HSSB337: Hope
On the snowy plains of the Extreme North was a massive lake, the surface of the lake completely frozen over, but light vaguely flickering beneath the ice layer.
All of this just looked so calm, just that at the centre of the lake, quite a few people were standing on its layer of ice.
One of them was a youth, garbed in the attire of a core, direct disciple of the Heavenly Thunder Hall, despondence vaguely visible amidst his calm expression. It was precisely the ‘Thunder Rumbling Young Master Lin Zhou.
While his father Lin Tianfeng had died, the potential and strength that he himself showed was already sufficient for the Heavenly Thunder Hall to think highly of him. Because of this, his position within the Heavenly Thunder Hall had not really been affected.
Lin Zhou looked at the ground before him, a small hole already having been opened on the ice layer, the icy cold waters of the lake filled with a green light.
Not long after, a figure exited the water, jumping onto the ice layer of the lake’s surface.
This person’s entire body steamed, expulsing the harsh coldness.
This tall middle-aged man said to Lin Zhou, “This place is indeed strange, but the rumoured legacy of the Glacial Dragon Martial Saint is nowhere to be found.”
“Wanting to open up this place, some specific treasures might still be needed, or some special technique.”
The middle-aged man asked in a deep tone, “Lin Zhou, since you obtained this information, do you know any specifics?”
Lin Zhou looked silently at the lake of ice beneath his feet.
From his memories, the legacy of the Glacial Dragon Martial Saint should originally have been unearthed by that disciple of Broad Creed Mountain known as Ye Jing.
However, according to his knowledge, that Ye Jing was long dead. With it being an internal matter of Broad Creed Mountain, as a disciple of the Heavenly Thunder Hall, it would be very hard for him to learn the details.
However, various signs showed that this matter was most likely related to Yan Zhaoge.
Thinking of this name, Lin Zhou’s gaze flickered slightly, but very quickly regained its calmness, just having grown even colder.
Unlike back then with the burial grounds of Old Man Great Sorrow, where Lin Zhou had later come to learn of the specific proceedings and the various traps laid out within, Lin Zhou had only heard limited information on the legacy of the Glacial Dragon Martial Saint, just knowing its coordinates and position, only able to adapt to the situation on the spot having arrived where it was located.
His voice sounded slightly hoarse as he spoke, “Signs reveal that Broad Creed Mountain’s former Elder, Shi Tie, currently deceased, once made a trip here to the region of the Extreme Northern Snowy Plains and the East Sea close to two years ago. Broad Creed Mountain was also focused on the legacy of the Glacial Dragon Martial Saint.”
“Some clues perhaps lie within their hands.”
Lin Zhou stepped on the ice layer, “As the environment of the Extreme Northern Snowy Plains is special, the flow of the underground qi strange, the legacy of the Glacial Dragon Martial Saint left here resembles the swimming fish in the underground rivers, moving alongside the flow of spiritual qi in the area.”
“It is only for a limited time that it will temporary stay at rest, allowing us to lock down its position and search for it. The place it has stopped this time is right beneath our feet.”
Lin Zhou said, “Having waited for nearly two years, the people of Broad Creed Mountain have also been waiting for this moment. They will definitely come here looking for it.”
That middle-aged man frowned, “With the Sacred Sun Clan having obtained the Extreme Yin Crown, just having gotten their breath back, other than Turbid Wave Pavilion, the other five Sacred Grounds have fallen into an antagonistic standstill once more, no one daring to relax lightly. Whether it is our clan or Broad Creed Mountain, it would only be possible for a small amount of people to come here.”
Lin Zhou said softly, “Having after all held dominion in the north for so many years, our clan still has some territorial advantages. Sadly, this environment truly isn’t suitable for an ambush. Otherwise, we could sit at the tree and wait for the rabbit, waiting for those of Broad Creed Mountain to send themselves to our doorstep, obtaining the things in their hands and using it to unlock this place.”
The middle-aged man said with a sunken expression, “We are already in the midst of heavy vigilance and searching. Hopefully, they will truly come as you say.”
Yan Zhaoge and Ah Hu stood on the top of a small hill, gazing into the distance.
“We can only come here, and cannot continue approaching. Concealing our tracks in this place is rather difficult, unless our cultivation bases are much higher than the other party’s,” Raising his hand to his forehead, Yan Zhaoge muttered to himself as he looked, “From the looks of it, they are keeping up heavy vigilance.”
Ah Hu said with a bitter, anxious expression on his face, “Young Master, the environment here is too harsh. Wanting to sneak over and silently assassinate, the difficulty would also be pretty great. Most critical is that the number of people is not few, and while the distance between them is rather far, they lie just within each other’s fields of vision, able to provide support for one another if necessary. If we cannot take care of them all at once and word spreads, who knows that the Heavenly Thunder Hall does not have any peak experts here.”
Yan Zhaoge said, “They should not have Essence Talisman Martial Grandmasters. Having come here this time, it is currently a time of great tensions between the Sacred Grounds. Everyone has their hands on their swords and their bows at the ready, no one daring to get distracted at all.”
“As for Essence Spirit Martial Grandmasters, there might be some, but it would be hard to say what stage.”
Yan Zhaoge stroked his lower chin, “It’s fine for our clan and the Sacred Sun Clan, but the Heavenly Thunder Hall, stuck between Infinite Boundless Mountain and Jade Sea City, will not be having a good time.”
Ah Hu revealed a pained expression, “Young Master, could it be that news of our arrival north were leaked out, the Heavenly Thunder Hall purposefully sending out men to kill you here ah?”
“The possibility of that is not big,” Yan Zhaoge stroked his lower chin, “Right, while I cannot say for sure, it still cannot be considered too unexpected. There is someone of the Heavenly Thunder Hall, who has the possibility of knowing about the matter of the legacy of the Glacial Dragon Martial Saint.”
That final sentence was said at a volume that only Yan Zhaoge himself could hear, Ah Hu looking curiously at him.
Yan Zhaoge said, “The people of the Heavenly Thunder Hall are most likely here for the legacy of the Glacial Dragon Martial Saint.”
He gazed into the distance, “Its general position should still be very far from here. Why is the ring of surveillance spread out so wide?”
Ah Hu scratched his head, “Young Master, how do you know they are here for the legacy of the Glacial Dragon Martial Saint? And if the other party really is here for it, also knowing its position, won’t they already have gotten to it by now, beating us to the draw?”
Yan Zhaoge did not answer, instead smiling as he took out a piece of jade.
While that piece of jade was great in appearance, it already did not contain much spiritual qi, its surface smooth as no spiritual light emanated from within.
Weighing that piece of jade in his palm, Yan Zhaoge said, “They need this thing. The spiritual energy inside has already been completely absorbed by me, and the restrictions of the Glacial Dragon Martial Saint requires my aura-qi to open. Otherwise, they would only be able to slowly break it from the outside.”
Ah Hu rubbed his palms, “Then Young Master, do we now…”
Yan Zhaoge smiled, “No need to rush. With them all gathered in this region, there are also good points for us. It makes it convenient for us to go do some other things.”
Saying thus, Yan Zhaoge turned and descended the hill that was covered in ice and snow, bringing Ah Hu along as they circled around this region and headed elsewhere.
Heading east all the way, halting every once in a while as he silently felt the flow of the spiritual qi of the heavens and the earth in the vicinity, Yan Zhaoge proceeded on his journey.
Just like this, having walked for a number of days, Yan Zhaoge finally halted for good, standing firmly on the snowy plains.
He lowered his head and looked at the ice and snow beneath his feet for a long time. Then, exerting force with his feet, a large amount of the frozen mud beneath was shattered.
The layers of ice and mud broke apart, Yan Zhaoge dropping downwards.
After a moment, Yan Zhaoge felt as though the obstruction beneath his feet had suddenly lessened, the soil beginning to turn soft.
After yet another moment, Yan Zhaoge leapt upwards, returning to the snowy plains. Gazing downwards, within the crevice in the ground, boiling heat was actually rising up from within.
“Young Master, this is…” Gazing over carefully, Ah Hu found that a hot spring had actually been born within this land of ice and snow.
And the colour of the spring water was actually blue.
His hands crossed before his chest, Yan Zhaoge similarly focused on the blue hot spring below, saying softly, “This is hope for Jun’er and sister-in-law Yuzhen.”