HSSB232: Apology gift or present?
“Head of the Lian Family?” Yan Zhaoge raised his brows slightly, and Ah Hu nodded in reply, “Yes, and that Lian Cheng was brought along as well.”
Yan Zhaoge thought for a moment, his face then turning a little strange, “They should have other motives.”
In the Great Western Desert, Lian Ying of the Lian Family had been instigated by martial practitioners of Black Nightmare Mountain to create a White Dragon Dread, attempting to do harm to Yan Zhaoge and the others.
Afterwards, Yan Zhaoge had not thought too much about this. After all, the primary culprit Yao Shan had already landed in his hands, and Lian Ying himself was already dead.
As Lian Ying’s words at that time might have negatively influenced Jun Luo’s reputation, as per Yan Zhaoge’s words, the Broad Creed Mountain martial practitioners had not spread word of what exactly had happened.
However, having nearly been harmed by Lian Ying with the White Dragon Dread, they naturally wouldn’t have any good feelings towards him.
Towards martial practitioners of the Lian Family, they definitely wouldn’t give them any good face.
In the Wind Domain, if it was said that they would still have to fight a little with the Sacred Sun Clan by the border of the Gan Region, with the Sand Region the longtime possession of Broad Creed Mountain, their control here was more or less the same as in the Five Regions of the Heaven Domain.
If Broad Creed Mountain lightly stomped its foot, it would be more than enough for the Sand Region to tremble.
Although it was just the dissatisfaction of the martial practitioners of Broad Creed Mountain stationed here in Suzhou City, the news very quickly spread back to the ancestral ground of the Lian Family, the Lian Family Fortress.
Having separated from Yan Zhaoge and the others in Suzhou City, not even having returned to the Lian Family Fortress, Lian Cheng had already been blocked by other members of his Family, and then swiftly brought back at rocket speed.
After hearing Lian Cheng’s narration, the members of the Lian Family all fell into a deep silence.
From a certain angle, it was Yao Shan who had wanted to assassinate Yan Zhaoge, therefore dragging Lian Ying in, with Lian Ying just an innocent person implicated by this incident. If not for Yao Shan’s assassination plan, Lian Ying would not have done such a deed, even having died.
However, from the other side, if Lian Ying himself had not been problematic, how would he have been made use of by Yao Shan? Why could Lian Ying become a dagger in Yao Shan’s hands and therefore an accomplice, while Jun Luo and Lian Cheng had not become Yao Shan’s chess pieces?
If one were to talk about innocence, Jun Luo and Lian Cheng were far more innocent than Lian Ying.
Especially when Yan Zhaoge’s group had even saved the three of them from a Black Nightmare Storm, with Lian Ying actually requiting kindness with enmity.
The Lord of the Lian Family Fortress made a swift and prompt decision, deciding to head to Suzhou City and meet with Yan Zhaoge to express his apologies as soon as he could.
In comparison to the Lian Family Fortress, the Howling Wind Sword Sect was already a mighty entity, and the distance between the Howling Wind Sword Sect and Broad Creed Mountain was only greater.
Let alone the fact that reason didn’t lie on the side of the Lian Family; even if it did, it also might not mean anything.
With the lofty position of the six great Sacred Grounds, it had never been as simple as merely speaking.
By comparison, Broad Creed Mountain and Turbid Wave Pavilion could be considered extremely easy to get along with. If it were the Sacred Sun Clan, the Heavenly Thunder Hall, Infinite Boundless Mountain or Jade Sea City, even if reason lay on their side, the opposite might be made out to be true.
Moreover, if not for Yan Zhaoge, Jun Luo would have died in Lian Ying’s hands. Other than Broad Creed Mountain’s side, the Lian Family also had to account for things to Elder Jun of the Howling Wind Sword Sect.
This caused the Lian Family Head to have the feeling of sitting in his home, with the feeling of disasters flying overhead everywhere, full of bitterness, yet having nowhere to express it.
But very quickly, he soon felt that if he acted appropriately, he might be able to turn danger into opportunity. Thus, he immediately brought Lian Cheng along, hurrying over to Suzhou City.
Yan Zhaoge did not refuse him, asking Ah Hu to invite him in.
Very quickly, he saw a rather authoritative-looking middle-aged man, bringing along a weak looking Lian Cheng, appear before his eyes.
“Before the Broad Creed Young Master, Lian Chongyi of the Lian Family Fortress pays his respects,” that middle-aged man first cupped his fists in greeting.
Smiling, Yan Zhaoge returned the greeting, “Fortress Lord Lian is polite.”
Lian Chongyi was the current strongest expert of the Lian Family, at the second level of the Martial Grandmaster realm, in the mid Spirit Vessel stage, already having condensed a spirit seed.
Arriving personally was a great show of his sincerity, but before Yan Zhaoge, he did not dare to be full of himself.
Let alone him, even if it was the Chief of the Howling Wind Sword Sect meeting Yan Zhaoge now, he could also not treat him in a casual manner.
Looking at Lian Chongyi, Yan Zhaoge nodded slightly.
In the current Extremities World, the martial practitioners of the six great Sacred Grounds were used to differentiating the various other powers as first-rate, second-rate, third-rate and even unranked.
Usually, those with Essence Spirit Martial Grandmasters were termed as first-rate powers, those with Spirit Vessel Martial Grandmasters were termed as second-rate powers, while those with Martial Scholars but no Martial Grandmasters were known as third-rate powers.
As for unranked powers, the martial practitioners of the six great Sacred Grounds generally didn’t keep them on their mind. An example was the Ye Family in which Ye Jing had been born.
Of course, there were the most of these powers, with them being as common as hairs on a cow as they populated every single corner of this world.
While powers like the Eastern Tang Kingdom and the Howling Wind Sword Sect were considered first-rate powers, with the King of the Eastern Tang Kingdom Zhao Shicheng at the fifth level of the Martial Grandmaster realm, a mid Essence Spirit stage expert, and the Chief of the Howling Wind Sword Sect at the sixth level of the Martial Grandmaster realm, an expert of the late Essence Spirit stage.
Those like the Lian Family Fortress, who had the mid Spirit Vessel Martial Grandmaster Lian Chongyi, were considered second-rate powers.
Generally speaking, the Acting Elders of Broad Creed Mountain stationed at second-rate powers did not have to be Martial Grandmasters. Broad Creed Mountain’s brand was already sufficient to protect their interests.
While Principal Elders that were stationed were usually decided by the strength of the various first-rate powers there.
For example, the Principal Elder of the Eastern Tang Kingdom, Yan Xu, as the First Seat Elder of the Eastern Tang Kingdom, had been at the fourth level of the Martial Grandmaster realm, with an early Essence Spirit stage cultivation base.
If Yan Xu had not been beaten to the point of near death by Shi Tie back then, Yan Zhaoge would not have been able to take him down so easily.
And the current First Seat Elder of the Howling Wind Sword Sect, Broad Creed Mountain’s Principal Elder there was at the fifth level of the Martial Grandmaster realm, with a mid Essence Spirit stage cultivation base.
In respect for the autonomy of the first-rate powers, the Principal Elders stationed by Broad Creed Mountain at their lands would always have a slightly lower cultivation base than their strongest expert.
But because of Broad Creed Mountain’s advantage in its direct lineage martial arts, its Principal Elders were actually not at much of a disadvantage, able to sufficiently secure Broad Creed Mountain’s interests.
Of course, this referred only to the cultivation bases of individuals, not considering the advantages of the first-rate powers where they were based. The first-rate powers still usually held the initiative there.
However, in every region, Broad Creed Mountain had First Seat Elders specifically sitting over the area. Other than conflicts in which other Sacred Grounds crossed the border and a conflict arose, it also guaranteed that as long as Broad Creed Mountain was willing, they would be able to suppress any uprisings there.
However, whether it was the First Seat Elder of the East Heaven Region, Elder Qin, or the First Seat Elder of the Wind Domain’s Sand Region, they were all Martial Grandmaster experts of the Essence Talisman stage.
Yan Zhaoge currently only had the authority of a First Seat Elder, while the official First Seat Elders of Broad Creed Mountain at least had cultivation bases of the seventh level of the Martial Grandmaster realm, as Martial Grandmaster experts of the Essence Talisman stage.
Lian Chongyi said, “It was unfortunate for my family, having produced such an unfilial descendant, bringing trouble to Young Master Yan and other fellow practitioners of Broad Creed Mountain. This Lian truly feels plagued by this, therefore having specifically come here bearing gifts of apology, hoping that you will forgive us.”
Saying thus, he retrieved an item, placing it before Yan Zhaoge.
Yan Zhaoge understood with a single glance, “Indeed, it’s not for gifts of apology-he’s come bearing presents.”