Yan Zhaoge and Feng Yunsheng walked among the mountains. When they looked back, they could still see the bronze mirror-like gaze flickering.
After waving goodbye, the two exited the Five Elements Mountain.
"Zhaoge, the Great Sage Equalling Heavens seemed to be examining you. It seems like … there's something he's hiding?"
On the way, Feng Yunsheng frowned and asked with uncertainty.
"Yes, you're right." Yan Zhaoge nodded, "He seemed to have noticed something that even I didn't."
"Although I don't know what he noticed, I can roughly guess what it's related to."
"The Elder Lord …"
Yan Zhaoge let out a long sigh, "Unlike the others, who couldn't even meet the Elder Lord. At most, they could only greet him from afar."
"According to the rumors, this Demon Race Great Sage had interacted with the Elder Lord in the past."
"I wouldn't dare to say that he understood the Elder Lord the most among the Grand Heavenly Immortals. However, he's definitely not an ordinary person."
Feng Yunsheng pondered and said, "In other words, from the Great Sage Equalling Heavens' perspective, you're … related to the Elder Lord?"
"Actually, I've made some guesses before. Only, I haven't sorted them out yet. The Great Sage Equalling Heavens' reaction today is just another piece of evidence." Yan Zhaoge said, "Do you still remember me telling you that I'm more proficient in cultivating the supreme martial arts of the Grand Clear lineage, and that my comprehension is faster and deeper?"
Feng Yunsheng nodded, "I remember."
"There's nothing special about this alone." Yan Zhaoge shrugged, "A martial art practitioner's talent in comprehension is hard to predict."
His father, Yan Di, had accompanied the Grand Simplicity Splendour Cloud for a thousand years, and only nurtured the Creation Saber's saber intent.
To Yan Di, there wasn't much difference between the Jade Clear lineage and the Grand Clear lineage. Cultivating the Grand Clear lineage didn't give him any unique advantages.
Among blood relatives, there might be talents related to their physiques.
However, when it came to cultivating martial arts, or to a particular martial art, one's talent in comprehension had nothing to do with one's bloodline. Most of it was due to one's soul.
For example, most of the "Sikong Qings" affected by the Heavenly Essence Stone fragments had exceptional talent in comprehension. However, they weren't related by blood.
Therefore, assuming that the 'generation skipping inheritance' of the Grand Simplicity Splendour Cloud had affected Yan Zhaoge was also not plausible.
In terms of comprehension ability, Yan Zhaoge was Yan Zhaoge, and Yan Di was Yan Di; the two were unrelated.
From ancient times until now, it was very common for someone to be especially proficient in a certain martial art.
This was how many geniuses came to be. This kind of advantage was one of the capital that allowed them to stand out from the masses.
For example, Yan Xintang, Di Qinglian, Gao Qingxuan, Long Xingquan, and even Yin Shiyang, Long Xueji, Nie Jingshen, Yue Zhenbei, Yu Ye, He Mian, and the others were all existences with exceptional talent in the way of the sword.
Among them, while Long Xueji and Yu Ye were related to Gao Qingxuan and Long Xingquan by blood, the benefits they received were mostly due to their higher standards of guidance and teachings.
Their talent in the comprehension of the Sword Dao was mostly due to their own good foundation.
Therefore, it was not that inconceivable that Yan Zhaoge would be exceptionally sensitive to supreme martial arts of the Grand Clear direct lineage.
At most, others would only have astonishing comprehension towards a single martial art or a type of martial art. On the other hand, Yan Zhaoge's comprehension towards an entire lineage of martial arts was rather exaggerated.
However, while a single incident could be considered as a coincidence, it would be hard to believe that it was all a coincidence when viewed together with other related coincidences.
At the very least, Yan Zhaoge wouldn't believe it.
"Let alone us, even the East Sovereign, the Immeasurable Heavenly Lord, the Maitreya Buddha, and other bigwig experts wouldn't be able to see through the Elder Lord's thoughts."
Yan Zhaoge muttered to himself, "It's still hard to tell if my current situation is related to the Elder Lord."
"Instead, the Southern Extremity Longevity Emperor might have noticed something. No wonder he asked me to make a trip down the Five Elements Mountain."
Evidently, if there was someone who wasn't worried about offending the Mystical Mountain's Tathagata Buddha, it would be the Three Clear Grand Masters and the Goddess Nuwa who had already transcended!
If Yan Zhaoge was really implicated by the Supreme Elder Lord's arrangements, no matter if it was intentional or not, he would be able to move around much more freely compared to the others after reaching the Five Elements Mountain. He wouldn't have to worry about offending the Tathagata Buddha.
Of course, this was only relative.
It was using the world's human logic to speculate.
However, the Tathagata Buddha and the Three Clear Grand Masters were existences that couldn't be speculated using the world's common sense.
As such, there were still risks involved. Moreover, it could be big or small. No one could make an accurate judgment.
"The Southern Extremity Longevity Emperor might not know the truth behind the Five Elements Mountain. However, this place was personally suppressed by the Tathagata Buddha. Things definitely aren't simple. The Southern Extremity Longevity Emperor received the news and wanted to find out the truth. That's why he asked me to come here."
Yan Zhaoge lightly rubbed his temples and said with a bitter smile.
"And yet, you still came," said Feng Yunsheng softly. Feng Yunsheng said softly, "Furthermore, he took a huge risk and agreed to help the Great Sage find a way to escape."
After a moment of silence, Yan Zhaoge smiled, "Previously, what I said to the Great Sage below the Five Elements Mountain wasn't for show. It wasn't for show. It was my true thoughts."
Feng Yunsheng nodded, "I can tell."
"Honestly speaking, my morals are limited." Yan Zhaoge said softly, "Most of the time, I feel that I'm quite realistic."
"Of course, it's best to do things that benefit both others and myself. However, other than a few specific people, if I have to choose between benefiting myself and others, I'll most likely choose benefiting myself."
"Seeking benefits and avoiding harm, calculating the gains and losses. I often do these things as well."
Yan Zhaoge first laughed self-mockingly. Then, he retracted his smile and pointed at his heart, "However, sometimes, when facing certain matters, a little boy who loves to dream would suddenly jump out from my heart."
Today, at this very moment, was the case.
The Great Sage Equalling Heavens – Sun Wukong!
In Yan Zhaoge's past life's memories, he was Yan Zhaoge's childhood idol!
Even though he had read many books and understood a lot of information, all of them told him that his childhood idol wasn't perfect.
In those stories, the monkey didn't even manage to wreak havoc in the Heavenly Palace, let alone overshadowing the Three Realms.
He was even stopped by a Heavenly General and his men before he could enter the Soaring Sky Palace.
After that, in the story of his journey to the west to seek for Buddhist scriptures, he suffered many setbacks and had to ask for reinforcements everywhere.
Yan Zhaoge knew that in that story, in the original work, it might have been a story that restrained the mind of the monkey and stabilized the horse. It was a story that was meant to satirize the current politics …
His impression of Sun Wukong mostly came from the projection and supplementation of his personal feelings. It wasn't even the original image of Sun Wukong in the story anymore. His own emotions continuously erased the flaws and added on the merits. He selectively ignored everything that affected his image and added a lot of scenes that didn't exist in his imagination …
However, to Yan Zhaoge, those weren't problems at all!
He could be rational about other things, but he couldn't be bothered about this!
Even if others said that he was a brainless fan, he couldn't care less.
To Yan Zhaoge, he even despised the monkey that came out from the Five Elements Mountain.
In his heart, the Great Sage Equalling Heavens – Sun Wukong was the one who wasn't afraid of the heavens or the earth, fought against the heavens, never admitted defeat, never compromised, fought against the heavens with a single stick, crushed the Southern Heavenly Gate, and overturned the Soaring Sky Palace!
That was his past life.
In this life, Yan Zhaoge, who had read many books in the Heavenly Court's Divine Palace's Martial Repository, knew that in this world, the Great Sage Equalling Heavens – Sun Wukong was the one who had wreaked havoc in the Heavenly Court's Divine Palace. He was the unparalleled Great Demon that ran amok among the Heavenly Immortals!
As a result, Yan Zhaoge felt even more disappointed that he had turned into Traveling Monk Sun and became a Buddha.
Now that he knew the truth behind the Five Elements Mountain, the relief and joy in Yan Zhaoge's heart wasn't as indifferent as what he displayed on the surface.
As a result, just like what Feng Yunsheng had said, he still came to the Five Elements Mountain.
Not only did he come, he even wanted to help the monkey!
For other things, he might still have moments of willfulness.
However, this time, he was especially willful!
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