Chapter 1048: Chapter 1067: Brothers Confronted
Beyond the Thirty-Three Heavens.
The Vast Star, the Heavenly Star River, Ye Xuan walked leisurely, yet with every step he took, the celestial void trembled, as an aura that transcends past and present rippled outward.
Not questioning the past, not fearing the future, respecting only the present, Ye Xuan had already established an invincible aura, his every move affecting the entire Heaven and Earth, needing no concealment of his presence, ready to face any formidable foe.
Treading upon the Star Sea, his being akin to the universe, as Ye Xuan traversed this starry void, mighty stars halted in motion, their power to suppress Heaven and Earth terrifying to the extreme.
Rumble!
The Star Sea surged, waves roared, those vast stellar tides propelling Ye Xuan forward, presenting a scene of heaven-shattering momentum.
A withered star, a silent figure, this figure awaited Ye Xuan’s arrival, sitting cross-legged upon the star, gazing as Ye Xuan walked towards him step by step.
"Dear brother, I’ve waited long for you, for three million years." Ziwei calmly whispered.
"Aren’t you afraid of death?" Ye Xuan stepped forth, positioning himself before Ziwei, regarding him with calm, undisturbed eyes.
"I used to fear it greatly, but now, I no longer do." Ziwei laughed self-deprecatingly.
"Why?" Ye Xuan asked.
"I was once the Good Corpse of Zhen Yuanzi, I feared he could end me with a mere thought, and I had to obey him, committing many wrong deeds."
"But when I saw you buried in this starry void, I had a feeling that you would reappear before me, to settle the grievances between us."
"Thus I understand, I will die, and I have waited three million years, during which I imprisoned myself in this star. I have come to understand many things, no longer fearing death, peacefully awaiting your arrival." Ziwei spoke calmly.
Seeing Ziwei’s face showing signs of relief, Ye Xuan slightly mocked himself, "I can spare Kunpeng, leave his soul a chance for reincarnation, because he was merely a Heavenly Court retainer, not warranting soul scattering."
"But you, brother, are different. You were my appointed Heavenly Emperor, ruler of the Thirty-Three Layered Heaven. Back then, you conspired with the Primordial Spirit to drive the Thirty-Three Layered Heaven to crisis, so you must die. I owe the Heavenly Court crowd an explanation." Ye Xuan said sternly.
"Hahaha."
Suddenly, Ziwei laughed wildly, tears streaming as he stared at Ye Xuan, "Dear brother, my good brother, you say I ruled the Thirty-Three Layered Heaven, that I was your appointed Heavenly Emperor, but the true master of the Thirty-Three Layered Heaven is you, not me, Ziwei. I was merely a puppet in your hands."
Seeing the desolation in Ziwei’s eyes, Ye Xuan fell silent, for he truly had no words to refute.
As Ziwei said, he never was truly the master of the Heavenly Court, he was always a puppet of his own, the Heavenly Court crowd truly submitted to Ye Xuan, and not to him, Ziwei.
"Dear brother, no words to say?" Ziwei smiled bitterly.
"You appointed me Heavenly Emperor, gave me the opportunity to become a Saint, seemingly repaying my past kindness to you, but actually, you treated me as a pawn, a pawn to test Zhen Yuanzi."
"Zhen Yuanzi controlled me, and you wanted to control me too, even if I became a Heavenly Dao Saint, I would still be under the manipulation of both of you!"
Tears streamed down Ziwei’s eyes, as if he wanted to pour out all the words pent up in his heart today.
"Do you think I’m a fool? Do you think I know nothing?" Ziwei whispered self-mockingly.
Suddenly, Ziwei raised his head to look at Ye Xuan, shouting angrily, "Actually, I knew everything, I was just enduring silently."
"I was waiting for an opportunity, a chance for you and Zhen Yuanzi to die together." Ziwei cried out in bitter wails, tears flowing incessantly.
"I thought you and Zhen Yuanzi would severely weaken each other, I thought I could escape your control, but in the end, I failed. I was merely a pawn for you both."
"Ye Xuan, you never truly considered me as an elder brother, you were always using me. Your so-called brotherhood was fake, false."
"You are hypocritical to the extreme, emotionless to the utmost. Anyone who obstructs you, regardless of who, you will kill; that is the real you, even those gathered under you in the Heavenly Court do not see your true nature."
Ziwei roared, panting heavily, venting all the words hidden in his heart for over three million years, showing no fear, with a resolute will to die.
"Have you finished?" Ye Xuan said solemnly.
"Come, come and kill me. I have waited three million years, just for a soul scattering. Even if you wish to torment me eternally, you may as well act freely." Ziwei laughed bitterly.
"Since you’ve finished, it’s my turn now." Ye Xuan calmly whispered.
"What do you have to say? What can you say? Do you still want to justify yourself?" Ziwei shouted angrily.
Facing Ziwei’s roar, Ye Xuan did not anger but instead looked up at the starry sky, his eyes slightly wandering as he said, "Ziwei, you are right, whether appointing you as Heavenly Emperor or making you a Heavenly Dao Saint, I was always using you, treating you as a pawn."
"As you said, I am a hypocrite to the extreme, and also utterly heartless. Anyone who blocks my path to the heavens, I will ruthlessly eliminate, without exception."
"Hahaha."
Upon hearing Ye Xuan’s words, Ziwei laughed wildly, "You admit it? You actually admit it, hahaha."
"But there is one thing you said wrong." Ye Xuan said solemnly.
"What is it?" Ziwei’s laughter ceased, looking at Ye Xuan with ridicule.
"You said I never regarded you as a brother, that there was no so-called brotherhood, but this is very wrong."
"In fact, before I became the Heavenly Emperor, I did regard you as an elder brother, not just you, but also Sun Wukong, also Liu Baiyi, you all were my brothers, and this was never an exception."
"But until you made me go to Wuzhuang Temple, I was schemed by Zhen Yuanzi to unite with the Nine Heaven Mysterious Maiden, followed by a conflict with Nuwa, I then suspected you and Zhen Yuanzi, further associating with your initial kindness to me when we first met." Ye Xuan laughed self-mockingly.
Ye Xuan’s eyes wandered, as if lost in distant memories, his mouth recounting those far-off past events.
"When I first entered the Earth Immortal Realm, my cultivation was very weak, constantly targeted by the Jade Emperor, who even wanted my life."
"But something strange happened, when we first met, we had no acquaintance, yet you turned against the Jade Emperor for my sake, even protecting me multiple times at the risk of your life, disregarding offending the Jade Emperor."
"How could someone risk everything to help me, even offend the Jade Emperor, upon first meeting?"
"Had this person no purpose, I would never believe so." Ye Xuan narrated, and Ziwei’s mocking smile gradually faded away.