HSSB139: Thunder Rumbling Young Master
Not just those of the Zhao Region Yan Family, even the black-clothed martial practitioners of the Central Heaven Region Yan Family who had accompanied Yan Zhaoge here all revealed shocked expressions.
When a Heavenly Thunder Hall disciple clashed with an opponent with the battle being decided within the first few moves, he or she would generally have emerged the victor.
The longer the fight dragged on, the lower the chances of winning of the Heavenly Thunder Hall martial practitioner. Victories were usually in terms of speed, while defeat was generally from having entered tough, protracted battles.
Today, a Heavenly Thunder Hall martial practitioner had been speedily defeated by someone at the same cultivation level, rather than someone with a superior cultivation base-how long had it been since the entire Eight Extremities World had seen such a thing?
Yan Zhaoge stood where he was, unmoving. And it was now that Yan Shan’s severed arm, finally landed on the ground.
That right hand of his was still tightly gripping the Purple Gold Thunder Sword, which, possessing much spirituality, guided Yan Shan’s broken arm on its own initiative back to its owner.
However, just as the Purple Gold Thunder Sword moved, Yan Zhaoge’s Jade Dragon Sword followed, moving to suppress its motion as a streak of green light flashed past.
Shaken by that aura-qi, the fingers of Yan Shan’s severed hand naturally unclenched, releasing the handle of the sword.
Yan Shan glared furiously at Yan Zhaoge, “You…”
Yan Zhaoge’s expression was mild and as per usual as he captured the Purple Gold Thunder Sword with the Jade Dragon Sword.
Being heavily injured, Yan Shan was unable to concentrate, his communication with the Purple Gold Thunder Sword no longer smooth. Even while the Purple Gold Thunder Sword tried to struggle, it was still easily suppressed by the Jade Dragon Sword.
Yan Zhaoge said calmly, “You’re lucky; when you return, remember to thank Lin Zhou and his father.”
Hearing his words, Yan Shan was stunned with incomprehension.
Yan Zhaoge, however, no longer paid any attention to him. Keeping the Purple Gold Thunder Sword, he turned and walked towards the Cloud Array Spirit Flower, also waving his hands towards Ah Hu.
With a savage laugh, Ah Hu, along with the other black-clothed martial practitioners, walked towards Yan Min and the others.
The faces of Yan Min and the others all turned pale as they now remembered Yan Zhaoge’s earlier words. Even if they wanted to struggle in resistance, how were they these peoples’ opponents?
Ignoring the ghastly shrieks and howls of the Zhao Region Yans as well as the Yan Shan whose face was currently both angered and pale at the same time, Yan Zhaoge minded his own business as he went to harvest the Cloud Array Spirit Flower.
Leaving behind a ground of fresh blood, Yan Shan and the others fled in a panic.
The old man who was Yan Min’s guardian, ignoring Yan Shan’s unhappy expression, suddenly said before leaving, “The Thunder Rumbling Young Master is also in these East Strangling Snow Mountains!”
Upon hearing that old man’s words, Yan Zhaoge’s expression didn’t change in the slightest; this caused him quite some disappointment.
Ah Hu returned to Yan Zhaoge’s side.
“Young Master, when that Yan Shan moved just now, he evidently displayed an extremely strong killing intent towards you…”
While carefully harvesting the spirit flower, Yan Zhaoge replied, “Letting him return would still be of benefit to us. That severed arm of his-did he take it away?”
Ah Hu answered, “He did, and if he manages to get it done in time, it still has the possibility of being fixed back. However, as a martial practitioner, his right hand should no longer be of much use in the future.”
Yan Zhaoge said carelessly, “No matter, he trains in the sword. If his right hand can’t make it, the possibility still remains of him fighting with his left.”
Ah Hu scratched his head, “Young Master?”
“While cultivating at Cloud Portent Mountain, you gathered information as per usual, before reporting it to me,” Yan Zhaoge’s gaze hardened slightly, “Do you still remember which news regarding the Heavenly Thunder Hall we saw as worth paying attention to?”
Ah Hu realised, “Young Master, you mentioned Lin Zhou and his father just now…”
Lin Zhou was that young genius of the Heavenly Thunder Hall who was known alongside the similarly remarkable Yan Shan as ‘Lightning Flashing Thunder Rumbling’.
At the same time, his background was also extraordinary, his father being a Grand Elder of the Heavenly Thunder Hall who possessed great authority there.
Three years ago, in the Heavenly Connection Meet then, Yan Zhaoge had been hailed as one of the Four Young Masters of the current era alongside Lin Zhou, known as the Thunder Rumbling Young Master.
Unlike Broad Creed Mountain’s Xu Fei, Lu Wen and Yan Zhaoge as well as the Sacred Sun Clan’s Tang Yonghao, Xiao Shen and Chao Yuanlong who had basically been the most superior within their own age category, Lin Zhou and Yan Shan were really of the same age, the two of them having competed for ten over years ever since their youth all the way up till now.
Above them stood the two Grand Elders of the Heavenly Thunder Hall, who were similarly competitors.
Just like the Sacred Sun Clan’s Chief Huang Xu and the World Illuminating Lord of that generation before; just like Fang Zhun and Yan Di now.
Lin Zhou’s father and Yan Shan’s Master had also long been competing for the position of the Heavenly Thunder Hall’s next Chief.
Yan Zhaoge nodded, “Of the two, Lin Zhou’s father has always been at an obvious disadvantage. If no unforeseen circumstances occur, there is an eighty percent chance that it will be Yan Shan’s Master who prevails, and this result will also be seen very quickly.”
“If that is the case and Yan Shan wishes to die, I don’t mind fulfilling his wishes.”
“That way, of the Heavenly Thunder Hall’s younger generation, while it still cannot be said that Lin Zhou is completely unmatchable, Yan Shan’s Master will find it very hard to produce a young disciple who can contend with him within a short period of time.”
“Although the use of this is limited, it will at the very least improve the position of Lin Zhou’s father, preventing him from being defeated so easily.”
The internal conflict of the Heavenly Thunder Hall being even more of a stalemate and with both sides’ relationship increasingly likely to worsen was naturally all the better for Broad Creed Mountain.
Ah Hu nodded in understanding, “However, in recent days, it seems that the internal situation within the Heavenly Thunder Hall has actually seen a sudden change.”
“Lin Zhou’s father, continuously playing some brilliant hands, actually gradually got the situation more and more into his favour, his speaking power and influence in the Heavenly Thunder Hall rising straight up, even having the momentum of coming from behind to steal the lead.”
“The Thunder Rumbling Young Master Lin Zhou himself also suddenly improved in his cultivation, throwing Yan Shan with whom he had previously always been level.”
“The situation has now reversed, with Lin Zhou’s father holding much of an upper hand. If Yan Shan’s Master loses him as well, things will only get more unfavourable for him.”
Having finished harvesting the Cloud Array Spirit Flower, Yan Zhaoge stored it carefully, “That’s right. Suppressing the stronger and helping the weaker, causing both sides to be kept locked in a stalemate, is what we would be most happy to see now.”
“As for Yan Shan, he can first carefully get over his injuries before proceeding to properly train his left arm in the sword, following which his main opponent will still be Lin Zhou.”
Yan Zhaoge lifted his eyelids, “I have a sort of premonition that even if we inadvertently make things more convenient for Yan Shan’s Master, Lin Zhou and his father will only come to hold a greater and greater advantage.”
“The good days of Yan Shan and his Master, are at their end.”
Ah Hu was somewhat doubtful, “Young Master, why is that so ah?”
Yan Zhaoge said, “It’s just a premonition; I can’t explain it clearly.”
He handed over the container within which was sealed the Cloud Array Spirit Flower over to Ah Hu, “Keeping low-key and careful, making sure not to alarm anyone as much as possible, get this back to Broad Creed Mountain as soon as possible.”
After thinking for a while, Ah Hu said, “My target is also very obvious, and will easily attract the attention of others; why not you send someone else instead.”
Yan Zhaoge nodded, “You can arrange for it; just remember that this thing is very important, and has to be handed over to my father in person.”
Ah Hu agreed, and went to make the arrangements.
Seeing Ah Hu’s departing figure, Yan Zhaoge thought about how some things were inconvenient for him to talk clearly to even Ah Hu about.
Regarding Lin Zhou’s and his father’s sudden rise to power, it had not actually been just a prediction of his.
Putting together and analysing some of the information reports that he had received, Yan Zhaoge had actually had even more speculations.
“Lin Zhou, interesting…” Yan Zhaoge lightly raised his brows as many thoughts instantly flashed through his mind.
In the memories of his body’s original owner, in the Heavenly Connection Meet three years ago, Yan Shan, being in seclusion, had not participated, but the Thunder Rumbling Young Master Lin Zhou, he had actually met in person.
Still, at this moment, before Yan Zhaoge’s eyes, two other silhouettes vaguely took form, vaguely coming to merge with the figure of Lin Zhou.
“Disperse, and carefully search this East Strangling Snow Mountain. The Heavenly Thunder Hall’s ‘Lightning Flashing Thunder Rumbling’ both appearing in this place at the same time-there’s bound to be something up,” After pondering for a moment, Yan Zhaoge recovered and instructed the retainers accompanying him.