Phi-Fic Chapter 1596 - 116: Senior Brother
Chapter 1596 - 116: Senior Brother
"What wine?"
Zhou Yan glanced at the masked figure.
This was someone whose cultivation could not be discerned.
Perhaps he had no cultivation, or perhaps his cultivation was very strong.
Zhou Yan did not delve further, nor did he need to.
As the Holy Spirit Evil Venerate, what hadn’t he experienced? Just a peculiar person.
"Any wine is fine. You’ll drink whatever matches your mood."
The masked person spoke.
His figure was cloaked in a black robe, revealing neither his physique nor whether his voice was male or female.
However, Zhou Yan had no interest in probing. If he did probe, the world would eventually have nothing to hide from him.
"Alright, drink up."
Zhou Yan said.
The masked person handed over the wine jug directly.
The wine jug emitted no aroma, nor any scent of wine.
The masked person had clearly drunk from it before, yet handed it over to Zhou Yan.
Zhou Yan was not picky and opened the jug, tilting his head back to drink.
The wine had no taste.
But the tasteless wine, in Zhou Yan’s heart, manifested the flavor of Fiery Flame Sword Heart Wine.
No taste is the best taste.
It is akin to life.
"Good wine."
Zhou Yan sighed.
"It’s good wine, otherwise old man I wouldn’t drink it."
The masked person said.
He referred to himself as ’old man’, Zhou Yan did not mind.
"Are you an elder of the Heavenly Mechanism Sect?"
"I am one of the three great elders, the oldest in terms of qualifications."
"How should I address you?"
"Known as ’Third Elder’."
"Oh."
Zhou Yan uttered an ’oh’ and continued to drink.
Silence fell over the scene.
After a moment, Zhou Yan asked, "In the Heavenly Mechanism Sect, who is the Holy Ancestor?"
"Jiayue Saint Ancestor."
"Anyone else?"
"No one else, it’s just her."
"Is Jiayue Saint Ancestor still around?"
"No, she disappeared ten thousand years ago."
"What major event happened ten thousand years ago?"
"Ten thousand years ago, all Holy Ancestors suddenly vanished, as if evaporated from the world."
The masked person spoke and then suddenly added, "Rumor has it that they were all captured because they were controlled puppets."
Zhou Yan’s heart trembled, remaining silent.
After a moment, Zhou Yan asked, "And you, what do you think?"
"Me? Just an old fellow whose Heavenly Dao cultivation was abolished."
The old man said self-deprecatingly.
Then he said, "I follow ancient Imperial Decree, offering you a sip of wine and a token here, my task is complete."
"Someone knew I would come?"
Zhou Yan’s face slightly changed, his tone becoming more solemn.
"No need to be tense, no one knew you’d come, the Imperial Decree just instructed me to hand it to anyone who in the future traverses the thirty-three layers of the Path of Heavenly Mechanism, without specifying who."
This masked elder replied.
Speaking, he took out a token, an ancient Heavenly Mechanism Order, and placed it in Zhou Yan’s hand.
Looking at the token, Zhou Yan’s expression became complicated.
But he still accepted the token.
With this token, many things surely become much more convenient.
With this token, his status is invisibly elevated.
Zhou Yan didn’t care about status but didn’t want to climb step by step like some ordinary disciple.
Zhou Yan took the token, while the masked person grabbed the wine jug from Zhou Yan’s hand and said, "You’ve drank the wine, I’ve given you the token, old man I should go back to sleep."
Zhou Yan watched the masked person depart and suddenly said, "Your mask has strong life energy, your silhouette conceals various energies but reveals a subtle fragrance. By claiming to be ’old man’, you’re showing you’re actually a young woman."
"Hence, any secret you attempt to conceal is useless in my eyes. I simply choose not to dig into your secrets."
Zhou Yan spoke calmly.
The departing masked elder paused but said nothing, instead saying, "Grow strong, the road ahead will be different."
His words, though meaningful, meant nothing to Zhou Yan.
Zhou Yan chose not to say anything further and walked towards the small wooden hut.
There was where he conversed most with Zhuge Wuwei.
That place has now become a shrine.
At the entrance, Zhou Yan saw numerous spiritual tablets inside.
They recorded ancient names.
But at the top was Zhuge Jiayue.
It turned out not to be Zhuge Guyan nor Gu Xi who founded the Heavenly Mechanism Sect, but Zhuge Jiayue. It’s Zhuge Jiayue of the Tianji Clan.
What about Gu Xi and others? Where are they now?
What exactly happened thirteen thousand four hundred years ago?
What major event led to the disappearance of the Holy Ancestor a generation ten thousand years ago?
Zhou Yan pondered and felt the void stirring, with light shadows gathering, then a woman in a white linen dress appeared, accompanied by nine elderly men in yellow robes, not far beside Zhou Yan.
This group of ten carried an extraordinary amount of life energy, despite the nine being very old, their realms unreadable by Zhou Yan.
At least this should be beyond the Void Soul Realm.
Zhou Yan’s soul and body perfectly aligned, soul abilities dormant without manifestation, thus capabilities gradually reduced akin to ordinary cultivators of the second or third level of Soul Condensation Realm.
Unable to discern the realm, it proved these elders’ cultivation was beyond the Void Soul Realm.
As Zhou Yan gazed at them, he focused on the woman in a white linen dress.
The woman appeared very young, her aura of Heavenly Mechanism Creation extremely rich, profound and unfathomable.
As Zhou Yan looked at her, she looked back at Zhou Yan.
Seeming utterly composed with Zhou Yan, with some admiration.
"Young man, who are you? Are you here at the Heavenly Mechanism Sect to apprentice?"
The woman in white linen dress asked warmly.
Her tone particularly gentle, creating good impressions.
Zhou Yan was unaffected by the Heavenly Mechanism aura and nodded slightly, saying, "I did come to the Heavenly Mechanism Sect to study, but I don’t want to apprentice."
"Not apprenticing is fine, young man, you traversed the thirty-three layers of the Path of Heavenly Mechanism, guarded by treasures, strengthened by soul arrays, or was it your own ability?"
The woman in white linen dress inquired again.
This time her question clearly perturbed other elders present.
"This Path of Heavenly Mechanism is simple and crude, needing no treasures for protection."
Zhou Yan said calmly.
It was honest, and he didn’t hide his opinion.
However, such words made nine elders frown immediately.
Nonetheless, him standing here is proof enough of part of the truth in his words.
"Then that’s fine; since you’ve crossed thirty-three layers of the Path of Heavenly Mechanism, do you have any requests?"
"Can I be an elder?"
Zhou Yan hesitated slightly and said.
His words caused the many elders’ expressions to change abruptly.
"This—afraid not. To be an elder requires not only talent and aptitude but also foundation and contributions."
The woman in white linen dress explained placidly.
"Then I’ll be the senior brother among true disciples."
Zhou Yan could only settle for the next best option.
"This—the current top true disciple is a very powerful young girl, her realm at the fifth level of Soul Condensation Realm, even among the young generation on Saint Continent, she’s exceptional. You lack possessions, lack realm, this—afraid you can’t convince others."
"You have great talent, the level you’ve reached is high, indicative of a strong foundation, yet you still need to begin step by step."
The woman in a white linen dress slightly frowned and then said.
"No need, let’s start as the senior brother. This is the Heavenly Mechanism Order, with my performance and this token, should suffice. If not, have that top person spar with me for couple moves, just enough."
"By then, if she’s unconvinced, she’ll be convinced."
"Given my temperament, I don’t pursue status, yet I refuse to remain beneath... beneath some ordinary soul cultivators as junior brother."
Zhou Yan spoke calmly.
His words, filled with an indescribable aura.
Though didn’t show anything specific, this pride kept the woman in white linen dress aware.
The woman in white linen dress looked at the ancient Heavenly Mechanism Order in Zhou Yan’s hand, her expression subtly changed, then sighed, "Alright, you are the senior brother of all disciples."