Chapter 2041: Irreplaceable

Lin Xun stood there frozen in place.

Looking at the proud and lofty figure in the sky, an unspeakable shock surged through his heart.

He won!

Eldest Senior Brother won!

It felt as though Lin Xun had just witnessed an unparalleled miracle happen with his own eyes. He was unable to describe his feelings at this moment in words.

“I knew it! Eldest Senior Brother is invincible, and he never disappoints! Never!” Li Xuanwei laughed loudly.

Ruo Su, Pu Zhen, Blazing Jun, Cheng Yu, and Well Moon also beamed.

The tension and anxiety that shrouded their hearts were all swept away. There was nothing but lamentation and joy on their faces.

Standing above the ruins of battle, Eldest Senior Brother laughed up at the sky. Although he was ridden with wounds and blood stains, his laughter was wanton and full of satisfaction as it vibrated the air.

Every great triumph should be properly enjoyed. Now that his pent-up anger and resentment of a hundred millenia had finally been vented, what was the harm in letting his feelings run free?

Lone Man and the old seer also smiled, their hearts tossing and turning with countless emotions.

With a warm and mellow voice, the golden cicada youth commented, “This sky can no longer cover your eyes. This land can no longer detain your body. Your delight, I can also experience to an extent.”

Eldest Senior Brother's laughter came to a stop as he said, “You got one thing wrong, Golden Cicada. The restraint of that taboo tribulation power is still there. The one that I defeated is only a watchdog!”

He gazed at the sky with a boiling combat aura. “Only when the taboo tribulation power is eradicated from the root will I be truly delighted!”

The golden cicada youth asked, “Is a trip to the other side of the cosmos truly necessary?”

Eldest Senior Brother nodded without any hesitation.

Seemingly with a sigh, the golden cicada youth said, “It’s as I’ve expected.”

Meanwhile, Eldest Senior Brother had turned to Ruo Su’s group. For once, his unruly and domineering aura was visibly retracted.

He didn't say anything and just smiled, but that smile was already worth a thousand words.

When his eyes landed on Lin Xun, he tossed out a wine gourd.

“Have some?”

“Alright!” Lin Xun caught the gourd, then tilted his head back and drank from it.

“Looks like I’ve found my kind, hahaha.” Eldest Senior Brother laughed jubilantly as he took out another gourd of wine and chugged it down.

The rest of the Fangchun Mountain disciples couldn't help but laugh out loud as well.

Back then, whenever a new disciple had first entered the sect, Eldest Senior Brother had also offered them a drink like this.

This was his way of expressing his recognition.

……

The region was dark as the aura of ruin and destruction steamed.

This war was finally over, but the taboo tribulation power that covered the nebula still remained. It was only that there was no one left to take charge and control it because the Nameless Emperor was dead!

What exactly was his true identity and origin?

Eldest Senior Brother mentioned nothing about this and only contemptuously regarded him as a watchdog.

After draining his gourd without saying anything else to Lin Xun, Eldest Senior Brother waved his hand and strode toward the distance. He had something he wanted to ask the golden cicada.

“Junior Brother, it's thanks to you that we were able to win this game!” suddenly said Ruo Su who stood beside Lin Xun, her clear eyes smiling.

The others all nodded in agreement.

Lin Xun was stunned. Confusion was written all over his face.

But I’ve been nothing but a spectator. I never helped one bit since the beginning!

Ruo Su proceeded to clear his doubt.

This heavenly game could be traced back to the ancient era after the Dao War of Emperors had ended.

Since then, in order to evade the taboo tribulation power, the disciples of Fangchun Mountain had scattered and wandered around the nebula like lonely souls.

Not only had their sect base been destroyed, but they were also regarded as sinful remnants by their enemies!

During these nearly one hundred thousand years, they had searched for uncharted lands while keeping a low-profile, all to wait for the day when they could finally take revenge and wash away the past shame.

Only forty-nine of the fifty daos could be derived, while the last one escaped.

Lin Xun was that ‘last one.’

In the past, almost no one had known that Lin Xun was a disciple of Fangchun Mountain. Moreover, since he hadn’t yet become an Emperor, he hadn’t been strong enough to be noticed by those hostile forces.

Meanwhile, this game of chess had actually started unfolding quietly since the moment Lin Xun had obtained that legacy of the Master of Fangchun Mountain in the Kunlun Dominion.

After his trip to the Kunlun Dominion had come to an end, Li Xuanwei had quietly appeared to escort him out, beheading a number of Emperor experts along the way. This had allowed Lin Xun to enter the Ancient Nebula Road without any danger.

When Lin Xun had boarded the boundary ship to the Great Yu World and became targeted by Earth Treasury Realm, it was Jun Huan who had appeared dressed up as a man and handled the killers from the shadows for him.

When Lin Xun had crossed the starry sky and headed to the Primordial Chaos World on Whirlwind Ship, Pu Zhen had made his entrance, slain Old Monk Dukong, and cleared all the obstacles for him.

When Lin Xun had finally arrived at the Primordial Chaos World and entered Xuanji Dao Sect, Li Xuanwei had appeared once again and informed him about the chaos treasure.

Afterward, Lin Xun had taken part in the Dao Debate Contest of Cloud State, then the Dao Debate Assembly…

By all those things he had done until entering the Ancient Immortal Forbidden Zone as well as capturing the chaos treasure that was Mount Heedless after that, he had already helped increase the chance of victory for Fangchun Mountain in this heavenly game!

It was by seizing this chance that Eldest Senior Brother, who had been silent for nearly one hundred thousand years, had emerged like a bolt in the blue and defeated the Nameless Esteemed Emperor right inside the vortex!

Lin Xun didn’t realize his contribution since he had been a part of the situation, but how could Ruo Su and the others not be aware of it?

Those hostile forces had used Lin Xun as bait to lure out the remaining disciples of Fangchun Mountain, which had lifted the curtain on this showdown.

However, in reality, that was precisely what the Fangchun Mountain camp had wanted to happen.

That was why Ruo Su had told Lin Xun before he entered the Ancient Immortal Forbidden Zone that he wouldn’t need to worry about exposing his identity!

This was their plan that had spanned over nearly a hundred millenia. Lin Xun, the ‘escaped derivative,’ was the hidden chess piece via which the two sides had exchanged blows in this heavenly game.

Therefore, while it had looked as though he was only an insignificant spectator in the real showdown, he was in fact the key to victory!

Upon learning all of this, Lin Xun was dazed.

He recalled his course of actions on the Ancient Nebula Road over these years and finally understood what kind of role he had played in this game.

It also became apparent to him why his senior brothers and sisters had always said the same thing when he had first met them:

‘You will understand in the future.’

Indeed, he really understood everything now!

“We never told you this before because we could not afford to make the slightest mishap. If this makes you comfortable, just blame it all on us.” The taciturn Pu Zhen was actually the first to speak up about this with an apologetic expression.

Ruo Su, Li Xuanwei, and the rest all looked at Lin Xun.

Although they had won in the end, they had neither revealed much of the inner workings to Lin Xun nor gained his consent, which made them a little nervous.

𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

Lin Xun's emotions fluctuated. Then, he said helplessly, “I’ve always felt useless about not being able to do anything to help as a member of Fangchun Mountain. Now that I’ve learned that I was actually of some use, how can I feel uncomfortable? Happy isn’t enough to describe my mood!”

With that, he handed the gourd in his hand to Pu Zhen, “Senior Brother, if you still feel bad about it, just finish the wine in this gourd.”

Pu Zhen grinned, “Not a problem.”

He then threw back his head and chugged it.

The crowd could not help but smile.

Jun Huan’s beautiful phoenix eyes blinked as she said, “Junior Brother, what do you think of A’hu? Isn’t she pretty? She's a nominal disciple that I casually took in. If you’d like, I'll betrothe her to you so she can take care of you forever.”

Only then did Lin Xun know that A’hu was Senior Sister Jun Huan’s nominal disciple!

No wonder she had given him the Grand Universe Ark at Spirit Burial Sea when it had only been their first meeting.

No wonder she had trusted and aided him so much during those past years…

Recalling all this, he couldn't help but ask, “Senior Sister, where is A’hu now?”

The question immediately drew a burst of teasing laughter from the crowd around.

“Look at that, our junior brother is interested.” The already stunning Jun Huan seemed to brighten up the ruinous world with her smile.

A while later, Ruo Su suddenly said, “Junior Brother, we will be departing for the other side of the cosmos after this. Do you want to join us?”

All eyes landed on Lin Xun.

The Nameless Esteemed Emperor had been defeated, but the power of the taboo tribulation hadn't been dispelled. If they didn't leave now, then they wouldn't be able to when the next Nameless Esteemed Emperor appeared.

“He can't go with you,” said the golden cicada youth before Lin Xun could reply. The man had been talking to Eldest Senior Brother, but now he was walking over to them.

“Why not?” Ruo Su frowned.

“If he goes to the other side of the cosmos now, he’ll be falling right into a trap.” Lone Man and the old seer also came over with complicated looks in their gazes.

Having hibernated in the Ziyao Empire all these long years, how could they not be aware of Lin Xun's origin?

Lin Xun was shaken inside, and his expression flickered.

Falling right into a trap!

This reminded him of a past event.

Long, long ago, his mother Luo Qingxun had crossed the nebula under the protection of his uncle Star Annihilation Battle Emperor and Mister Lu in order to escape pursuit!

The pursuit was still going on even now, otherwise, his parents and Mister Lu wouldn't have vanished so strangely back then.

“They are right,” agreed Eldest Senior Brother who also came over as wisps of burning combat flames streamed around him. Even though he stood right beside them, no one could see his face clearly.

“Staying behind is the best protection for our little junior brother. Once he becomes strong enough to travel to the other side of the cosmos, he can go there on his own.” Eldest Senior Brother's voice was low. He seemed to know something as well.

Ruo Su and the other disciples were stunned.

She couldn't help but ask, “Even with our strength, it’s still not enough to ensure his safety?”

Lone Man said, “The other side of the cosmos is not only the source of the taboo tribulation power but also an entire unknown world. If my speculation is correct, then Lin Xun's background concerns a monstrous organization there, and he’ll attract a great calamity the moment he makes an appearance. It’s best that you don’t bring him there with you.”

Next to him, the old seer nodded.

Both he and Lone Man knew Luo Qingxun and also had dealings with Lu Boya, so they had long gained a certain understanding of Lin Xun's life. They knew very well that it would be a disaster rather than a blessing if Lin Xun went to the other side of the cosmos now.

At this moment, Lin Xun's expression was cloudy.

He believed what Lone Man and the old seer had said, but his heart was full of doubts.

Just what kind of background did he actually have?