HSSB408: The possibility of surpassing
Hearing Xu Fei’s words, Yan Zhaoge began observing Shi Jun carefully.
He saw that while the youth before him appeared cheerful on the outside, some weakness and sensitivity could be seen within the depths of his gaze along with a sense of restlessness and unease.
He resembled a little hedgehog that could prickle up its spikes at any time to protect itself.
While he appeared cheerful and mature before people like the two of them whom he was closer to and more familiar with, he was actually still just a kid at heart.
Yan Zhaoge pondered for a bit before sending a sound transmission to Xu Fei, “From my impressions, Shi Jun seems to be the more rash type.”
“As senior apprentice-brother Xu says, he has currently placed most of his attention of Sister-in-law Yuzhen, forcing himself to remain calm and mature.”
“However, he still minds the matter of senior apprentice-brother Shi. While he can understand the choice eldest apprentice-uncle made, he is very sensitive due to senior apprentice-brother Shi, minding greatly what those of the outside world think about him.”
Yan Zhaoge said slowly, “He might appear more hungry and in a rush to prove himself.”
Xu Fei nodded, “That’s right. Still, as a child, we can’t ask any more of him.”
Yan Zhaoge sighed emotionally, “That’s right. It really is all thanks to your exertions, senior apprentice-brother Xu, that he can understand what happened back then and empathise with eldest apprentice-uncle. That itself is already a very good thing.”
Xu Fei said, “It’s not about exertions or the like. I will still do my utmost in his future path.”
“Being motivated to rise in strength is a good thing, but excessiveness always turns out harmful,” Yan Zhaoge said, “If the blade of a knife is too sharp, you might accidentally cut your hand with it.”
“In the future, we’ll indeed have to trouble senior apprentice-brother Xu much on this.”
Here, Yan Zhaoge smiled, “Still, the hardest part having already passed, what remains definitely won’t be too difficult for you.”
He turned and appraised Shi Jun, “Still, Little Jun’er’s martial talent really is good ah; it feels like it is even better than senior apprentice-brother Shi’s.”
Xu Fei’s gaze turned warm as he smiled, “That’s right; it’s better than both mine and senior apprentice-brother Shi’s. I believe that he will be able to surpass the both of us in the future.”
Yan Zhaoge smiled, “Wanting to surpass one’s predecessors, just relying on mere talent is not enough.”
Xu Fei smiled, “Are you talking about yourself?”
Yan Zhaoge smiled and shook his head, Xu Fei keeping his smile and instead changing the topic as he thought of something, “Zhaoge, is there a chance for Sister-in-law Yuzhen?”
“There is, but it depends on fortune as well…” Yan Zhaoge sighed, “Sister-in-law Yuzhen’s situation is much worse than Little Shi Jun’s back then.”
“While it has improved greatly following the trip north, for her to make a complete recovery and awaken, numerous difficulties still exist.”
Yan Zhaoge pondered as he slowly said, “Over this period of time, I have actually been considering this problem as well.”
After a slight pause, Yan Zhaoge continued, “Soon, I will be making a trip to the Marsh of Illusory Sea of the Lake Domain.”
“I’ve heard that a strange phenomenon, Empty Spirit Rain Mist, occurs within the Marsh of Illusory Sea. If Sister-in-law Yuzhen can be bathed within, it might be effective somewhat.”
Xu Fei raised his head and thought aloud, “Oh? I’ve heard of the Empty Spirit Rain Mist before. Still, it seems like this treasure cannot be taken out of the Marsh of Illusory Sea or it will lose its effectiveness.”
Yan Zhaoge nodded, “That’s right. Therefore, we’d have to bring Sister-in-law Yuzhen over there.”
Xu Fei said, “I’ll take Little Shi Jun and go along with you.”
Yan Zhaoge stroked his lower chin, “While it is almost the period of relative weakness that occurs once every ten years, at the end of the day, that place is still the Marsh of Illusory Sea. It’s naturally fine for you, senior apprentice-brother Xu, but if it’s Little Jun’er…”
Xu Fei glanced at Shi Jun, “The ice coffin containing Sister-in-law Yuzhen’s body is currently under his personal safekeeping, kept within his Shadow Shrinking Pouch, not leaving his side for a single moment.”
Yan Zhaoge shrugged, “How about asking him whether he would be willing to spend a long period of time within the Shadow Shrinking Pouch as he is brought along with us?”
Hearing that it was in order to treat his mother, Shi Jun was naturally more than willing to do so.
Let alone staying within a Shadow Shrinking Pouch, even if he were asked to return to slumbering within that ice coffin once more, he would definitely be in complete agreement to it.
Looking at Shi Jun whose face was full of anticipation, Yan Zhaoge sighed inwardly a little, able to understand the emotions of the youth before him.
Having taken his leave of Xu Fei and Shi Jun, Yan Zhaoge walked within a forest between mountains. After a moment’s thought, he headed off in the direction of a mountain.
Having arrived close to that waterfall where Feng Yunsheng normally cultivated, Yan Zhaoge focused his mind and listened carefully.
Despite the rumbling of the water, with his hearing ability, Yan Zhaoge was still able to clearly distinguish that there was not just a single person currently cultivating within the waterfall.
Emerging from the forest, Yan Zhaoge gazed into the distance, seeing that other than Feng Yunsheng, there were currently two others there as well.
One was Ying Longtu, the other being a girl whose looks could still be considered to be of high grade despite not matching up to Feng Yunsheng’s.
As Yan Zhaoge’s gaze fell on Ying Longtu, his eyes instantly brightened.
Despite the interference of the torrential waterfall, he could clearly hear that within Ying Longtu’s body, his blood seemed to be as heavy as mercury, yet flowing smoothly as no resistance could be audibly detected with it in the least.
The youth before him whose childish air had still yet to fade had, shockingly, already stepped into the early outer aura Martial Scholar realm, also completing the second washing of the marrows within his bones!
Such a cultivation speed was virtually unheard of.
As Yan Zhaoge looked carefully over, he saw Ying Longtu standing stably beneath the waterfall, allowing the torrential streams of water to rush over him as they descended from the skies, each of his moves and techniques neither fast nor slow, performed distinctly and with force.
Ordinarily appearing a little dazed, Han Long’er currently appeared earnest and focused as spiritual qi actually seemed to overflow from within his gaze.
Beside him was the calm-looking Feng Yunsheng.
Currently, Feng Yunsheng was not cultivating in her martial arts, just sitting quietly there in the meditative position as she treated the descending streams of water overhead as if they were non-existent.
Yan Zhaoge had heard before that Ying Longtu’s current cultivation generally used Feng Yunsheng as a benchmark.
However long Feng Yunsheng cultivated, that was also the time that Han Long’er would spend cultivating.
When Feng Yunsheng did so without resting, Han Long’er would also not stop at all, not caring at all about whether he was able to bear it.
Yan Zhaoge smiled, swivelling his head to look to the other side.
The girl there was the Maiden of Extreme Yin Broad Creed Mountain had discovered over at the East Sea, Yin Liuhua.
Currently, she had officially come under Fu Enshu’s tutelage as well, becoming the junior apprentice-sister of Feng Yunsheng, Sikong Qing and the others.
With Yin Liuhua having been sent back to Broad Creed Mountain previously, as Yan Zhaoge knew, because Fu Enshu had remained stationed at the East Sea earlier, the responsibility of guiding her had fallen mostly to Feng Yunsheng.
With Fu Enshu having been taken off from the role of their East Sea First Seat Elder this time, having returned to Broad Creed Mountain, she would now be able to devote her time to properly teaching and grooming them.
Yan Zhaoge did not utter a sound, his hands crossed before his chest as he just silently watched the three beneath the waterfall.
As compared to the relative ease of Feng Yunsheng and Han Long’er, Yin Liuhua was evidently having a very hard time holding on.
As her cultivation base was not as high as the other two, such was still a very natural thing. Yan Zhaoge just watched on calmly.
After a while, Yin Liuhua was finally no longer able to hold on as she rushed out from beneath the waterfall, landing amidst the waters of the lake.
Floating up to the lake’s surface, she circulated her inner energy to dry her clothes before turning back and looking towards Feng Yunsheng and Ying Longtu with a slightly complex expression on her face.
Seeing her actions, Yan Zhaoge carefully appraised her for a moment, feeling the state that her body was in. As he gradually came to an understanding, he could not help but raise his brows slightly.