Covering the Sky: The Years I Was the Empress's Strictest Master

At that moment, he didn't dare to meet Tan Lin's gaze.

…………

Chapter 222 Why is my sworn brother now dressed in blue, entering the mortal world? (Please subscribe!)

Seeing that the person he had been secretly mocking and criticizing was now truly standing before him,

Song Qiwu's face was deathly pale, and his body was stiff.

His fingernails dug deep into his palms, sending waves of pain through him, but this was nothing compared to the turmoil in his heart, the fear that had transformed from his initial resentment and jealousy.

Yes, fear.

Having just witnessed Tan Lin effortlessly destroy a supreme artifact by activating the Ancient Celestial Venerable Array Diagram, and then completely suppress and kill Di Que with his own strength,

The sheer difference in power displayed by his opponent made all his previous resentment and anger seem ridiculous and powerless.

Who could have imagined that in less than a century, after leaving the Chi family, the other party would have grown to such an extent?

So what if he has a father who is the Great Sage?

The opponent is now a mid-level Great Saint. Even disregarding the astonishing combat power he just displayed, his cultivation level alone is already above his father's!

Many years ago, my father, Song Canghai, broke through to the Great Sage realm.

Perhaps being in a secluded place could truly wash away the inferiority complex he developed as a child living under someone else's roof.

However, in this vast starry sky, in these myriad realms, especially now that this great era of enlightenment has begun, it can no longer provide him with much of a source of confidence. Moreover, in the end, one still has to rely on oneself to reach the path of cultivation.

In fact, his talent is above average among all the geniuses of all races, but it depends on who he is compared to.

Chi Xuan and Chi Yao, these stunning beauties, one with a congenital Dao embryo and the other with a primordial spirit body, are beings who, in every aspect—from temperament and appearance to cultivation talent—are enough to make others feel ashamed of their own.

Lately, he's been staying by their side, sensing their lukewarm attitude.

Over time, the inferiority complex he thought he had severed inevitably resurfaced.

Now, seeing the "beloved" of his "beloved," his fighting prowess left all the heroes in the arena speechless.

At that moment, his feelings of inferiority, along with his fear, reached their peak.

At this moment, perhaps it's just an illusion.

But he could even vaguely sense Tan Lin's deep gaze sweeping over him.

The subtle indifference beneath the calm surface made his heart clench, and he just wanted to hide himself away.

Fortunately, it turned out that it was all just a false alarm; he had scared himself.

He saw the other as a "love rival," but in the other's eyes, he was never there. If one had to categorize him, he was merely a mottled, blackened thread of cause and effect on the barrier of the Soul Pearl of All Causes.

Over the years, all we've done is continuously provide the other party with "revenue-generating tools" like fireflies.

It's never worth making the other party take it seriously.

Not to mention that the other party had never actually accepted Chi Xuan's feelings.

"Fellow Daoist Song and Uncle Chi have a deep friendship, there's no need for such formalities..."

Tan Lin nodded slightly to Song Canghai and his two sons.

His tone was flat, revealing no emotional fluctuation, but there was no arrogance either; it was as if it were just a casual greeting.

Actually, he had never met this person before, and this could not even be considered a "cold conversation." It was only after the other party explained his identity and his connection with the Chi family that he responded with a few words.

Of course, he still had a tiny bit of impression of Song Qiwen and his brother.

However, that impression, which actually had no direct connection with him, at most only supported his nod at this moment.

After saying that,

Tan Lin's deep gaze lingered on Chi Yao's face for a moment before he slowly said:

"My dear sister Chi Yao, how have you been?"

“Brother Tan…”

Chi Yao responded softly, her voice as cool as ever, but those familiar with her could detect a barely perceptible tremor if they listened carefully:

"Congratulations, brother! After decades apart, you have attained the Great Sagehood and obtained such an unparalleled opportunity as the Spirit Treasure Array Diagram..."

She paused here, her clear, beautiful gaze seemingly casually drifting towards Shao Hanyun and Li Qingjue in the distance:

"It's been many years since I last saw you. Is that... Shao Hanyun, the Demon Lord who betrayed the Big Dipper Divine Sect many years ago?"

Years ago, on the ancient road, there was a rumor that my brother had helped him out of a predicament by some old-timers in the Big Dipper Cult. After that, he and his brother traveled together and lived happily ever after, like a divine couple. I was skeptical about this before, but now that I have seen it, I know that the rumor is true.

"I just don't understand why your actions now contradict your original intentions, choosing to enter the mortal world in a simple blue robe?"

shuh...

Upon hearing this,

Chi Xuan, Song Canghai, and the others standing to the side were immediately filled with different emotions, their eyes flashing.

No one present was truly a fool; they could all discern the underlying questioning in Chi Yao's words.

But on what grounds and for what reason did he dare to ask Tan Lin for these words?

Several people were puzzled by this.

Chi Xuan, in particular, was now filled with suspicion.

However, these fleeting thoughts were short-lived. Compared to Chi Yao, who was always single-mindedly devoted to the Dao and whose "mortal heart" was frozen, she was moved by emotions.

They might be more inclined to think that the other person is feeling indignant about their sister's past rejection of their marriage proposal.

Even Tan Lin, standing still, was slightly taken aback upon hearing this, finding it rather perplexing.

But then he remembered that many years ago, when he was "confined" to the top of the Chijiahedao Cliff, on that rainy night, the girl was all alone, holding an umbrella and climbing the steps, intending to "shield him from the rain."

However, the wind and rain at the cliff top were too strong, making it impossible to fulfill the wish.

Finally, the girl confided in him in the middle of the night, made a promise to walk together on the road ahead in the future, and left behind that oil-paper umbrella.

'This is because I've already chosen a Daoist partner, why don't I go and find her?'

As his thoughts raced, Tan Lin vaguely understood the reason behind the other party's strange words, and couldn't help but smile bitterly to himself.

He hadn't expected, nor could he remember, when this woman, who was Chi Xuan's sister, had also fallen deeply in love with him.

It's true that the other person poured their heart out that night, but most of what they said didn't involve anything romantic. That night, they acted more like a "confidante."

That phrase, "I know you," set the tone for that night.

Even though he later left the Chi family, and they saw him off for a while, he vaguely sensed that a hint of affection seemed to be growing in their eyes.

But it's normal for boys and girls to have feelings for each other during their teenage years of thirteen or fourteen, so he didn't take it to heart at all.

Over the years, he had long forgotten about it.

In his heart, romantic relationships were never as important as enlightenment and spiritual cultivation. Besides, he already had an unforgettable memory with Tianling from the ancient times, so he wouldn't waste his energy on other things.

Seeing the atmosphere become tense, Chi Yao didn't wait for Tan Lin's response. She smiled faintly and quickly changed the subject, unwilling to reveal too much of her feelings:

"I asked too abruptly, Brother. You don't need to take it seriously or answer. But just now, Brother saved that demon... that woman in the black dress. I wonder why? Do you have any connection with her?"

As she spoke, her gaze began to fall directly on the two people in the distance.

Upon hearing this, Tan Lin's gaze followed.

When he saw that Shao Hanyun seemed to be bowing her head, rashly using her divine sense to investigate Li Qingjue's situation, he frowned slightly, but did not immediately step forward to stop her. Instead, he said to Chi Yao:

"That woman in the black dress does indeed have some connection with me. To a certain extent, we are both disciples of the last human emperor from the ancient era, inheriting some of his 'legacy' and heritage."

I know that she has a history of causing bloodshed and violence through her actions, devouring the very essence of her opponents, inspiring fear, and making her universally reviled and hated.

If this has caused any 'disturbance' to my two younger sisters, I apologize on behalf of my 'senior sister'..."

Before he finished speaking, he waved his sleeve and released a rich essence of the ancient tree of life, which entered Chi Xuan's immortal platform, causing her delicate body to tremble.

"A disciple of the Human Emperor?"

Upon hearing this, Chi Yao was slightly taken aback.

Her thoughts drifted, and suddenly it dawned on her; she thought to herself, "No wonder..."

But then she had even more questions.

This infamous Devouring Demon,

He was actually a disciple of the Human Emperor from another generation?

But are these so-called disciples truly recognized by that human emperor?

How could the Human Emperor have such a demonic disciple who devours the essence and blood of cultivators, a practice that is against the natural order?

The key point is that my brother actually admitted and made it clear that he and that person had a senior-junior relationship?!

But she naturally didn't want to press for answers to these questions.

Beside her, Chi Xuan heard the word "disciple" and silently sensed the damage to her primordial spirit that was recovering within the Sendai.

Her delicate body trembled slightly again, her condition improved somewhat, and her pretty face regained some color. She glanced quickly at Tan Lin, then quickly lowered her eyes again.

So... they were just senior and junior brothers?

But what is his relationship with Shao Hanyun now?

Have these two really stayed together all these years, walking hand in hand?

She thought this way,

At this moment, Song Canghai spoke cautiously, offering a subtle reminder:

"Fellow Daoist Tan, we should take seriously what the Great Sage Kunzhou said before his death. Your destruction of that Supreme Artifact was ultimately inappropriate. After all, such an artifact was made by a Supreme being and involved forbidden areas..."

Now that we are in this great era of enlightenment, it is likely that the various forbidden zones will not remain peaceful forever. Fellow Daoist, you must be cautious in this matter.

Tan Lin's expression remained unchanged; he simply said:

"It's alright, we'll deal with whatever comes our way."

The calmness and confidence in his tone left Song Canghai speechless for a moment.

He felt the other party was being too arrogant.

Yes, it's true that the opponent is powerful, but this matter involves forbidden zones, and it's not something to be taken lightly. No matter how strong the opponent is, in front of a supreme being, they are no different from a slightly larger ant!

The scene became quiet for a moment.

When old friends reunite, there should be many things to say.

However, the enormous difference in strength and the shocking scene just now have created an invisible chasm between the two sides.

Chi Yao was perceptive and could sense her sister's silence and dejection, as well as that beneath Tan Lin's calm exterior, he seemed unwilling to talk about the past.

She sighed inwardly, and took the initiative to speak:

"Brother, you must have other important matters to attend to, so we will not disturb you any longer. If there is an opportunity in the future, we can talk again."

She could tell that Tan Lin's mind was not on them, and that this was not a place to stay for long.

Seeing this, Tan Lin glanced at her, then at Chi Xuan who had her head down, and at the Song father and son with complicated expressions, and nodded:

"Very well, this place is fraught with trouble, it is not advisable to stay for long, everyone, take care."

After all,

He said no more, nodded slightly to everyone, and then his figure faded away from where he stood, appearing next to Shao Hanyun the next moment.

Chi Yao watched his disappearing figure, then glanced at his profile in the distance, carefully examining Li Qingjue's injuries. After a moment of silence, she said to Song Canghai:

"Uncle Song, let's go."

Song Canghai nodded and sighed deeply:

"Let's go."

He could tell that his two nieces were unsettled, especially Xuan'er.

But some things are beyond the control of outsiders.

Song Qiwen followed silently.

Song Qiwu also lowered his head and walked away quickly, as if something was chasing him.