Chapter 1643: Brotherhood
At the same time, five shocking presences appeared from the surroundings of the Changyang clan. In the previous moment, the five presences had only appeared, yet in the next, the people who possessed the presences had already appeared before the residence silently. The five of them were all Saint Emperors and were on a completely different level compared to the two Saint Emperors among the group of Sainthood experts.
The five Saint Emperors clearly possessed an extraordinary status in the Changyang clan. All the Sainthood experts present clasped their hands politely when these five appeared. Even the two Saint Emperors who were a part of the crowd clasped their fists towards the five Saint Emperors.
However, the five Saint Emperors completely ignored the actions, including the actions of the two other Saint Emperors. They were cold and expressionless, and their sharp gazes locked onto the residence. They were already secretly prepared to let out a lightning-swift attack at any time.
In the eyes of all the people in the clan, the residence was a holy shrine that could not be blasphemed. This was even more so the case for the five of them. It had reached a point where from a certain point of view, this place was even more important than their lives.
This was because the five of them only possessed their current achievements due to the owner of the residence. It was the owner who had allowed them to go from mercenaries with limited potential to their current level of cultivation.
The five of them were a part of the Divine Guards of the Flame that Bi Lian had left at the Changyang clan.
Jian Chen had poured his heart out to raise every single member of the Divine Guards of the Flame. He had used a large number of heavenly resources to change their talent, allowing them to go from people with limited potential to geniuses, so their cultivation speed had increased drastically. Coupled with the fact that the crisis of the world had been averted and the Yinyang Saint Rock no longer existed, the laws of the world had gradually reached perfection and origin energy began to appear once again. All these factors made it much easier for cultivators to cultivate in general as well as easier to break through compared to before. The five members of the Divine Guards of the Flame were obviously Saint Kings who had successfully broken through to Saint Emperor.
The female servants huddled into a group in one corner as they secretly looked at Jian Chen’s back fearfully. Every single one of them feel extremely curious, just who was so bold, daring to intrude on this residence. Even if Ninth Heavenly Layer Saint Emperors intruded on this place, they would not be able to escape. There were no experts in the Changyang clan who could stop Ninth Heavenly Layer Saint Emperors, but there were such experts in Flame City. If the Changyang clan truly required their assistance, the Origin realm experts in Flame City could appear here at any time.
This was because during Jian Chen’s seclusion, the immature Xiao Jin and Xiao Ling would often go there to play. As time went on, basically everyone in the Changyang clan learnt the identity of the two.
Jian Chen remained where he was like a statue. He continued to reminisce the past, paying no attention to the surroundings.
Very soon, the group of guards surrounded him. The captain of the guards arrived before Jian Chen and bellowed with a glare, “Sir, you...” His voice came to a sudden stop. In the next moment, his face changed drastically. His eyes widened dramatically as disbelief and shock filled his face.
Plop.
The captain of the guards immediately dispersed his presence, and he became courteous. He directly dropped to his knees and buried his head deep into the ground. He said fearfully, “This one greets the fourth young master. This one did not know that the fourth young master has returned. Please punish this one.”
The other guards all became stunned when they heard their captain’s words, but they all kneeled at the same time soon afterwards. They said politely, “This one greets the fourth young master...”
“What fourth young master?” The frightened female servants in the corner all widened their eyes and stared at the unfamiliar figure. Their gazes were filled with disbelief.
“Fourth young master...” The voices of the guards echoed out and immediately caused the several dozen Sainthood experts to become stunned. Many people found the moniker to be rather foreign.
However, they all realised soon enough. All their faces changed in that moment, and the five people from the Divine Guards of the Flame all became overjoyed.
“The fourth young master has returned. The person in the residence is actually fourth young master. Quick, quick, tell the old patriarch and the old madam. The fourth young master has returned,” Immediately, a Sainthood expert cried out. At that moment, his face had become flushed from his excitement. The fourth young master of the Changyang clan was the greatest sovereign from their world, no weaker than the Spiritking. Every single Sainthood expert present felt glorious to be able to stand so close to him.
“Xiang’er, has Xiang’er returned?”
Before the message could be passed on, a vigorous voice rang out. An uncontainable excitement filled the voice. Changyang Ba and Bi Yuntian hurried over from afar.
“Greeting to the old patriarch and the old madam.”
With their arrival, all the Sainthood experts they passed by clasped their hands in greeting. They were very courteous, and even the Saint Emperors behaved in the same manner.
If it was any other time, Changyang Ba and Bi Yuntian definitely would have responded with a smile, except they could no longer bother with that at all now. They hurried into the residence joyfully and disappeared before everyone.
Soon afterwards, the current patriarch, Changyang Ke, Jian Chen’s three aunts, Ling Long, Yu Fengyan, Bai Yushuang, as well as the various members of the upper echelon hurried over from everywhere. They stopped outside the residence in the end and stared at it.
Inside the residence, Bi Yuntian wore a luxurious set of white robes as her face was filled with joy. She held onto Jian Chen and choked back her tears, “Xiang’er, you’re finally home.”
Changyang Ba chuckled, “Xiang’er has become an Origin realm sovereign now. Every time a sovereign goes into seclusion, it’ll range from a few dozen years to several thousand years. It’s already rather short for Xiang’er to emerge after eighteen years.”
...
Jian Chen dismissed all the guards and the female servants as that was the only way to calm down the disturbance caused by an intruder trespassing on Jian Chen’s residence. Jian Chen remained in the Changyang clan, accompanying his parents and elders as they conversed.
Under Jian Chen’s orders, his return was not announced, so only a portion of the people in the clan knew about his presence.
In the blink of an eye, Jian Chen had already stayed in the Changyang clan for three days. During this time, Jian Chen did not take a single step away from the clan, remaining by his parents’ side the entire time. He understood that the day he would leave this world was approaching. He wanted to spend some more time with his parents before he moved on as he had no idea just how long it would be before he saw them again.
Currently, in the garden of the clan, Jian Chen and Changyang Ke sat together in a pavilion. They drank together as they both reminisced the past.
“Back when we were still young, I often tried to bully you, but I never succeeded. Instead, I was the one who suffered and was made fun of. You often reduced me to a horrible shape...” Changyang Ke smiled as he recalled the past. He cherished the memory.
Jian Chen laughed aloud and raised his cup, downing all the alcohol inside. He said at ease, “The part that gave me the greatest impression was when we were sparring. You originally wanted to bully me, yet you were injured instead. It was because of that matter that I third aunt punished me quite a lot...”
Changyang Ke chuckled when he heard that, “My mother would have never thought that the person she punished before would become the greatest sovereign revered by all in this world...” Pride appeared on Changyang Ke’s face. After clinking cups with Jian Chen, he finished off his cup as well.
Jian Chen smiled freely. His disagreements with Changyang Ke when he was young had instead become a lovely memory, firmly remembered by him. He cherished the memory.
“We were originally four siblings, yet there are only the two of us drinking here today. Big brother has comprehended the state of Great Liberation and is cultivating in Pure Heart Pavilion after severing his emotions and desires. I wonder if he still remembers our brotherhood. Sister has left this world as well, venturing to the distant Saints’ World. Even I don’t know whether we’ll meet in the future, and even if we do meet, I don’t know if she’ll be the same and still remember me. I actually wish very much that it’s not just me and you drinking here right now, but that big brother and sister were here as well. Unfortunately, that has become just a wish now...” Jian Chen became melancholy as he drank.
“Sister...” Changyang Ke murmured softly and looked at the sky. A sliver of longing appeared in his eyes. Although Changyang Hu had severed his emotions and desires, he was still in this world after all. There was the chance of meeting him in the future, but his sister, Changyang Ke, might have bid a permanent farewell to him. It made his heart throb.
Originally, they were four siblings, but now, there was only him and Jian Chen left.
...
The female servants in the garden had already been dismissed, so only Jian Chen and Changyang Ke were in the large garden, drinking and conversing. Their laughter would ring out from time to time.
They spoke a lot that day and also drank a lot. As they drank, night replaced day and day replaced night. Their voices never stopped in the garden.
At this moment, Changyang Ke suddenly became serious with his flushed, tipsy face. He said, “Brother, many of the important figures in the clan have suggested to me that we should expand outwards while we have the prestige. After all, the difference between our territory and strength and prestige is just too great. What do you think? If you agree, I’ll do it immediately.”
Jian Chen’s eyes narrowed when he heard this. After a moment of silence, he gently shook his head, “Brother, the bigger the clan becomes, the more matters there are to deal with. That’s not necessarily a good thing. Look at those kingdoms. Are there any of them where the princes don’t turn on each other when the position of king opens up? Do you wish to see that, brother? Authority is temporary, so you can’t get sucked into it. Only your personal strength determines everything. You should keep the Changyang clan as it is right now.”