HSSB362: Winning without fighting
Not every young person could be like Yan Zhaoge, their names resounding throughout the entire Eight Extremities World, virtually known by all.
Even normal citizens who did not cultivate in martial arts, even while not knowing his appearance, had also heard of Yan Zhaoge’s name before.
As the most famed person of the younger generation, Yan Zhaoge’s name was as familiar as the sound of thunder to one’s ears.
Of the martial practitioners of the Eight Extremities World, other than those who remained completely hidden and detached from the rest of the world, even if they lived far out beyond the seas, most of them also knew of Yan Zhaoge’s existence, most having seen circulated portraits of Yan Zhaoge before.
Meanwhile, comparatively speaking, the number of people who knew Sikong Qing was much smaller.
However, this smaller was only in comparison to Yan Zhaoge, thus seeming that way.
In truth, with Sikong Qing having attended the Heavenly Connection Meet, as one of the newer rising stars of Broad Creed Mountain’s younger generation, the higher echelons of the various Sacred Grounds had already mentally taken note of her existence.
Meanwhile, the various first and second-rate powers had always closely followed the footsteps of the Sacred Grounds.
Sikong Qing possessed extraordinary talent, her appearance also outstanding, not something that one would forget easily.
Under such circumstances, if someone who looked almost exactly the same as her, even if they didn’t cultivate in martial arts, were to come before the eyes of these rather more important martial practitioners, whatever their gender, they would also be taken note of.
Excluding Broad Creed Mountain’s own Heaven Domain and the more than half of the Wind Domain that they controlled, elsewhere, other than in the Fire and Thunder Domains, if there were any such discoveries in the Mountain Domain of Infinite Boundless Mountain, the Water Domain of Jade Sea City of the Lake Domain where Turbid Wave Pavilion was, they would also communicate with Broad Creed Mountain on this matter.
With the outer seas such a distant place, at the same time also considering Old Man Mo’s existence, the Sacred Grounds were not inclined to spread their influence into the area, resulting in the area being comparatively enclosed.
Sikong Qing’s current influence was still insufficient that it might lead all the seafaring martial practitioners to know of her existence.
At the same time, if people like Ouyang Qi and Chang Ning appeared here, for those in the mainland as well as Jade Sea City of the Water Domain, it would be very hard to discover them.
Yan Zhaoge looked at Sikong Qing.
If it was as he had predicted and there really were countless similar yet also different ‘Sikong Qings’, many to an inestimable extent, and these people were all similarly aged and in the same generation, also placed within the Eight Extremities World, according to logic, it was impossible that no news had yet spread regarding this.
Yan Zhaoge felt that there wouldn’t be many like that fisherman, having been unable to enter the world of martial practitioners for some reason, silently remaining in the world of ordinary citizens.
If that was so, those many ‘Sikong Qing’s-where were they all?
Yan Zhaoge stroked his lower chin, “After the Great Calamity, what exactly have things become?”
Not counting the invading Nine Underworlds, the Eight Extremities World was comparatively closed off. Other than the passageway to the Flame Devil World, it was not connected to any other worlds, causing Yan Zhaoge’s understanding of environments other than the Eight Extremities World to be limited.
Yan Zhaoge shook his head, focusing on Sikong Qing and Ouyang Qi before him once more.
Looking at Ouyang Qi, then at Chang Ning, Yan Zhaoge couldn’t help but pull back the corners of his lips.
As he saw it, the Master and disciples had actually only coincidentally discovered the problem, currently still in the midst of deciphering it, not actually already possessing a clear understanding of it.
Yan Zhaoge shook his head, letting Ah Hu release Ouyang Qi. Afterwards, they set off, leaving the North Sea and returning to the Water Domain.
In having come out for tempering this time, by Sikong Qing’s original plans, she was still a long time away from returning.
Being brought along by Yan Zhaoge like this now, it went against her original intentions somewhat.
However, having experienced killing Chang Ning and then meeting Ouyang Qi, Sikong Qing’s heart was currently still extremely conflicted as most important for her at this time was to find a place to have a good rest.
It was not that Sikong Qing had not killed before, but killing someone who had the same face as you was truly not something that one did every day.
Yan Zhaoge looked somewhat interestedly at Sikong Qing.
While she had still not come to terms with this, she had not been soft in that critical moment of life and death. Sikong Qing’s will was indeed praiseworthy.
After all, Chang Ning had grown up cultivating in martial arts alongside Ouyang Qi, also having seen that fisherman’s corpse before.
However, that had been the first time Sikong Qing had encountered someone like that.
In terms of mentality, Chang Ning had been much better than Sikong Qing, not having hesitated to move at all, not finding it strange. However, it was not so easy for Sikong Qing.
Sikong Qing swivelled her head to look at Yan Zhaoge, hesitating silently for a moment before asking, “Senior apprentice-brother Yan, you have always been greatly knowledgeable. Have you heard of anyone with the same situation as me?”
Yan Zhaoge smiled slightly, “I have disappointed you, but I am not omnipotent and omniscient.”
“It’s just that the more you know, the more you will think about. At the current time, the clues we currently possess are still too few.”
Looking at Sikong Qing, many guesses flashed through Yan Zhaoge’s mind. However, most of them were rejected by him.
“Still, junior apprentice-sister, while this may be your personal matter, the matter might also involve the Painting Saint, Old Man Mo. Therefore, I will have to report to the clan on this.”
Hearing Yan Zhaoge’s words, Sikong Qing nodded, “I understand.”
As they proceeded, the purple light of thunder suddenly flashed within Yan Zhaoge’s right eye.
He swivelled his head to look into the distance, an expression which looked like he was smiling whilst also not surfacing on his face as he said mildly, “Ah Hu, you take them along first. I’ll be over shortly.”
Ah Hu gave a simple and honest laugh, “Yes, Young Master.”
Getting onto Pan-Pan’s back and leaving via the sea, they were far off in a matter of moments.
Yan Zhaoge’s hands were behind his back as he leisurely hovered above the sea surface.
Very quickly, a powerful aura appeared in the distance, a sword-light like a streaking rainbow slicing through the skies as it hurried over.
His hands behind his back, Yan Zhaoge asked mildly, “Are you of the direct lineage of the Verdant Pill Island’s Painting Saint, a disciple of ‘Collapsing Sea Long Rainbow’?”
His voice was not loud, but it seemed to reverberate between the surrounding heavens and earth, his aura high as the heavens. It was precisely a display of having cultivated Broad Creed Mountain’s direct lineage Clear Qi Profound Art to a very high, profound level.
The sword-light that resembled a rainbow halted, with a middle-aged man, an Essence Spirit Martial Grandmaster, appearing.
After carefully appraising Yan Zhaoge with a glance, this middle-aged man said slowly, “Do I have the Broad Creed Young Master Yan Zhaoge before me? I am Chen Qi, and ‘Collapsing Sea Long Rainbow’ is precisely my Master.”
Currently, while beyond the seas was out of Broad Creed Mountain’s control, as one of the Sacred Grounds, Broad Creed Mountain’s power was also far from ordinary.
Especially with Yuan Zhengfeng having domineeringly entered the Martial Saint realm earlier, and also Broad Creed Mountain having slaughtered and destroyed the Decimating Abyss before forcibly repelling the Sacred Sun Clan. All these had caused Broad Creed Mountain’s name to grow even further.
Meanwhile, Yan Zhaoge’s identity and fame also left Chen Qi unable to take him lightly due to his age.
Moreover, not mentioning Broad Creed Mountain behind him, in his previous trip to the Extreme Northern Snowy Plains, Yan Zhaoge had killed quite a few Essence Spirit Martial Grandmasters of the Heavenly Thunder Hall. While the Heavenly Thunder Hall had tried to cover it up, news on this had still been leaked.
Having originally already been domineeringly strong, it was even less so that others would treat Yan Zhaoge like how they would treat a normal Spirit Vessel Martial Grandmaster.
While Chen Qi was older as well as possessed a higher cultivation base, barely also considered as being on home ground, with Yan Zhaoge having suddenly appeared out of the blue before him, warning bells were also sounding within his heart somewhat.
Neither hurriedly nor slowly, Yan Zhaoge said mildly, “This Yan greets you here. To tell you the truth, I saw your Light Rainbow Sword sword-light, therefore guessing that you were of the Painting Saint’s direct lineage. Actually, I have something I’d like you to help me with.”
Chen Qi said, “Far from being polite, if you have need of help, Young Master Yan can just say it.”
Yan Zhaoge nodded, “I had a junior apprentice-sister who came beyond the seas to temper herself. Some days ago, I heard that someone had been finding trouble for her, therefore specifically taking a trip over here this time to check it out as her senior apprentice-brother.”
“I have already seen the place where the two of them fought. The martial art executed by her opponent was extremely powerful, virtually not inferior to the legacies of the Sacred Grounds at all.”
Chen Qi’s expression did not change, but his gaze was slightly unnatural as Yan Zhaoge smiled, “Beyond the seas, the Painting Saint reigns as sovereign, his disciples also commonly living beyond the seas, being extremely familiar with the situation here. I want to inquire-other than those descended from the Painting Saint’s lineage, is there such an expert here who possesses such a strong, powerful legacy?”