HSSB260: The old Chief entering seclusion
Seeing Yan Zhaoge’s casual look, Elder Liu felt angered.
It was precisely this youth before him who had wrecked the plans of him and the Decimating Abyss, also extinguishing his final hope.
Once, this youth had made him compliment a tiger father not begetting a dog of a son, being a compliment of the highest order for him.
But today, this youth had decided his fate.
Yan Zhaoge said calmly, “You want to use the lives and safety of countless people as the price for your own advancement. I will not evaluate that here. After all, it is your own freedom to feel that tens of thousands of lives do not match up to yours alone.”
“However, the other way around, with your plan having failed, you must naturally bear a corresponding price. Elder Liu, you should long have been prepared for this?”
“However much you underline your pain and helplessness as well as unresigned struggles, it does not change this fact.”
Yan Zhaoge smiled mildly, “Could it be that you want to tell us that you feel gaining what you want upon your success would only be natural, while there would be no consequences at all if you failed?”
Breathing roughly, Elder Liu stared straight at Yan Zhaoge.
Yan Zhaoge met his gaze calmly, his expression unruffled, filled with humour.
Yuan Zhengfeng waved his hands lightly, “Zhaoge.”
Yan Zhaoge smiled slightly, nodding to Yuan Zhengfeng before he retreated, no longer speaking.
Staring at Yan Zhaoge, his vision sweeping past the devilish mark on the back of his left hand, Elder Liu was taken aback for a moment, understanding the gist of the situation following a moment’s consideration.
No longer emotional, his gaze was instead even colder as he looked at Yan Zhaoge, “You, don’t be so pleased too early.”
Yan Zhaoge raised his brows lightly, an expression that seemed as though he was smiling whilst also not revealed at the corners of his mouth as he looked at Elder Liu, not speaking.
Yuan Zhengfeng sighed, saying to Elder Liu, “Junior apprentice-brother Liu, things having come to this stage, words are already useless. Like senior apprentice-brother Wang, do tell whatever you know about the Nine Underworlds and the Decimating Abyss. If Shi Tie has to move, it would not be nice for everyone.”
Elder Liu snorted.
Some gains were obtained from the questioning of Elder Liu, with Broad Creed Mountain gaining a deeper understanding of the Decimating Abyss.
However, what the entire Broad Creed Mountain was concerned about now was whether there were still others who had been corrupted by the Decimating Abyss and the Nine Underworlds amongst Broad Creed Mountain’s higher echelon experts.
Sadly, they weren’t able to obtain an answer for this from Elder Liu.
Like Elder Wang, at their level, their recruitments into the Decimating Abyss were all carried out individually.
Unless there were major incidents like that at Clear Concealed Lake before, requiring many experts to work together in concert, they were also unable to identify one another as Decimating Abyss operatives.
However, because Elder Liu was exposed, the carrot was pulled out of the ground, with the lower and middle-tier experts below him whom he had corrupted all exposed alongside him.
Leaving the Disciplinary Hall, Yan Zhaoge followed behind Yuan Zhengfeng and the others, the atmosphere amongst the group slightly heavy.
Fang Zhun said softly, “It’s my fault. Elder Liu has recently left the mountain a few times, also moving some resources of the clan, and those were all approved by me. After the incident of Clear Concealed Lake, I am still not vigilant enough.”
Yuan Zhengfeng waved his hands, “None of us know what is required for the setting up of Devilish Domain Grand Formations; you cannot be blamed for this. In approving the use of those resources, they were all what junior apprentice-brother Liu could normally move within his own authority.”
Walking forward, he swivelled his head to look back at Yan Zhaoge and Shi Tie, smiling, “You have done very well this time; it was all thanks to you. Otherwise, the Nine Underworlds would have descended in the defenceless core lands of the South Heaven Region, and the consequences of that would have been unimaginably disastrous.”
Shi Tie said, “It was Zhaoge’s plan.”
Yuan Zhengfeng nodded, smiling, “Right, Zhaoge has performed a huge merit once again. But my Broad Creed Mountain’s foundations have all long since run dry in rewarding you-what should I reward you with now?”
Yan Zhaoge chortled, “Grand Master, it’s fine as long as your intentions are there.”
They were not offended by that, instead all smiling at his words.
Entering the main hall of the clan, after taking his place at the main position, Yuan Zhengfeng spoke, “Other than the problem of the Nine Underworlds and the Decimating Abyss, something else has also happened recently.”
The old man’s expression turned slightly solemn, “There have been definite news that during this period of time, while our clan was dealing with those of the Decimating Abyss, the Sacred Sun Clan obtained a Purple Essence Containing Jade in the southern wilderness.”
Yan Di and Fang Zhun had already known of this, but it was the first time Yan Zhaoge and Shi Tie had heard the news.
Yan Zhaoge knit his brows. The Purple Essence Containing Jade was an extremely rare treasure, being even rarer than the Imitation Killing Jade. At the same time, it was already an object of legend, not having surfaced in this world for many years, usually thought of by all as completely extinct.
In terms of preciousness, it was much more precious than the Imitation Killing Jade, because it was extremely beneficial towards the cultivation of Martial Saints.
Having obtained the Purple Essence Containing Jade held great significance for the Sacred Sun Clan, because it signified that the possibility of the East Coming Martial Saint Huang Guanglie improving would be greater.
“A pity that the Extreme Yin Crown is currently not ours, and our attention is also continually being drawn by the Decimating Abyss,” Yan Zhaoge shook his head rather regretfully.
After Infinite Boundless Mountain, Broad Creed Mountain and Jade Sea City had formed an alliance, if any one of the three possessed the Extreme Yin Crown, as they kept the Heavenly Thunder Hall busy, they could send their troops to bear down on the Sacred Sun Clan’s World Illuminating Peak, at the very least also prematurely forcing Huang Guanglie out of seclusion.
However, with the Extreme Yin Crown now in the hands of Turbid Wave Pavilion and the Sacred Sun Clan having shrunk their defence perimeter around the World Illuminating Peak, their hopes of achieving this were very low.
Yuan Zhengfeng said, “Amidst our diligence, our opponents have also not been sitting around doing nothing.”
They all nodded.
Now, Yuan Zhengfeng’s sound transmission suddenly resounded by Yan Zhaoge’s ears, “Speaking of which, you still have another great merit. Yan Di mentioned to this old man that you also contributed to that Heaven Returning Divine Pill.”
Yan Zhaoge controlled himself not to look at Yuan Zhengfeng, retaining a look like everything was perfectly normal.
Of the entire Broad Creed Mountain, those who clearly knew of this secret were a mere few. Even by Yan Zhaoge, only Ah Hu knew of it.
Of those in the great hall now, Shi Tie and Fang Zhun didn’t know about it as well.
This could be said as the current greatest secret of Broad Creed Mountain. Other than those who were personally involved, only the old Chief Yuan Zhengfeng knew about it.
Yan Zhaoge glanced at Yan Di, warmth welling up within his heart. According to their prior agreement, the main credit would be given to Yan Di as much as possible.
However, looking at this now, his father still thought very much for him.
Yan Di’s expression was as per usual just like Yan Zhaoge, the father and son not revealing any abnormalities whatsoever.
Now, an old man and an old woman entered the great hall, precisely the two Grand Elders of Broad Creed Mountain. Another old man also entered, actually Xin Dongping who usually never ever left the Martial Repository.
At this moment, the highest echelons of Broad Creed Mountain currently situated in the clan, other than the longtime Elder of theirs sitting over the Heaven Sealing Gorge, were all congregated here.
Looking at them all, Yuan Zhengfeng slowly said, “You all already know of the matter of the Sacred Sun Clan having obtained the Purple Essence Containing Jade. Time is already not on our side at this moment.”
“Therefore, this old man has decided to soon officially enter secluded cultivation, attempting to break through into the Martial Saint realm!”