he truly understood how powerless it was to be Shi Xuanzhong’s opponent.
"Fire Stiff Fist!"
The surface of the fist was swirling with gold and red flames, causing the void to burn fiercely.
This heat forced the Supreme Lords in the distance to retreat. One could imagine the number of warriors from East Victory who would innocently perish if it spread any further.
"Go back."
Shi Xuanzhong still pushed with one hand, inch by inch, turning the void within a hundred yards into something harder than diamonds, and the heat from the Fist Technique was forcefully suppressed.
As Shi Xuanzhong’s arm twisted slightly, an invisible force, carrying the heat, drilled back toward the ancestor of the Fire Stiffs.
Bang!
Following the Supreme Lord of the Fire Stiffs, the ancestor was also flung away, his chest showing a burned mark.
"Does anyone else object? If there’s anything wrong with what Shi has done, feel free to speak up."
Shi Xuanzhong looked coldly around him, his gaze landing on the Blade Slaves Sect and some Devil Path Supreme Lords, who felt as if their hair was standing on end, not even daring to breathe loudly.
The Immortal Scholar sneered.
The Holy Monarch was benevolent but also upright and unyielding. Not to mention those who insulted his son today; even if it were a stranger, he would likely stand up for them.
"A gentleman uses straightforwardness as a measure, but there is also the next line, ’it is difficult to deceive by deviating from the path.’" Using carelessness and reputation to pressure him was simply foolish!
"Now is a critical time in the great battle. I hope everyone can set aside their thoughts for now; otherwise, next time Shi acts, it won’t be so light."
Shi Xuanzhong looked towards the Fire Stiffs’ ancestor and others, who had returned.
The face of the Fire Stiffs’ ancestor twitched.
He and his sons’ injuries were not severe; it was clear that Shi Xuanzhong had shown mercy. While filled with rage and hate, he had to swallow his pride and say nothing.
The conflict was forcefully suppressed by the Holy Monarch, and the strength and mettle he demonstrated garnered sincere respect and admiration.
The Supreme Lords did not gain an advantage on the battlefield, and with Shi Xiaole on ordinary battlefields, in the days that followed, the outsiders’ forces became quiet and did not attack again.
Shi Xiaole gladly used this time to continuously cultivate and comprehend, hoping to advance both his Life and Death Martial Way and Demon Martial Way. Unfortunately, even with his talent, he could not expect to achieve it in a short period.
A cry of an eagle.
A huge golden eagle dived down from the clouds, and Shi Xiaole looked up with a smile.
"Daddy, daddy!"
As soon as the eagle landed in the forest, a delicately carved little boy stretched out his two white lotus-like arms towards Shi Xiaole, calling out with a milky voice. Compared to the past, his pronunciation had become much clearer.
In a flash, Shi Xiaole took Shi Wuyou from Xi Xianglei’s hands; the child giggled, touching his father’s face.
Although only over a year old, the little one’s memory was astonishingly good. He had a sort of innate intuition about who was kind to him and who was not.
"The Young Master is really the smartest person I’ve ever seen," the leader among the twelve Holy Envoys exclaimed in admiration.
Ever since learning of Shi Xiaole’s offspring, the Holy Empress had been longing day and night, but constantly busy with battles, she had to suppress that deep desire.
Fortunately, the outsiders had not made major moves recently, so the Empress sent the twelve Holy Envoys to bring her dear grandson over personally.
Xi Xianglei, protective of her child and unable to bear being apart from the little one, also came along.
"Lele, is Huer here?"
A gentle breeze wafted by, and the Holy Empress somehow arrived next to Shi Xiaole in an instant. Her gaze almost immediately locked onto the baby in Shi Xiaole’s arms.
The baby was not shy at all but instead gave her a pure and innocent smile.
It was this smile that nearly melted the Holy Empress’s heart. She quickly and gently took the baby from Shi Xiaole, pressing forehead to forehead with him, and cooed affectionately, "Are you Huer?"
Hearing his nickname, Shi Wuyou nodded with a happy smile.
"So smart, so well-behaved. I’m Huer’s grandmother, you know."
The more the Holy Empress looked, the more she loved him, her eyes brimming with affection as she asked, "What is Huer’s full name?"
Shi Xiaole replied, "Shi Wuyou."
"Wuyou, that’s a good name, a really good name..."
Soon, Shi Xuan also arrived, and upon seeing Shi Wuyou, his eyes lit up with unprecedented joy and delight.
The couple, though they appeared to be only around twenty-five years old, had already experienced much hardship. Particularly, they missed Shi Xiaole’s growing up. Now they fully poured the care they had missed out on into Shi Wuyou.
There was also an unspoken reason; after this war, the couple was not sure if they would survive, so they wanted to spend as much time as possible with Shi Wuyou, fearing they might never have the chance again!
Fairy Xinluo, Red Jade Saint, and some of the Supreme Lords following the Holy Monarch, all came in succession to offer their congratulations, bringing a different kind of warmth to the grim front lines of East Victory.
Shi Wuyou still didn’t know how lucky he was to be held in the arms of the most esteemed couple in the history of East Victory City, surrounded by Supremes who were renowned in history, all of them singing his praises.
"Tsk tsk, this child’s talents are the rarest I have ever seen, even surpassing the Holy Young Master!"
The Immortal Scholar examined Shi Wuyou, his face full of shock and awe.
But the Sorcerer Lord beside him only stared at the crowd outside at Xi Xianglei, his usually cold and indifferent face trembling slightly, with a hint of moisture in his eyes.
"Sister!"
The Sorcerer Lord approached Xi Xianglei and reached out his hand. This movement frightened Xi Xianglei, who instinctively retreated behind Shi Xiaole, while Shi Xiaole pondered silently without speaking.
"The same soul aura, centuries of reincarnation, sister, you have finally appeared. It was my fault, as your brother, for not being able to save you in time."
Everyone knew the Sorcerer Lord was ruthless, but when it came to his dearly loved sister, he was protective and indulging. Seeing Xi Xianglei looking at him with fearful eyes, the Sorcerer Lord felt as though his heart was being cut, filled with melancholy.
But he quickly composed himself, because his sister’s "Soul Division and Nether Crossing Secret Technique" was successful. As long as she appeared, sooner or later, she would recover her memory, and their reunion as siblings was not far off.
Looking again at Shi Wuyou in the Holy Empress’s arms, even the unapproachable Sorcerer Lord had a layer of thick warmth in his eyes; this was his nephew.
"Let me hold him."
The Sorcerer Lord said directly to the Holy Empress.
The Holy Empress was reluctant to let go, but perhaps sensing the true nature of Xi Xianglei, and with Shi Xuanzhong quietly hinting beside her, she handed over her beloved grandson reluctantly.
"My life’s ultimate techniques will finally have a successor."
The Sorcerer Lord, looking at Shi Wuyou who was curiously examining him, touched his body, a smile curling at the corner of his mouth, his gaze softer than ever before.
Not far away, although Xi Xianglei did not recognize the Sorcerer Lord, she could feel the goodwill from this black-clothed, cold man, and for some reason, she suddenly felt an urge to cry.
A large hand gently patted Xi Xianglei’s delicate back, and as she looked up, she received silent comfort from Shi Xiaole’s gaze, bringing warmth to her heart.
The Sorcerer Lord intended to personally mentor Shi Wuyou, and neither the couple Shi Xuanzhong and his wife nor Shi Xiaole objected.
The Sorcerer Lord’s strength could only be described as unfathomable; he was a peerless powerhouse, on par with the ancestor of the Fire Stiffs, and it was apparent that he cared about Shi Wuyou more than anyone.
Even though Shi Xiaole had many secret techniques, in terms of experience, insight, and life learning, he simply could not compare to the Sorcerer Lord, and these things were exactly what are crucial for a person’s growth.
From that day forth, Shi Wuyou resided in East Victory City.
As they prepared for a protracted battle, construction gradually began in the city. Tower after tower, building after building sprang up like bamboo shoots after a spring rain.
The forces outside the city seemed to be planning something, hesitating to make their move, giving East Victory City a rare period of calm. It was also the only period of calm before the epoch-making war, according to later generations.
"Father, there are two questions I’ve always wanted to ask you."
One day, after finishing his questions for Shi Xuan, Shi Xiaole suddenly said.
"What questions?"
"Why did you implant a Demon Bone in my body?"
Shi Xuanzhong fell silent for a moment before saying, "Child, due to certain reasons I cannot elaborate on this issue, but the day will come when you understand. I just hope that day is not too far away."
This was the first time Shi Xiaole found Shi Xuanzhong’s silhouette to be so lonely, and somewhat helpless.
"That time in East Victory Village, you made a move against me, sealing the Demon Bone within my body, does it have something to do with them?"
Shi Xiaole took out six beads.
"The Seven-Colored Divine Beads!"
Shi Xuanzhong nodded and said, "These beads indeed have the effect of restraining demonic nature, and they are also the key to unlocking East Victory Village. They were presented by Dao Jisheng, who claimed he had crafted them from a peculiar stone he collected from the endless void."
"Dao Jisheng?"
A vision of that most infamous traitor of East Victory appeared before Shi Xiaole.
"Dao Jisheng once said that the person who could gather the seven colors of the Divine Beads must be a being of Fortunate Fate; thus he scattered the seven beads across the world as keys to East Victory Village. Now that you have obtained six, should the opportunity arise, you might try searching for the seventh. Though Dao Jisheng is a traitor, his mastery of the mystical arts is indeed profound."
Hearing this, Shi Xiaole pondered for a moment and nodded.
"Lele, it’s bad, Miss Bai and the others are in trouble, their lives are at stake!"
Half a year later, Su Yanru arrived at East Victory City riding Gold Thunder, and upon seeing Shi Xuanzhong and his wife, her eyes instantly reddened, and she cried out ’Brother and Sister-in-law’.
The Holy Empress was naturally warm and welcoming, without any pretense, and she sincerely thanked the beautiful woman who had raised her son to adulthood.
"How could something happen to Miss Bai and the others?"
Shi Xiaole’s face changed.
"Because the Elder of Wuyuan demanded they betray Nine Heavens Mountain and kill me and Xianglei among others, Miss Bai and the rest did not agree, and suffered the backlash of a heavenly vow."
Su Yanru’s voice trembled as she spoke.
Years before, Bai Ruiting and the others had lost a competition and were forced to become slaves of Wuyuan Palace, swearing to obey all commands from the Elder of Wuyuan.
Clearly, after the ’Seal Heaven Array’ was initiated, the Elder of Wuyuan must have blended with the crowds entering the world of East Victory within the three days before the Supreme Lord arrived from beyond the skies and found Bai Ruiting and her companions.
"Don’t worry, there is a way to deal with this."
Not long after, Shi Xiaole followed Shi Xuanzhong into a mansion and found a handsome middle-aged man.
He was Saintly Love Young Master, the seventh strongest expert in the world 160,000 years ago, whose talent was so exceptional he was proclaimed by the people of the Martial World to be second only to the Holy Monarch.
Saintly Love Young Master had another identity, he was the true master of Wuyuan Palace, as well as the master referred to by the old servant who had given Shi Xiaole the mark of the flying immortal! (Chapter 355)
"Wuyuan Palace was also something I acquired unintentionally. To a certain extent, it can shield intervention from the will of heaven and earth, and naturally, it can affect heavenly vows, especially those that are coerced. Breaking them is not difficult."
Saintly Love Young Master radiated an aura of compassion. With a wave of his hands, it seemed as though a force came into effect, resonating between heaven and earth.
Far away on Nine Heavens Mountain, Bai Ruiting and the other women, who were on their last breath, suddenly felt their shackles lifting and managed to recover their vitality within a few days. Many other slaves of Wuyuan Palace also felt a sense of relief, and all on the same day, they were freed from the bonds of their vows!
