HSSB499: The lawless Yan Zhaoge
Whether your Evil Shifting Sect has or has not a Martial Saint or Sacred Artifact, you are already dead.
Even if you had a Martial Saint, I still wouldn't shrink back in killing you, much less be concerned over your Transcending Mortality and Essence Talisman Martial Grandmasters.
Yan Zhaoge's expression was calm and his tone leisurely, not carrying any killing intent whatsoever. However, his palm descended, directly shattering the set of bone armour on Jiang Xiong's body.
Jiang Xiong wanted to struggle, but Yan Zhaoge struck out with another palm, directly collapsing his skull and causing his brain matter to splatter, red and white splattering all around.
The bodies of all the Evil Shifting Sect martial practitioners instantly turned cold.
Not daring to say anything else, they immediately turned and fled in all directions.
After killing Jiang Xiong, Yan Zhaoge substituted his sword with his fingers as he struck out from far away, one sword-light after another shooting outwards as they resembled the stars of the Big Dipper worshipping the north together.
Sword-lights that resembled a descending rain of stars within a galaxy descended from the sky, penetrating the bodies of the Evil Shifting Sect martial practitioners straight through one after another.
Numerous corpses plummeted into the sea, leaving trails of blood in the sky behind them as the surface of the sea down below was rapidly dyed a dark red.
Yan Zhaoge strode out, his movements like a dragon and a tiger as he instantly arrived beside a late Essence Spirit Martial Grandmaster of the Evil Shifting Sect.
The other party's strength was far from comparable to Jiang Xiong's. Yan Zhaoge's sword-lights transformed into numerous green dragons, slaying him with ease.
Gazing back, the other late Essence Spirit Martial Grandmaster was swiftly fleeing in the opposite direction.
With him after all being a late Essence Spirit Martial Grandmaster, he was extremely swift as he had nearly fled out of sight in an instant.
Yan Zhaoge's expression was leisurely as not giving chase, he merely extended Heaven Shocker, pulling back its bowstring and manifesting an arrow with his true essence.
Thunder boomed as a streak of purple light whistled through the air, next exploding in the distance.
That Evil Shifting Sect late Essence Talisman Martial Grandmaster instantly perished.
Keeping Heaven Shocker, Yan Zhaoge now turned to look at Yang Chufan and the others who were still a little unable to register what they had just seen, smiling at them, "Let's continue with our earlier conversation. Can you tell me the way to Changli Mountain?"
As the totally shocked Yang Chufan, Fang Min and the others looked at Yan Zhaoge before them, they were all unable to speak for a time.
"The place we are currently in is the Bewildering Maze Sea. You will have to head southwards and pass through the Spirit Rhino Sea where my sect is located before being able to arrive at the Directionless Sea where Changli Mountain lies," Yang Chufan was the first to regain control of his faculties as he answered straightforwardly, "While these three seas are neighbouring, there is still a great distance that separates these locations. You would definitely have to pass through our Spirit Rhino Sea."
As one of the Seven Pillars of Good, Spirit Rhino Island was a massive entity just as the Evil Shifting Sect of the Six Evil Sects was.
However, Yan Zhaoge had simply killed the core figure of the Evil Shifting Sect, 'Dark Evil' Jiang Xiong of their senior generation, just like that.
Yan Zhaoge had also slain all of the other tens of Evil Shifting Sect martial practitioners here without even blinking an eyelid.
Yang Chufan already knew that the young man before him was an extremely vicious person. It was best that they of Spirit Rhino Island knew what was best for them.
There was never a place which lacked lawless people who cared not about the possible consequences, being completely willing to the deed and go on the run after. If you were stronger than him, nothing would naturally have to be said. If you were unable to stand against him, however, it would be best to maintain a harmonious relationship with him. After all, if you fought, he would not care about the sect that stood behind you at all.
There was only one life which you had. Coming into a conflict with vicious people such as these, even if your sect could exact vengeance for you later on, it would still be a loss for you no matter what.
Hearing Yang Chufan's explanation, Yan Zhaoge nodded slightly before continuing, "My Family and I live beyond the seas, being rather ignorant of the current experts of our world. I have only heard of the name of the Seven Pillars of Good and the Six Evil Sects before. Yet, what sects are there here, and what experts do they have?"
The Spirit Rhino Island martial practitioners all exchanged looks.
This was really no great secret, with any random martial practitioner of the Vast Ocean World all being able to easily explain it.
Finally, it was still Yang Chufan who answered, "The Seven Pillars of Good consist of Water Crystal Palace, Changli Mountain, the Blood Dragon Sect, the Myriad Sword Pool, the Spirit Returning Sect, the Blazing Wind Sect as well as our Spirit Rhino Island."
"The Six Evil Sects consist of the Sacred Evil Sect, the Dragon Slayer Sect, the Brilliant Thunder Sect, Green Snake Island, Soul Shocking Island as well as the Evil Shifting Sect."
"Of these, Water Crystal Island, the Sacred Evil Sect and the Dragon Slayer Sect each has a Martial Saint, while the Blood Dragon Sect, Myriad Sword Pool and Soul Shocking Island respectively possess the Sacred Artifacts Nine Dragon Fingers, Floating Sinking Sword and Soul Shocking Box."
Hearing this, Yan Zhaoge raised his brows slightly, "Water Crystal Palace?"
Yang Chufan nodded, "Yes."
He hadn't said some things, because they put his sect in an unfavourable light.
While the Blood Dragon Sect, the Myriad Sword Pool and Water Crystal Palace stood as the three strongest of the Seven Pillars of Good, Water Crystal Palace was comparatively the most powerful one amongst them.
Yan Zhaoge looked like he was smiling whilst also not as he pressed his lips together, switching the topic, "You seem pretty familiar with Changli Mountain. Has Changli Mountain produced any new experts in recent years?"
He did not directly bring out Xu Fei's name, instead intentionally bringing this up in a very casual-sounding manner.
Still, Yang Chufan nodded, "If it is Changli Mountain itself, there is none. However, there is a youth named Shi Jun, nicknamed 'Big Dipper Sword'. He's been one of the rising talents of our Vast Ocean World in recent years, seldom meeting a defeat amongst those similarly aged. He is a disciple of a guest Elder of Changli Mountain, and it is rumoured that he grew up in Changli Mountain as well."
While Yan Zhaoge didn't show it on the outside, he was actually feeling rather puzzled.
He had actually wanted to learn about Xu Fei. While he knew that Little Shi Jun possessed shocking talent, with merely a year having passed since then, how could there have been such a great change in his abilities?
Yan Zhaoge's heart jolted slightly as he thought of a possibility, now smiling noncommittally, "Seldom meeting a defeat amongst those similarly aged? How old is he?"
Looking at Yan Zhaoge, Yang Chufan also smiled, "While he is a little younger than you, even if he were at the same age, he would still definitely not be able to compare to you."
"I hear that that Shi Jun is twenty this year, and has already accomplished the outer aura Martial Scholar realm."
Yan Zhaoge said nothing, just thinking that this was indeed so.
The flow of time in this Vast Ocean World was different from that in the Eight Extremities World.
Thanks to the Eye of the Thunder Emperor and An Instant's Thunder, with his current cultivation base, he was already able to grasp the flow of time and its changes a little.
Still, wanting to compare the difference in the rate at which time flowed in these two worlds, it would have required more time having been spent in the environment here as he slowly made a comparison.
Now, hearing Yang Chufan's words and performing some mental calculations, Yan Zhaoge was already able to generally grasp that the rate of flow of time in the Vast Ocean World was around five times faster than that in the Eight Extremities World.
In other words, one year having passed in the Eight Extremities World, around five years would have passed in this Vast Ocean World.
Thinking about this, Yan Zhaoge sighed inwardly. To him, to they of Broad Creed Mountain, it had merely been some time over a year since they had parted from Xu Fei and Shi Jun.
For the two of them, however, they had already been drifting alone in this foreign world for many years.
However, hearing Yang Chufan's words, Yan Zhaoge was finally able to set his heart at ease regarding Xu Fei and the others. They were at least still alive, not having gotten into any accident, even seemingly currently getting on pretty well at Changli Mountain.
With this, he no longer had to worry.
Looking at the people of Spirit Rhino Island, Yan Zhaoge then turned to look at the barrier behind him, suddenly laughing, "In having been busy searching for Changli Mountain earlier, I passed by a treasure mountain but did not enter, having left empty-handed. I wonder what exactly it is that lies within?"
Hearing his words, the hearts of Yang Chufan, Fang Min and the others all thumped, somewhat bitter looks appearing on their faces.
HSSB500: Martial Saint legacy site
Yan Zhaoge looked smilingly at Yang Chufan and the others.
Yang Chufan laughed bitterly, "We only obtained the location and news of this barrier by chance. Having heard that there are treasures here, we came over to try our luck. As for what exactly there might be here, we are not very clear on it as well."
"Seeing you come out from the interior of the barrier, we had still thought that you might be able to tell us what lies within."
Yan Zhaoge spread his palms apart, smiling, "You don't believe that I came out of the barrier empty-handed?"
Seeing them smile ingratiatingly, Yan Zhaoge nodded noncommittally, "Alright. If it were me, I too wouldn't believe it."
"Since that is so, let me truly go for a spin within. Anyway, I already know how to go to Changli Mountain."
Yan Zhaoge leisurely turned, returning within the barrier. Behind him, the Spirit Rhino Island martial practitioners exchanged looks, smiling bitterly.
Fang Min smiled bitterly, "Whatever. If not for this Young Master Yan, we would probably already have died at the hands of Jiang Xiong and co. Considering that, we should instead thank him for saving our lives."
Other than her who was the granddaughter of the Chief of Spirit Rhino Island, Jiang Xiong having wanted to capture her alive due to her special identity, the rest would all likely have perished.
Yang Chufan nodded, "I don't know how this person managed to get in. However, he was within the barrier first. Whether or not he obtained any treasures earlier, he did definitely arrive earlier than us. It cannot be considered taking advantage of us."
He paused for a moment, "Most importantly, it's also not like we can stop him."
The other Spirit Rhino Island martial practitioners beside him looked rather helplessly at him, "Now that he has gone within again, what do we do?"
"Even if we go in, we will not be able to fight for the good treasures with him."
Yang Chufan said, "This barrier encompasses an area so vast that its depths are hard to ascertain. Just he alone could still be insufficient to account for and look over all of it."
"If we go in, fortune might still await us."
A Spirit Rhino Island martial practitioner asked hesitantly from beside him, "This person is very tyrannical and also ruthless in his methods. Will he snatch away the fortune that we obtain as well?"
Fang Min said, "No matter what, we should still try. It is a matter of fate if we obtain it and luck if we lose it. No matter what, it is still better than having died at the hands of Jiang Xiong and co."
Yang Chufan said, "Since it is fortune, it is often that it is not decided simply through strength alone. We must definitely strive for what we are able to strive for."
He glanced at Fang Min, "Junior apprentice-brother Fang is in the vicinity. Earlier, we were trapped by Jiang Xiong and the others and unable to contact him. Now, we will be able to establish contact with him. If junior apprentice-brother Fang is here, we naturally won't have to worry about the one surnamed Yan forcibly attempting to snatch what we acquire."
"At the end of the day, this person did help us. Our Spirit Rhino Island is clear on gratitude and enmity; we can just give him some rewards later on. However, this does not mean that we have to give way to him, avoiding him even while we are looking for treasures."
Hearing his words, the other Spirit Rhino Island martial practitioners all nodded, "Yes, this is how it should be."
Fang Min asked curiously, "Second Uncle has also come to the Bewildering Mist Sea?"
Yang Chufan said, "That's right. Send a signal and leave a message. Let's enter the barrier as well."
Currently, Yan Zhaoge was walking on the air above the sea within the barrier.
Temporarily not considering matters in the Eight Extremities World and also not having to worry about Xu Fei and Shi Jun, Yan Zhaoge could now concentrate fully on the barrier before him as he gradually felt something unique.
"Yes, this is interesting. This barrier is rather extraordinary, encompassing such a vast area yet normally being so deeply concealed, hard for others to detect as it is majestic yet also finely concealed. Such methods could not have been achieved by Martial Grandmasters."
Yan Zhaoge clicked his tongue curiously at this, "Instead, it feels a little like when I entered the old residence of the Glacial Dragon Martial Saint back then. Might this be another Martial Saint legacy site?"
"Yes, and one belonging to a Martial Saint expert who is proficient in the dao of barriers and seals."
Yan Zhaoge pondered as he progressed forward unceasingly.
He released a sword-light once in a while which shot into the skies. The sword-light seemed to vanish into the horizon, but undulating water-like ripples would quickly be seen in the clear sky up above which seemed to be completely devoid of anything.
Feeling the changes in the barrier as it was impacted, Yan Zhaoge unceasingly adjusted the direction in which he was travelling.
Yan Zhaoge did not stop the Spirit Rhino Island martial practitioners from entering the barrier after him.
As they attempted to follow him, Yan Zhaoge smiled, seemingly not caring about it at all.
However, while Yan Zhaoge appeared slow, leisurely and at ease in his progress, as they travelled, Yang Chufan and the others were unable to keep up with him as they were soon able to see him no longer.
After a long time of searching, Yan Zhaoge suddenly came to a halt.
Looking down from the sky up above, one would see a great stretch of vast, boundless jade sea, the sea's surface being completely empty as no islands were visible on it at all.
After observing the sea's surface down below for a moment, Yan Zhaoge suddenly raised his palm, slamming downwards.
His true essence condensed into a line, breaking through the seawater and heading all the way downwards. Going deeper and deeper, the palm-force finally landed at the bottom of the sea.
Yan Zhaoge could clearly feel an intense reactionary force emanate from the bottom of the sea that caused even his heart to feel cold.
"With a force of this level, it can't be wrong. This is a seal that was left behind by a Martial Saint," Yan Zhaoge raised his brows slightly as he watched the seawater at the sea's surface where his palm had struck disperse towards the surroundings, revealing a massive spirit formation at the bottom of the sea which glowed with radiance.
Light circulated about these spirit patterns, a powerful force beginning to expand unceasingly towards the surroundings, stirring up the sea water as a massive vortex was gradually formed.
As the vortex spun unceasingly with the spirit formation as its centre, the sea water all around churned alongside it, making for a rather majestic sight.
Yan Zhaoge descended, entering within the vortex as he headed towards the spirit formation at the depths of the sea.
The centre of the vortex and the spirit formation seemed to have broken through space as a door was formed.
As Yan Zhaoge stepped within the door, a foreign dimensional space lay before him.
This space gave off a desolate, barren feeling. Gazing within, all Yan Zhaoge could see was a grey, overcast world.
He was unable to feel abnormally abundant spiritual qi or some shocking power from it, just feeling that it was extremely dense and heavy.
Yan Zhaoge closed his eyes, his entire body's true essence circulating as streams of clear qi seemed to flow out of his acupoints before dispersing and expanding in an ethereal manner towards the space of this foreign dimension all around.
Where the clear qi went, it seemed to become one with the surrounding space as the situation within was revealed incomparably clearly to Yan Zhaoge.
His sensory abilities having expanded to their maximum, Yan Zhaoge still felt that this place contained completely nothing. It was such that he could not help but think that he might have come here too late. Even if there had been a treasure here, it had already been obtained by someone else before this.
"Huh?" Yan Zhaoge's mind jolted slightly as he felt a stream of clear qi seemingly having met with some sort of resistance, he having actually lost his connection to it.
Rather than feeling shocked, Yan Zhaoge rejoiced, a hint of a smile appearing at the corners of his mouth as he immediately headed off in that direction.
After a moment, a stone statue appeared before Yan Zhaoge.
The stone statue depicted a skinny-looking old man seated on the ground in the meditative position. He was seated all alone within this foreign dimension, the surroundings dim with no vegetation or soil present around him whatsoever.
Looking at this stone statue, Yan Zhaoge fell into deep thought.
Meanwhile, outside of the foreign dimension, in the region of sea enveloped by the barrier, Yang Chufan and the others were currently walking on the great sea.
Joyful expressions suddenly appeared on all their faces. They turned and gazed as a figure rapidly sped through the air towards them.
A majestic force that shook the heavens and the earth, its true martial intent being of Spirit Rhino Island's direct lineage, its corresponding cultivation base clearly being that of an Essence Talisman Martial Grandmaster.
Fang Min called out happily, "Second uncle!"