HSSB152: Meeting Zhao Hao once more
Keeping the map and jade, Yan Zhaoge asked Fang Zhun, “Second apprentice-uncle, senior apprentice-brother Xu is not with you?”
Due to various reasons, Broad Creed Mountain’s direct disciples attending this time’s Heavenly Connection Meet numbered only three.
From what Yan Zhaoge knew, of the others, Lu Wen had gone into secluded cultivation immediately after previously having lost to him in the Big Dipper Sword. Even now, he had still not left seclusion.
Other than himself and Sikong Qing, the other person who was participating in this time’s Heavenly Connection Meet was Shi Tie’s disciple, the ‘Heavenly Roc’ Xu Fei.
Fang Zhun said, “Xu Fei has already been away from a period of time, and is currently in the Lake Domain. He has already received the news, and will directly hurry to the location of the Heavenly Connection Meet.
Yan Zhaoge nodded, moving off with Fang Zhun and Sikong Qing, Ah Hu following alongside them.
From where they were, heading to the Lake Domain they would have to cut through the Earth Domain.
Luckily, from what had happened previously, while the Earth Domain was still all dead land, it had calmed down somewhat.
With Fang Zhun’s cultivation, not entering its depths and just passing by, it would still be fine.
Led by Fang Zhun, Yan Zhaoge, Sikong Qing and Ah Hu crossed the Earth Domain through the air. Looking at the roiling black fog below them and feeling that deathly silence, at the vast expanse of land that was hell on earth, the three fell silent, having the same feeling resonate within their hearts.
Having personally entered such an environment derived from the Earth Domain, the Sealing Dragon Abyss, before, Yan Zhaoge was not a stranger to it.
However, it was still his first time looking down on all of it from high like this, causing many emotions to well up within his heart.
“Looking at it, it indeed has something to do with the Nine Underworld’s Evil Devils. Here is indeed just like in the East Sea, where a rift tunnel that leads to other worlds exists,” Yan Zhaoge pondered, “However, over at the East Sea leads to the Flame Devil World, while here leads to the Nine Underworlds.”
Yan Zhaoge knit his brows as a hazy light flickered within his gaze, “The Nine Underworlds ah…”
As they headed south, a group of people suddenly appeared ahead of them.
The other party was also hurrying on a journey. Detecting Fang Zhun’s presence, they cautiously turned. Having recognised him, they instantly relaxed, halting and waiting for their party to catch up.
Looking over, Yan Zhaoge saw that the leading man was a green-robed Elder with a wild and intractable expression on his face.
Yan Zhaoge had also seen him before. It was precisely that longtime Elder of Jade Sea City who had arrived in the Eastern Tang during the War of the Eastern Tang that year.
Beside the wild and intractable Elder were a few young disciples, all of them spirited and full of energy.
Taking a look, Yan Zhaoge recognised them as the elites of Jade Sea City’s younger generation, some of whom he had even met in the Heavenly Connection Meet three years ago.
In participating in the Heavenly Connection Meet in the Lake Domain this time, Jade Sea City had evidently dispatched this green-robed Elder to lead the party.
Seeing him, Fang Zhun smiled, “Elder Chen, you are also heading to the Lake Domain. How come you are also moving through the Earth Domain?”
The continent of the Eight Extremities World was split into Eight Domains, the position of the Eight Domains generally as such.
Mountain, Thunder.
Wind, Heaven, Earth, Water.
Fire, Lake.
In going from the Water Domain to the Lake Domain, Jade Sea City could have taken the land route, or could also have also taken the sea route from the east. They did not have to pass through the Earth Domain like Broad Creed Mountain.
“Previously, I had just happened to be leading them for tempering in Hell,” That Jade Sea City’s Elder Chen replied, “With time being so tight, we just decided not to return to Jade Sea City. Directly heading south from the Earth Domain as I protect a few juniors is something this old man still can do.
Fang Zhun smiled, “Elder Chen is being too humble; of course this wouldn’t prove difficult for you.”
Looking at Yan Zhaoge, Elder Chen’s gaze was filled with astonishment as well as admiration, “Actually already a Xiantian Martial Scholar!”
“When glancing at you from afar that time in the Eastern Tang, I had not thought that your Central Heaven Region Yan Family had produced yet another true dragon, not just possessing astonishing talent in the martial dao, but also able to stir up this world’s balance of power.”
Yan Zhaoge bowed towards Elder Chen, “Senior over-praises me.”
“Still, are you certain that that Heavenly Thunder Hall’s hLin Zhou really knows my Jade Sea City’s One Line Edge?” Elder Chen asked directly, “Are you certain that it’s the direct lineage?”
Yan Zhaoge nodded, “I am certain. If Lin Zhou doesn’t admit it, ask him if he dares to perform the Blood Soul Recollection Ceremony; I am willing to accompany him in doing so at any time.”
“Replaying the scene of that time, with the discerning eyes of your clan’s experts, they would be able to confirm it on the spot.”
Elder Chen’s face was somewhat dark and vicious, “Huh, that fellow is hiding and not making an appearance, making it seem completely like he has a guilty conscience.”
Yan Zhaoge smiled, “Because he can’t deny it. If you wanted to prove it, it would be too easy.”
With a face full of densely packed dark clouds, Elder Chen gazed north, precisely in the direction of the Thunder Domain, “This matter cannot be considered over; it must be checked sooner or later.”
Fang Zhun said, “Since we have met, and are travelling the same way, if Elder Chen doesn’t mind, let us journey together.”
Elder Chen nodded, “Of course.”
The leading bigwigs of both sides deciding to travel together, their young disciples also met.
A big youth with rough features smiled at Yan Zhaoge as he remarked, “Junior Brother Yan has really caused much surprise and admiration over this past one over year.”
Yan Zhaoge was also not reserved as he smiled, “Low-key, low-key.”
Pointing at him, that youth laughed, “If this is also considered low-key, than what do you look like when you’re not being low-key?”
Yan Zhaoge smiled but did not answer, as he introduced the youth to Sikong Qing, “This is Senior Brother Ye of Jade Sea City, whose name is Ye Zhongzhou and people call the Black Dragon. He is twenty-eight this year. I’ve heard that he broke past a bottleneck some time ago, stepping into the mid Xiantian Martial Scholar stage, with his fist intent already able to form an illusory heaven and earth.”
“He is great friends with our clan’s senior apprentice-brother Xu, a relationship that was developed as drinking buddies.”
Of Broad Creed Mountain’s direct disciples, while Yan Zhaoge was not on good terms with Lu Wen, his relationship with Xu Fei was rather good, by extension also being familiar with Ye Zhongzhou, “Right, he has a rare beast known as the Black Water Mysterious Dragon of rather good quality. It’s just a pity that its owner is too lazy, always not caring to feed it properly.”
“Senior Brother Ye’s nickname also stems from this rare beast of his.”
Ye Zhongzhou pretended to stare at Yan Zhaoge with an angry and resentful look on his face, “I only have this little bit of background, and all of it was completely sold off by you.”
Yan Zhaoge similarly joked with a rascally look on his face, “Saying it to your face is being upright and honest; if you think that I said anything wrong, you can just correct me on the spot.”
Ye Zhongzhou shook his head in exasperation, “This guy…”
Sikong Qing bowed towards Ye Zhongzhou, and Ye Zhongzhou also introduced his junior apprentice-brothers and sisters of Jade Sea City to the two of them.
Together, led by Fang Zhun and Elder Chen, the party quickly passed the Earth Domain, arriving at the Lake Domain.
With such heavyweights like Fang Zhun and Elder Chun arriving, Turbid Wave Pavilion naturally brought one of their bigwigs out to meet them.
Coincidentally, just having arrived there, Infinite Boundless Mountain’s martial practitioners arrived just a step after as well.
His gaze sweeping over, Yan Zhaoge saw that of the Infinite Boundless Mountain disciples there, one of them was clearly Zhao Hao.
Looking at Yan Zhaoge, Zhao Hao’s gaze abruptly hardened, becoming cold as ice.
But what caught Yan Zhaoge’s attention more was a somewhat older Infinite Boundless Mountain disciple next to Zhao Hao who looked to be about thirty years of age.
The gaze with which the other party looked over was filled with aggression, even a bit of savagery as he resembled a fierce, bloody beast.