HSSB401: Ever so naturally the centre of attraction
The transcendent Painting Saint, Old Man Mo, had never participated in the conflicts between the six great Sacred Grounds before.
However, there was none in the entire Eight Extremities World who would doubt his power.
Even though the younger ones had limited knowledge regarding him, they too knew what a Martial Saint entailed.
The leaders of the various Sacred Grounds knew well how powerful this longtime expert of the same generation as the Exalted Heaven Shaker, the Heaven Diviner and the Purple Sun Martial Saint was.
As the oldest known expert of the current Eight Extremities World, possessing the highest seniority, Old Man Mo seldom moved, and when he did, he moved remarkably.
The invasion of the Flame Devils this time had been fierce beyond everyone’s predictions, to the point of the entire Outer East Sea having fallen.
Not just a single Flame Devil King on the level of a human expert at the second level of the Martial Saint realm had infiltrated into the Eight Extremities World, and having been first to arrive on the Outer East Sea, Turbid Wave Pavilion’s Pavilion Lord An, An Qinglin, had immediately been heavily injured.
Luckily, Old Man Mo had arrived in time. Otherwise, faced with that fearsome first wave of attacks that had taken them off guard, An Qinglin might have perished directly on the Outer East Sea.
Afterwards, Old Man Mo had also been a mainstay as he delayed the advance of the Flame Devils, not letting their formation be destabilised, re-establishing their defensive lines on the boundary between the Outer and Inner East Seas and holding on till the other experts of the human race had arrived to reinforce them, thereby setting up a foundation for their counterattack.
It was only having been surrounded and attacked by many Flame Devils amidst this that Old Man Mo had been injured.
However, harbouring injuries, he had still participated in the counterattack on the Outer East Sea afterwards.
With the underground Fire Pith Veins having erupted, the East Sea in flames, Old Man Mo had persisted on, remaining behind as he joined hands with Yuan Zhengfeng and the others in clashing with the Flame Devils, all the way till that final all-out attack in which they chased the Flame Devils out of the Eight Extremities World.
After Huang Guanglie had successfully advanced, breaking through into the second stage of the Martial Saint realm, many had felt that he might be the current number one expert of the Eight Extremities World.
However, following the battle at the East Sea, the mysterious Old Man Mo whose abilities no one was able to see through had finally gone out with his full strength.
Thereby letting everyone know that while he was the person of the six great Sacred Grounds with the highest cultivation base, Huang Guanglie could still not be considered the strongest of the entire Eight Extremities World.
Therefore, the weight of the words of a peak expert like Old Man Mo could only be imagined.
Especially when with this old man’s seniority and age, even Yuan Zhengfeng, Huang Guanglie and the others could only be considered juniors.
His praise of Yan Zhaoge had not been from a lofty vantage point, rather having carried some feelings of eager anticipation.
As everyone knew, other than the Exalted Heaven Shaker Zhan Dongge and the Heaven Diviner Zhan Xilou of Broad Creed Mountain in the past, whom he had rather praised, whether it was juniors or those of the same generation, Old Man Mo’s words were as precious as gold as he never evaluated those of the six great Sacred Grounds.
Today, however, such an honour had landed on a youth who was but close to twenty years of age.
And what left everyone with mixed, complicated feelings was that upon hearing Old Man Mo’s words, while they found it to be unexpected, none of them felt like they could raise any objections to it at all.
It was not because of Old Man Mo’s strength and position, but that they indeed truly couldn’t object to his words.
“Great Rider of Dragons, One Hand Raising the Sky. The future of Broad Creed Mountain’s Yan Zhaoge is immeasurable.”
As everyone slowly digested these words, while countless emotions and thoughts still filled their minds, they all vaguely had the feeling that the words Old Man Mo had said were but a natural thing.
Such a feeling that it couldn’t be any way else was what caused many to hold even more complicated feelings.
As the major battle reached its end, not only did Old Man Mo return to Verdant Pill Island, the human experts who had rushed over to participate in the battle at the East Sea set off on their return journeys as well, returning to their clans.
It naturally did not have to be said that having forcibly held on and participated in the battle whilst injured like Old Man Mo, Turbid Wave Pavilion’s An Qinglin would probably have to recuperate for some time in secluded cultivation upon her return before she could fully recover from her wounds.
The Sacred Sun Clan’s Huang Guanglie and the Heavenly Thunder Hall’s Shen Li were comparatively in better conditions. However, they did not linger as well as they returned to their clans.
After hearing the Heaven Striking Lord’s report, Huang Guanglie did not speak, just looking at Yan Zhaoge and Yuan Zhengfeng beside him before immediately turning and leaving.
The Heavenly Thunder Hall’s Shen Li glanced at Yan Zhaoge with a rather complicated look on his face, a thoughtful look deep within his gaze, next bringing along his Heavenly Thunder Hall martial practitioners in leaving the area.
As for Jade Sea City’s City Lord, the Jade Sea Martial Saint Song Wuliang, carrying the newly forged Sacred Artifact, the Jade Sea Pill Heart Sword, as he had battled atop the Outer East Sea, during the abnormalities with the underground Fire Pith Veins whereby the Flame Devils had held the battlefield advantage, he had battled with a Flame Devil King with strength equivalent to that of a human expert at the second level of the Martial Saint realm, having been injured as a result.
After the battle ended, he had to retreat to Jade Sea City to recuperate from his injuries.
In the invasion of the Eight Extremities World by the Flame Devils this time, Jade Sea City had stood at the forefront. Of the six great Sacred Grounds, it had received the greatest damage, nearly having been completely decimated as a result.
Luckily, the birth of the Jade Sea Pill Heart Sword had secured Jade Sea City’s survival. Still, their clan nearly having been destroyed, with Song Wuliang also having been injured, they would require some time to recover their vitality.
Most of the cleanup of the battle on the East Sea would also have to be handled by Jade Sea City.
Still, whether it was the great tribulation of Jade Sea City before or the final, decisive battle on the Outer East Sea later on, all of Jade Sea City was still extremely grateful and appreciative of Yan Zhaoge.
“I’ve got to return to Jade Sea City now to recover from my wounds. I’m sorry that I am unable to properly host you now. After I have recovered fully, I hope that senior Heaven Equalling Saint and Little Friend Yan will come to my Jade Sea City as guests,” Before his departure, Jade Sea City’s City Lord, Song Wuliang, gave Yuan Zhengfeng and Yan Zhaoge an invitation.
If it were anyone else, the onlookers would most likely believe it to be an invitation of Yuan Zhengfeng, with Yan Zhaoge, a junior, just an accompaniment.
However, everyone here knew that at this moment, Yan Zhaoge was similarly a guest Song Wuliang was inviting with all sincerity.
Of all of Broad Creed Mountain, those Jade Sea City’s Lord Song Wuliang might invite in person, other than Yuan Zhengfeng and the current Chief Yan Di, consisted solely of Yan Zhaoge here.
Yuan Zhengfeng laughed, “There will definitely be a chance in the future.”
Yan Zhaoge smiled, “City Lord Song is polite. I hope to be able to receive your pointers in the future.”
After having parted ways from Song Wuliang, Yan Zhaoge, Yuan Zhengfeng and the others also set off on their return journey back to Broad Creed Mountain.
Those who travelled alongside them included Fu Enshu, Sikong Qing and other martial practitioners of Broad Creed Mountain.
While the Flame Devils had been beat into retreat, their threat still existed. The various Sacred Grounds would still regularly station experts here at the Outer East Sea to guard against their next incursions.
Having been heavily injured in this battle, Fu Enshu was to return with Yan Zhaoge and Yuan Zhengfeng to recuperate back at Broad Creed Mountain. The position of the East Sea First Seat Elder would hereby be succeeded by another longtime Elder of the clan.
“I’m afraid that ever since the position of East Sea First Seat Elder was established, I’m the one who’s stayed in the role the shortest,” Fu Enshu shook her head as she smiled in self-mockery.
Yuan Zhengfeng said, “It’s indeed the shortest. If possible, Master would also not wish for it to be so. Still, it is not that I wouldn’t like you back at the Mountain. It’s that I wish that there hadn’t been such a large scale war on the Outer East Sea, that the Flame Devils had not stirred things up so thoroughly as they have this time.”
Fu Enshu nodded, “Your disciple also would not hope to have to leave the East Sea and hand over her duties due to injuries.”
Yan Zhaoge said, “It was because of me that senior apprentice-aunt Fu had to risk her life in fighting off the Flame Devils this time.”
Fu Enshu said nonchalantly, “Being able to quell the chaos of the Flame Devils is really the foremost priority.”
Yan Zhaoge appeared thoughtful, “The Flame Devils have been beat into retreat this time, but their effects on the global situation of the entire Eight Extremities World are long-standing. I’m afraid that it has only just begun.”