HSSB451: Someone different from others
Looking at He Ying, Yan Zhaoge's mind drifted away as for just that one moment, his thoughts flew off to who knows where.
Numerous images surfaced unceasingly, as though they represented the not-so-distant future.
Old Devil Yan, this world's temporary Great Demon King, ruled over the heavens with the utmost authority, tyrannical and arrogant, performing all possible wickedness, doing completely as he liked.
He abducted a beautiful young disciple of the Blood Cloud Clan, He Ning. A youth who had a relationship of mutual love with He Ning vowed to defeat Old Devil Yan, rescuing his abducted lover.
The youth had been totally useless in the past. Now however, due to some fortuitous encounter, he gained the destiny of heaven as he figuratively transformed into a dragon overnight.
While he was still very weak, his rate of growth was rapid. He had secret scriptures on his left, divine weapons on his right. Immortal pills hung by his waist, an old grandpa hidden by his chest.
The youth rose to power, finally successfully defeating Old Devil Yan and rescuing the distressed beauty.
His thoughts having momentarily taken a totally random turn for a time, Yan Zhaoge only recovered after a while, his gaze a little strange as he appraised He Ning all over.
Feeling Yan Zhaoge's gaze on her, while it did not appear any lascivious at all, He Ning still felt extremely uneasy.
Seeing this, the expressions of Luo Jinghao and the others all turned strange as well.
Staring at a young miss like this, it was hard for one not to think that you did not have any strange designs on her.
As he looked at He Ning, Yan Zhaoge actually very much wanted to ask, "Miss, do you have any close male childhood friend who, having been totally useless in the past, is currently on the rise to power?"
Still, he quickly shook his head and laughed.
Recalling some people and matters now, Yan Zhaoge was already no longer concerned about them.
Even if similar situations truly occurred, Yan Zhaoge would just do as he would do, remaining incomparably composed.
His earlier thoughts had merely been a sudden twitch of the brain as some entertaining notions had momentarily surfaced for a time.
He smiled, waving his hands, "You can go rest now. There's nothing for you for the time being."
He Ning felt completely mystified. Still, having no choice but to do what he said, she took her leave.
Looking at Luo Jinghao and the Chief of the Thunder Rumbling Clan, Yan Zhaoge said mildly, "You have performed pretty well in your errand."
The two both bowed, "You are polite."
At this moment, Yan Zhaoge was increasingly giving them a feeling of indiscernibility.
While the two dared not say anything else, they felt blazingly heated inside.
After the Blue Bird had arrived at the Jade Ridge Snowy Mountains, it had taken up residence there. Whilst completely shattering the hopes of those of the Blood Cloud Clan, this also left the two Chiefs completely certain that Yan Zhaoge truly had the ability to purify the bloodline of demonic beasts.
Otherwise, even if the Blue Bird was unable to defeat Yan Zhaoge, why would it take the initiative to stay on so servilely like this?
The Green Scaly Dragon bloodline of Green Dragon Mountain belonged to a mixed breed of dragon descended from the true dragons, while the Suanni bloodline of the Thunder Rumbling Clan was similarly impure.
If they could purify their demonic bloodlines, it would be extremely significant towards the legacies of their clans.
Not only would their current strength rise as a result, it would also have a far-reaching impact, benefiting their future descendants.
Luo Jinghao and the other martial practitioners of Green Dragon Mountain felt especially heated at this, because they knew for certain that even if Yan Zhaoge did not have the ability to strengthen the bloodline of the Green Scaly Dragon, he himself already possessed the power of essence blood of a true dragon.
Yan Zhaoge was clear on what they were thinking, but he did not mind this.
He had also gained a deeper understanding of the cultivation of demonic bloodline cultivators these past days.
"Purifying the bloodline is not simply a desire that appeared in people of this era," Yan Zhaoge said mildly, "Long before the Great Calamity, there had already been people hypothesising on this."
"After all, many spirit beasts of pure blood find it rather hard to birth offspring."
Yan Zhaoge's voice was casual, but it was like an imperial decree of the highest order to the ears of Luo Jinghao and the others.
Their gazes instantly turned earnest, not even daring to breath loudly as they just looked at Yan Zhaoge nervously and expectantly.
Yan Zhaoge continued, "Before the Great Calamity, there was an ancient technique known as the Spirit Cleansing Strengthening Technique which could purify the bloodline of demonic beasts, raising their strength."
He glanced at Luo Jinghao and the others, "I have indeed inadvertently obtained this technique."
Luo Jinghao and the Chief of the Thunder Rumbling Clan simultaneously stopped their breathing.
Having heard the words 'Spirit Cleansing Strengthening Technique, they had already understood.
Restarting their footsteps after the Great Calamity, the demonic bloodline cultivators of the Floating Life World had found it very hard to progress, only proceeding forward with great, painstaking difficulty. The legacies from before the Great Calamity were few, and those suited to demonic bloodline cultivators were even fewer, but they had still worked hard in unearthing the various legacies, searching for what would be useful to them.
Amongst them, the famed name of the Cleansing Spirit Strengthening Technique had naturally attracted their attention.
This was because the effects of that technique of legend on the cultivation of them demonic bloodline cultivators would truly be much too significant.
Sadly, following the Great Calamity, the Cleansing Spirit Strengthening Technique had been lost, merely its legend left behind. The martial practitioners of the Floating Life World could only feel great sorrow at this.
The Cleansing Spirit Strengthening technique wouldn't absolutely guarantee success, and the extent of strengthening would also depend on the specific situation.
Even so, it already left the very saliva about to drip out of the mouths of Luo Jinghao and the others.
"If demonic bloodline cultivators want to refine the demonic blood into their bodies, they must first have sufficient of the primordial blood to use. Afterwards, guided by a secret technique, the new blood will change, with the new blood and old blood merging afterwards."
"If they are demonic beasts, they can just attempt it directly."
At this point, Yan Zhaoge stopped revealing anything, instead saying, "As for how the old blood and new blood is to merge, you can analyse and draw out the process for yourselves."
Luo Jinghao and the others felt an insufferable itch in their hearts, but they could only leave for now.
After they had left, Xu Fei said, "We are set to return to the Eight Extremities World eventually. From the looks of it, Zhaoge, your intention is to raise the Snow Crane Sect up. If this Cleansing Spirit Strengthening Technique is provided to the demonic bloodline cultivators here, however, it might instead be disadvantageous to them."
"Even with the Dragon Bone Chain, the Snow Crane Sect still bears the risk of falling to multiple enemies. Green Dragon Mountain might even be the one who wants most to see harm befall them."
Xu Fei knit his brows slightly, "Are you thinking of handing the Spirit Cleansing Strengthening Technique over to Chief Su to keep charge of, thereby restricting the demonic bloodline cultivators? However, you must beware the possibility of them instead becoming a public enemy as a result, suffering a joint attack by the demonic bloodline cultivators."
"With the benefits presented by the Spirit Cleansing Strengthening Technique really being too great, some might think to risk it all as a result. There might even come the scenario of old enemies temporary setting aside their enmities, working together in concert."
Xu Fei was rather worried, "Ten years later, the dimensional passageway that connects our two worlds with the descent of the Ten Character Heavenly Rainbow might not open."
Yan Zhaoge smiled, "Your considerations are not unfounded, senior apprentice-brother Xu. Still, do not underestimate Aunt Yun. Her ability to maintain a stable and healthy relationship with the demonic bloodline cultivators is grasped very well."
"While we will have to leave soon just like that, I won't leave behind a rotten pile for Aunt Yun to work with."
Xu Fei nodded, "It is good that you have thought about this."
Swivelling his head over, Yan Zhaoge suddenly discovered that Feng Yunsheng was currently in a bit of a daze she looked at him.
Seeing him look over, Feng Yunsheng retracted her gaze rather embarrassedly.
Yan Zhaoge smiled, asking, "What, are there flowers growing on my face?"
Feng Yunsheng shook her head, hesitating for a moment. Then, rather than speaking, she sent over a sound transmission via aura-qi.
Her voice resounded by Yan Zhaoge's ear, "Senior apprentice-brother Yan, it may be a little impolite of me to say this, but looking at you, I sometimes get a very special feeling."
"It feels as if you are inconsistent with your surroundings. Even if voices have erupted madly all around, you will still be conversing happily with others. Still, you always seem to have a feeling of estrangement and incongruity about you, as if you are placed within two different worlds, being different from us, being different from each and every other person."
HSSB452: The whereabouts of the other half mirror
Yan Zhaoge was slightly taken aback as he looked at Feng Yunsheng.
He composed himself, smiling as he asked, "Why would you think that? It's the same head over the two shoulders for everyone-how different can it be?"
Feng Yunsheng shook her head lightly, not holding anything back since she had already spoken up about it, "It is just a feeling that I have. It may not definitely be accurate."
"The difference that I speak of is that sometimes, I feel that you, senior apprentice-brother Yan, are thinking about something that others are unable to understand."
Looking straight at him, she said gently, "Also, sometimes, while placed within crowds of people, I feel like you, senior apprentice-brother Yan, are detached from this world."
"At that time, you give off a very lonely feeling."
The smile on Yan Zhaoge's face did not ease, "Is it only purely just a feeling?"
Feng Yunsheng said, "Actually, this feeling has already seldom appeared in recent years. It is just that I had it again when you were looking at the Blood Cloud Clan's Miss He just now."
"Before that, the time when the feeling was most intense was back then at Cloud Portent Mountain of the Mountain Domain, when you were handling the Giant Spirit Magnetite Vein there."
Feng Yunsheng raised her head slightly, looking slightly out of it, "How do I describe it? It is like you've found a very great enjoyment, but this enjoyment is one that only you yourself can understand, therefore basking in it alone. However, amidst that joy, that feeling of loneliness and being different from others will come off as exceptionally intense."
"No one can understand what you are thinking-you seem to be different from everyone else."
While still carrying a smile on his face, Yan Zhaoge did not immediately reply..
He pondered for a while before smiling, "Is it because I said some strange things at the time due to that Zhao Hao guy? Don't think too much about. Everyone has their moments when they're thinking randomly about stuff. And you know me-sometimes, I really don't follow the mood."
Looking at Yan Zhaoge, Feng Yunsheng smiled after a while, "Right, that's true. Maybe the one thinking randomly about stuff is me."
Yan Zhaoge smiled, retracting his gaze.
Tapping the table lightly, while he was looking towards the distance, his gaze had no focal point as he looked a little like he was in a daze.
Looking at Yan Zhaoge, Feng Yunsheng suddenly felt that at this moment, that sense of loneliness and estrangement on Yan Zhaoge was intense as it had never been before.
It was intense to the point that her heart ached at seeing it.
Feng Yunsheng was startled.
Feeling the intense changes in Feng Yunsheng's emotions, Yan Zhaoge looked back at her.
Looking at Yan Zhaoge's face, Feng Yunsheng's emotions suddenly calmed as meeting his gaze that was peaceful as water, she felt some things.
The youth before her was not weak, and did not require the pity of those around him.
Having some totally random thoughts once in a while that would completely bewilder those around him seemed to be a form of relaxation as he adjusted his state of mind.
Thinking of this, Feng Yunsheng said nothing else about it as meeting Yan Zhaoge's appraising gaze, she merely smiled, "What, is there something on my face this time?"
As they looked at each other, the two smiled. Yan Zhaoge shook his head, refocusing his gaze.
Yan Zhaoge no longer let his mind drift as his gaze clear and focused, he got up and said, "We've already stayed long enough in this Floating Life World. Luckily, we already have clues to the whereabouts of the other half mirror."
Feng Yunsheng asked, "You already know where it is?"
Yan Zhaoge answered, "That's right."
The two having communicated via sound transmission earlier, Xu Fei, Ah Hu, Ying Longtu and Su Yun had not been privy to the contents of their conversation at all.
However, everyone could more or less feel that the air between Yan Zhaoge and Feng Yunsheng had been a little delicate earlier.
While they felt a little curious, none of them had the intention of prying into Yan Zhaoge's matters.
"Aunt Yun, please help me to verify where exactly that location is," Saying thus, Yan Zhaoge then went together with Su Yun into the Snow Crane Sect's ancestral temple, entering the small scale foreign dimension there."
Currently, the crevice on the rock had had its other half completely filled by water, depicting a complete, stable scene together with the half mirror that was inserted within.
Within the image, there were lush mountains and clear water with a waterfall descending from high above, the scenery being rather exquisite.
Su Yun recognised it with just a single glance, "It's the waterfall region by Yaochen Mountain of the Huoqin Mountain Range in the east with Beilu Mountain as its main peak."
Yan Zhaoge nodded, "Since that is so, I will first be making a trip to Yaochen Mountain."
Su Yun sighed, "Young Master, you are about to leave this Floating Life World?"
Yan Zhaoge said, "You should reconsider my earlier suggestion, Aunt Yun. While the current global situation of my Eight Extremities World cannot be considered stable, there would be no problems were the Snow Crane Sect to move over there."
"The circulation of the spiritual qi in the earth veins of the Floating Life World is really too unfriendly for qi cultivators here."
"While you and Rong'er won't be affected, if your other disciples are to accomplish anything in the martial dao of qi cultivation, it is not suitable for them to remain in the Floating Life World."
Su Yun smiled, "In having founded the Snow Crane Sect, my intentions were to leave Lady's legacy behind. I would naturally be happy to see my disciples developing properly on the path of the martial dao in the long term. After all, all those here who have been able to persist and stay on are firmly devoted to the martial dao."
"If they remain in the Floating Life World, it would indeed be holding them back. Young Master, why not look over and bring away all those of them who capture your eye. I will also not forbid them from switching over and joining the clan that you, Young Master, are in instead."
"Still, I will not be leaving. My husband is a demonic bloodline cultivator, with the Floating Life World being the place that is suitable for him to cultivate in. It is the same for Rong'er's husband as well. I've asked her, and she is also willing to stay."
"With the two of us possessing the Living Source Physique, our cultivation will not be held back as a result," Here, Su Yun sighed, "It's just a pity for Chang'en and the others, who are actually rather talented."
Yan Zhaoge nodded slightly, "The Body Refinement realm and the Martial Scholar realm, especially before the Xiantian Martial Scholar stage, emphasise on the tempering of the qi and blood. If one is held back for too long or starts too late, however talented they are, it would also have been wasted. After all, as normal people grow older, their qi and blood continually deteriorate."
Martial cultivation could not be begun too early on, or it would instead harm one's foundations.
However, it was also not okay to start cultivating at too high an age. There were indeed those who had risen up to prominence later on, but all those common examples had actually not started off too late.
Long before the Great Calamity, it had already long been said that if one did not become a Martial Scholar by the age of thirty, they would not reach the Martial Grandmaster realm by the end of their lives.
It had already been so during that flourishing martial era, much less now.
Yan Zhaoge and his fellow disciples naturally did not have to worry about this. Those who were able to enter Broad Creed Mountain would all be geniuses with regard to the outside world. Coupled with the clan's great legacies as well as abundant resources, it would instead be a little harder not to have any accomplishments.
However, for the first-rate, second-rate or even inferior powers outside of Broad Creed Mountain, for many small sects, martial centres and families scattered all around the world, being as many as the hairs on the back of a cow, reaching the Martial Scholar realm by the age of thirty was a very lofty goal that they all aspired towards.
Other than Su Yun and her daughter who possessed the Living Source Physique, the other Floating Life World martial practitioners who walked the path of qi cultivation would all have to face this problem as well.
Yan Zhaoge said, "You can rest easy, Aunt Yun. If your Snow Crane Sect disciples accompany me in leaving the Floating Life World, I will make the proper arrangements for them."
"Now, I'll first be heading off to Yaochen Mountain."