**Originally translated by Incarneous, with edits
Ah Hu revealed a stumped expression. He did not understand the deeper profound meaning behind his young master’s simple orders.
Nevertheless, he carried out Yan Zhaoge’s directives to the letter.
And what unfolded confirmed that situation had been well within Yan Zhaoge’s expectations.
The young disciples of Broad Creed Mountain had started out at a disadvantage. Still, once Ye Jing and Sikong Qing arrived on site, they quickly gained the upper hand.
As both sides fought each other, the fight progressively got more serious. This group battle in the Sealing Dragon Abyss resulted in both sides drawing their weapons.
The Sacred Sun Clan was a Sacred Ground on the same level as or perhaps even superior to Broad Creed Mountain. Their young disciples at the Body Refinement realm would only dare enter a danger zone like the Dragon Sealing Abyss for tempering purposes. Those that came were all major talents with strength surpassing those of the same age and cultivation realm.
For this very reason, their clan was willing to invest in them. Each of them were wealthy by average standards and possessed their own demi-artifact.
The most talented among them even possessed their own artifact.
There were only twenty Sacred Sun Clan members, yet they had eight low-grade artifacts amongst them. The moment they brought out these artifacts, the surrounding spiritual qi surged and a bright glow lit up everything within a hundred meters.
Then… these Sacred Sun Clan disciples were suddenly shocked stupid.
The sixteen Broad Creed Mountain disciples facing them each brought out their own artifact. In fact, a few of them actually had more than one artifact.
What followed was an earth-shattering collision between the two sects. Eventually, the Sacred Sun Clan disciples, who only possessed eight artifacts, fell in dire straits like a small sampan trying to withstand a raging storm, about to sink at any moment.
All the Sacred Sun Clan disciples were angry enough to vomit blood, “The Sealing Dragon Abyss is indeed a danger zone, but isn’t this Broad Creed Mountain too extravagant? They actually gave each disciple their own artifact!”
“Maybe they have some sort of special mission? But, who would send a bunch of disciples only in the Body Refinement realm on a special mission?”
“They’re not here for us, are they?”
“They have too many artifacts! A wise man knows when to fight and when to run. Let’s retreat and get revenge another day!”
The Sacred Sun Clan disciples retreated as they fought. Ye Jing, Sikong Qing, and the others pursued them all the way.
The combat advantage granted to cultivators of their level by artifacts was not small. Therefore, the Sacred Sun Clan disciples had difficulty even just trying to get away.
After a strenuous retreat to their temporary base within the calm central area of the vortex, they once again surrounded by the Broad Creed Mountain disciples.
The Sacred Sun Clan disciple who had caught the Light Spirit Cat laughed maliciously, “Very well. Does your Broad Creed Mountain want to go against my Sacred Sun Clan? This Light Spirit Cat is undomesticated. It’s not something you raised. I caught it, so, naturally, it is mine to deal with however I want. What right do you have to interfere?”
The female Broad Creed Mountain disciple who had chased the Light Spirit Cat to this place shouted back, “That little cat is close to me. I am going to raise it!”
The youth snorted, “I don’t see your name on it.”
The girl’s rage exploded, “You…!”
The leading Sacred Sun Clan disciple coldly said, “To provoke my Sacred Sun Clan over a single demonic beast, has Broad Creed Mountain recently grown stronger? Do not forget who’s the number one Sacred Ground in the Eight Extremities World.”
The Broad Creed Mountain disciples faintly knit their brows. Even though the Sacred Grounds were equally ranked, there was still some difference in strength between them. Currently, the Sacred Sun Clan who was flourishing the most had an attitude which was tough and tyrannical.
That Sun Saint Clan disciple said, “You guys are the newer disciples of Broad Creed Mountain, right? Inciting conflict between two Sacred Grounds; this kind of responsibility, is it something you can bear?”
With her ice sword, Sikong Qing blasted wind and frost across the sky, suppressing the artifacts on the other side till they could not make a single move. “A clash between our two Sacred Grounds is naturally something that I, a mere Body Refinement realm disciple of the younger generation, cannot bear responsibility for. However, the only thing I can manage and the only thing I need to manage is this sword in my hand.”
She seemed to have shown weakness, but her words, ‘a mere Body Refinement realm disciple of the younger generation’, caused her opponent to feel his face flush with fiery heat.
If Sikong Qing was a Body Refinement realm disciple who could not bear responsibility for a clash between the two Sacred Grounds, her opponent was actually the same. Where then had he gotten the qualifications to speak so boldly?
Conflicts between the younger generation of Broad Creed Mountain and the Sacred Sun Clan were actually commonplace. Each side had their own victories. Unless the matter was truly important, this type of thing would not easily involve the higher-ups of each clan. In the eyes of the senior generation, these conflicts were merely a from of tempering for the younger generation.
Losing a battle meant losing face. However, regaining face was a simple matter of winning the next battle. These exchanges would not easily lead to a full-out war.
A full-out clash between two of the giants of the current world would not be a simple matter. It would involve far too many things, and there were also the other Sacred Grounds watching hungrily on the side. This type of conflict would not easily occur.
However, should this type of conflict actually erupt, it would definitely unfold on a world-changing scale.
Ye Jing coldly smiled as he said, “You Sacred Sun Clan disciples can’t beat us. So now, the only thing you know how to do is bring up your clan?”
The Sacred Sun Clan had been at the peak of the world of martial practitioners in recent years. Their disciples were truly outstanding and thus had become accustomed to acting overbearingly when outside the sect. This was especially true of the Sacred Sun Clan’s newest disciples who were even more liable to run amok without fear. Their attitude towards disciples from Broad Creed Mountain and the other Sacred Grounds had gradually grown to be tainted with arrogance and contempt.
In previous conflicts between the younger generations, the Sacred Sun Clan had earned more victories than defeats against Broad Creed Mountain on the whole. The disadvantaged state they were currently in, therefore, had left them totally in turmoil and disbelief.
That Sacred Sun Clan disciple had been inattentive with his words. As such, Ye Jing and Sikong Qing had crushed him verbally.
However, he did not give up, snorting coldly as he said, “Heh. Today, you have more artifacts, so you’d better make sure we all die here in the Dragon Sealing Abyss if you have the ability. Otherwise, this debt will be repaid twofold someday. Do you think a mere dozen or more low-grade artifacts matter to my Sacred Sun Clan?”
The Broad Creed Mountain disciples only sneered in response, “Back before we were using artifacts, were you guys winning?”
The Sacred Sun Clan disciples could only seethe with anger. Before everyone had started using artifacts, their side had only been at a minor disadvantage. Who would have thought that after everyone had brought out their artifacts, the gap between the two sides had only grown wider, and they had ended up getting beaten up like useless grandsons. They hadn’t even been able to escape successfully.
In contrast, the Broad Creed Mountain disciples were greatly invigorated with their spirits soaring to unprecedented heights.
“This is all thanks to senior apprentice-brother Yan. The feeling of using equipment to crush people is truly invigorating.”
Just as they said that, the artifact in Ye Jing’s hand suddenly began to vibrate.
Not only him but all the artifacts of all the Broad Creed Mountain disciples also began vibrating as if in warning.
Then, a single figure appeared in front of everyone without warning.
Framing this person seemed to be over ten million sharp needle-like rays of golden light shining in concert, a dazzling display that incited awe.
As if in response, the artifacts of Ye Jing, Sikong Qing and the others flared with the light of spiritual qi. They rushed simultaneously to attack the person who had just appeared.
Sharp and pointy golden lights flashed and all sixteen artifacts along with their owners were forced to retreat.
Those sharp and pointy golden lights were like real metal weapons. When they collided with the artifacts, an ear-piercing sound was released.
The Broad Creed Mountain disciples felt those acupuncture needle-like lights gently pricking them. Then, their previously excited blood and qi suddenly stopped flowing. Their cultivation seemed to disappear like snow on a hot sunny day, making it difficult to gather any strength.
The dazzling light dissipated to reveal a youth dressed in a golden-bordered white robe. He stood arrogantly in front of everyone.
Without doing anything other than simply standing there, his presence was like an invisible field that pressed down on the surroundings, completely suppressing everyone present.
Then, his entire person became like a black hole, creating a large suction force, such that the Broad Creed Mountain disciples could not have distanced themselves even if they had wanted to. Instead, they were forced closer to him by the suction force.
The low-grade artifacts of the Broad Creed Mountain disciples had all been blown out of their hands from the earlier exchange. They were currently on the ground, flashing with a slight radiance.
The Broad Creed Mountain disciples wanted to recall their artifacts through their spiritual link but the artifacts merely vibrated on the ground, unable to move, having been suppressed by that newly arrived person’s strength.
That youth held both his hand behind his back and apathetically said, “This one is the Sacred Sun Clan’s Chao Yuanlong. Which Martial Scholar has your Broad Creed Mountain sent to lead your group?”