HSSB136: The third target
Yan Zhaoge carefully made adjustments to his Internal Crystal Furnace, once in a while getting Ah Hu to get some supplementary ingredients to add within as he carefully operated it.
Spirit artifacts, even damaged ones, also contained profundities within. Reforging these artifacts would not be something that could be done within a short period of time.
Especially when during this process, Yan Zhaoge was still carefully feeling for the profundities contained within, using it to corroborate his Internal Crystal Furnace controlling method as well as various artifact forging knowledge.
As time passed, the Internal Crystal Furnace shone with a brilliant light as the light armour was first to be successfully repaired.
Guiding it with his aura-qi, the light armour rose up from the furnace.
Watching carefully from the side, Ah Hu saw that from its outer appearance alone, this light armour was already completely undamaged, just that if one felt carefully, they would be able to feel that the spirituality within was still somewhat inferior to that of ordinary low-grade spirit artifacts.
However, it was still not something that high-grade artifacts could compare to.
Following this, that belt was also successfully repaired, its situation also much the same.
Ah Hu clicked his tongue in praise, “Young Master, even so, it’s already really amazing; after all, before this, they were already not far from the point of complete destruction.”
“If this were used on living beings, it would be close to the point of raising someone from the dead!”
Carefully appraising it for a moment, Yan Zhaoge nodded, “This level of restoration, is enough.”
Saying thus, waving his hands, the light armour and the belt sunk within the Internal Crystal Furnace once more.
Staring fixatedly at the Internal Crystal Furnace, Yan Zhaoge said to Ah Hu, “Ah Hu, speedily hand me the things that I passed on to you for safekeeping earlier.”
Roused by his words, Ah Hu hurriedly took out a giant crystal.
This crystal was in the shape of a shuttle, close to two feet long, bearing the thickness of a human arm.
Receiving the crystal, Yan Zhaoge placed it within his Internal Crystal Furnace and carefully operated it, before now receiving a special pouch from Ah Hu.
Opening the pouch, a blazing hot aura immediately assaulted, seemingly blazing even more mercilessly hot than flames themselves.
Looking into the pouch, one would see that it was completely red within, resembling flames, also resembling rock, also resembling flowing water!
An existence that resembled lava, it was precisely the precious treasure that Yan Zhaoge had specifically asked Yan Di to get back from the Fire Domain, the Underground Fire Pith!
This item was rare beyond compare, being an extremely limited resource in the Fire Domain, with the Sacred Sun Clan having basically restricted its outflow.
In terms of significance, the Underground Fire Pith wasn’t as significant to the Sacred Sun Clan as Thunderbolt Soul Jade was to the Heavenly Thunder Hall and Giant Spirit Magnetite was to Infinite Boundless Mountain.
However, what couldn’t be helped was that the production rate of this Underground Fire Pith itself was just too low.
Unless Broad Creed Mountain assaulted the Fire Domain this time, it would be very difficult for Yan Zhaoge to obtain Underground Fire Pith from any other sources.
After Yan Zhaoge added the Underground Fire Pith into the Internal Crystal Furnace and operated it even more carefully than before, the Internal Crystal Furnace began to vibrate intensely.
After a long time, a precious light suddenly shot up into the sky.
Yan Zhaoge clapped his hands, “Good! Underground Splitting Shuttle, achieved!”
Catching Ah Hu looking at the Internal Crystal Furnace somewhat curiously from the side, Yan Zhaoge smiled slightly, “It is not a spirit artifact, but if one wants to forge it, it would also be very difficult, with spirit artifacts being required ingredients for doing so.”
“I can’t bear to part with the wholesome Jade Dragon Sword and Radiant Sun Wheel, and I can’t just sacrifice your Black Nightmare armour, can I?”
Ah Hu gave a simple and honest laugh, “Naturally, using these two damaged goods would be a much better allocation of useless resources.”
“Right, counting the days, it should be the time for the Cloud Array Spirit Flower to bloom,” Yan Zhaoge said, “Let’s go, Grand Master’s Heaven Reversing Pill’s final main ingredient can now be obtained.”
In coming to the Mountain Domain this time, the unexpected gain Han Long’er aside, Yan Zhaoge had originally had three targets in mind, the first two being Infinite Boundless Mountain’s Giant Spirit Magnetite vein and Cloud Portent Mountain’s Yin Yang Cloud Spring, while the third was the Cloud Array Spirit Flower.
This flower was extremely rare, yet not highly regarded by the people of this world, because it was not of much use.
However, to Yan Zhaoge, this was an important alchemical ingredient required for his Grand Master Yuan Zhengfeng.
What made Yan Zhaoge relieved was that the Great Calamity had not forced the Cloud Array Spirit Flower into extinction, having finally pinpointed them on the East Strangling Snow Mountains at the border of the Mountain and the Thunder Domains.
It was only that just having made the discovery, the flowers had still yet to bloom. Therefore, Yan Zhaoge had still remained cultivating at Cloud Portent Mountain, waiting for the spirit flowers to finally bloom as they had now before making for the East Strangling Snow Mountains.
Infinite Boundless Mountain having snatched the Heavenly Thunder Hall’s Thunderbolt Soul Jade, the relationship between the two sides had broken down for good. Also, after Infinite Boundless Mountain had officially entered an alliance with Broad Creed Mountain, Yan Zhaoge had given a pedestal for them to step down from, completely making public the secret of the Thunder Element Revival Art, which the martial practitioners of Infinite Boundless Mountain could also use without him needing to do it himself.
Before he left, he naturally had to report to Fu Enshu.
Fu Enshu didn’t question further on Yan Zhaoge’s current target, simply nodding, “Our clan has already formed an agreement with Infinite Boundless Mountain as well as made the appropriate preparations; you won’t have to worry about being assassinated by Martial Grandmasters.”
“However, you must also take caution against the other side’s Martial Grandmasters making a move in secret.”
“The time for this time’s Heavenly Connection Meet is already nearing, and it has been decided that it will be held in the Lake Domain. Since you’ve decided to participate, this time, after having done what you’ve set out to do, you can directly make for the Lake Domain, meeting up with other members of our clan on the journey there.”
Yan Zhaoge nodded, “I understand, senior apprentice-aunt Fu can rest easy.”
Saying thus, he took his leave.
Fu Enshu stood with her hands behind her back. After who knows how long, Feng Yunsheng and Sikong Qing also walked out from the Yin Yang Cloud Spring.
“Zhaoge said that your relationship does not involve that between a man and a woman. Then, Yunsheng, has your heart been moved by him?” Fu Enshu suddenly asked mildly.
Feng Yunsheng was momentarily taken aback before she answered straightforwardly, “Other than gratitude, I also admire senior apprentice-brother Yan greatly, always having some sort of expectations of him.”
“Although he is still young, I indeed have this inexplicable feeling about him, like there is nothing he cannot do.”
“While he does not really look the part, he is actually very reliable. Being with him is also very relaxing, making me very happy to be with him.”
Although her life experience far exceeded others of her age, the Feng Yunsheng who was but still a rookie in the area of emotional problems found her thoughts still somewhat hard to grasp and describe, as she just laughed, “I feel that, it shouldn’t have reached that extent yet, right?”
“Indeed, it has not,” Fu Enshu said mildly, “Being happy and always thinking about him when together-this is actually still nothing much.”
“If at some point in time, after having separated, you still keep thinking about him, that is the time when you should be wary.”
Feng Yunsheng blinked, but, very rationally, did not ask why she would have to be wary.
Fu Enshu looked at Sikong Qing, “Sikong, how do you see Zhaoge?”
Sikong Qing pondered very earnestly for a moment before answering, “Much admiration, and also curiosity.”
“The matter of the Eastern Tang, and this this time in Cloud Portent Mountain as well, I also feel admiration at, but what I admired most was how returning to the Mountain this time, he defeated Lu Wen senior apprentice-brother Lu in the Big Dipper Sword.”
“While people in the past all said that although he was young and arrogant, easily folding when faced with setbacks, creating a masterful sword art of his own was worthy of praise, as I see it, it was more about knowing when to quit, sticking with the simple rather than grasping at the hard.”
“In the Eastern Tang, he caused others to view him in a different light, and returning to the Mountain this time, he defeated senior apprentice-brother Lu in the Big Dipper Sword; I greatly admire that indeed.”
Hearing her words, Fu Enshu gazed into the distance, murmuring in a voice too small to be heard “Xue Chuqing, I’m even more unresigned now…”
…………
As their trio was discussing him, Yan Zhaoge had already set off, arriving at the eastern border of the Mountain Domain’s Cloud Portent territory, with the East Strangling Snow Mountains already having appeared before his eyes.
On this snow-encrusted mountain range was eternally unmelting pure white snow. Here, strange beasts often roamed.
“The leading party should already have arrived?” Yan Zhaoge asked, and Ah Hu replied, “They already arrived earlier.”
While saying thus, Ah Hu’s expression suddenly changed.
Yan Zhaoge also frowned as he hastened his footsteps.
On a snowy peak, a group of people were currently standing.
Two black-clothed martial practitioners had fallen to the ground, hands supporting their chests and blood leaking out from the corners of their mouths.
Seeing Yan Zhaoge approach, their faces filled with guilt, “Young Master.”
Yan Zhaoge nodded towards them, Ah Hu coming forward to guard them.
The line of vision of the group facing them also came to fall on Yan Zhaoge and Ah Hu.
Scanning their appearance, Yan Zhaoge instantly smiled coldly.
“Oh, the Yan Family of Thunder Domain’s Zhao Region[1]?”
[1] Changed from Zhaozhou because of next chapter’s title