HSSB424: Wings grown on a tiger’s waist
As Yan Zhaoge gazed over, he saw that above those wagons that were carrying cages were awning shelters.
People sat within them, probably the demonic bloodline cultivators in charge of escorting these massive beasts.
Within the awning shelter on one of the prisoner wagons carrying the most powerful of the captured demonic beasts sat a youthful girl, wearing easy-to-move-in clothing, her features like a painting. While her accessories and makeup were different, her features were clearly exactly the same as Sikong Qing’s.
Seeing this ‘Sikong Qing’, the spectating crowds all let out great cheers, seemingly revering her greatly.
Yan Zhaoge crossed his arms before his chest, retracting his gaze, “Unless we kidnap her directly, we won’t be able to make contact with her now.”
Having experienced the matter of Ouyang Qi and Chang Ning before, meeting other similar people now, Yan Zhaoge could easily remain composed.
When just having arrived in this Floating Life World, he had still thought about whether there might also be a person or people of similar appearance to Sikong Qing in this world. He had just not thought that he would meet one so quickly.
Through reading the ancient texts and learning about the geography of the place, added on to what he had gained from conversing with the local children, Yan Zhaoge already knew that their current whereabouts were a rather remote corner region of the Floating Life World.
Yan Zhaoge did not have any view on this ‘Sikong Qing’ herself, just being rather interested in whether she might be carrying a rune on her.
“There were already four known cases in the Eight Extremities World; I wonder how many there might be here?” Yan Zhaoge memorised the crest on the girl’s clothes before heeding her no further.
They strolled around the city for some time more, trying to obtain what information they could.
Making vague guesses while listening to the conversations of others, Yan Zhaoge’s grasp of the language of this world gradually grew.
“This city is named Muzi City. Heading all the way north from this Muzi City, we will arrive at the capital of the Furan Kingdom, Kanghe City,” Yan Zhaoge said to Feng Yunsheng and the others, “We’ll first head to Kanghe City before deciding our next move.”
He paused for a moment before continuing, “Having arrived there, my grasp of the language of this Floating Life World should be more or less complete. At that time, I should be able to converse with demonic bloodline cultivators directly.”
Xu Fei said, “We’ll be fully relying on you. This time, we’ve all become mutes.”
Yan Zhaoge smiled, “You can all learn together with me; a bit slower is also fine.”
Xu Fei pondered for a moment before sending a sound transmission over to Yan Zhaoge, “Zhaoge, in my memories, your mother, Senior Xue, was intrinsically different from the demonic blood cultivators here. The martial dao she pursued seems to be the same as our Eight Extremities World.”
“Is it that she only began cultivating after having come to the Eight Extremities World, or…”
Yan Zhaoge did not reply. Now, he held deep reservations about whether his mother Xue Chuqing truly hailed from this Floating Life World.
Perhaps Xue Chuqing had been but a passing visitor with regard to this Floating Life World?
They headed north. In order to save time, on the way there, those with higher cultivation bases brought along those who were weaker in hurrying over speedily.
As an Essence Spirit Martial Grandmaster, the Immortal Crane Wings were no longer very useful to Yan Zhaoge. Thus, he just gave it to Ah Hu.
Ah Hu was rather happy, liking them quite a lot as he said happily, “Young Master, can this be considered as adding wings to a tiger? Wings grown on a tiger’s waist-that’s real cool, isn’t it?”
The corners of Yan Zhaoge’s lips twitched as he laughed, “Right, real cool indeed…”
As they gradually made their way over to Kanghe City, Yan Zhaoge became increasingly familiar with the language of this Floating Life World, having already attained a general grasp of it. While some of his intonations might still be a little strange, he was at least able to understand most of the phrases that were used in normal conversation.
He also gained further understanding on the situation of this Floating Life World.
For example, the Furan Kingdom that was their destination was just a small part of the Floating Life World located in its south.
Meanwhile, the Furan Kingdom and the vast territory surrounding it were all subjected to the rule of a clan known as the Blood Cloud Clan.
To the citizens of the Furan Kingdom, the Blood Cloud Clan resembled the divinities of the heavens as they held incomparably exalted positions.
Being accepted into the Blood Cloud Clan to cultivate was something dreamed of by everyone there, from the lowest peasants to the royal family of the Furan Kingdom itself.
However, if one wanted to become a demonic bloodline cultivator, it had to depend on their talent as well. Most of the people under these heavens were unable to bear the infusion of demonic blood into their bodies.
As for those who could bear it, differences also lay in the level of demonic bloodline their bodies could bear.
Great talent was required to become a disciple of the Blood Cloud Clan.
“Due to them residing in this territory, the normal citizenry worship the Blood Cloud Clan like divinities. With the Blood Cloud Clan always having been the overlords of the Furan Kingdom, their influence deeply set, it would be very difficult for us to judge from their evaluations what level of ability this Blood Cloud Clan possesses as compared to the rest of the Floating Life World as a whole.”
Yan Zhaoge said, “The world in the eyes of ordinary people and that within the eyes of those who pursue the martial dao are completely different. Having reached certain heights, one would be able to know the appearance of the entire world.”
“We need to establish contact with some real demonic blood cultivators before truly being able to understand the level of experts in this world.”
As Xu Fei walked, he said, “The place we landed in might have had clues left behind by Senior Xue completely removed by some demonic bloodline cultivators, and their cultivation bases would not have been low. The most probable would be the local snakeheads here, the cultivators of the Furan Kingdom or those from the Blood Cloud Clan.”
Yan Zhaoge snapped his fingers, “It is precisely so.”
On the other hand, Yan Zhaoge had also already learnt by now that the girl who resembled Sikong Qing whom he had seen back in Muzi City back then, based on her clothing and adornments, was precisely a disciple of the Blood Cloud Clan…
As they walked, they suddenly detected something as they all looked in a certain direction together.
There, fluctuations of power could be felt as a battle seemed to be currently underway.
As Yan Zhaoge and the others got closer to the battlefield, they saw a group of people currently in heated battle with a massive demonic beast amidst the numerous mountains.
Under a hill, a massive wagon had been overturned, the cage within broken into pieces.
Yan Zhaoge took a look at that demonic beast. It was a mutated python, with wings on its back and a horn on its head.
Having broken free of its cage, this mutated python demonstrated its great abilities, with those escorting the cages hard pressed to parry its moves as they had already suffered many casualties, currently entrapped within a perilous situation.
“It seems like a serpent of mixed blood,” Yan Zhaoge and the others exchanged looks, nodding in agreement, “This might be a pretty good opportunity for us.”
Having made the decision, Yan Zhaoge signalled to Ah Hu, who punched out towards the snake from far away.
A terrifying black storm agglomerated, its power condensed as it resembled a solid black lance. Flying out, it directly pierced through the body of that serpent of mixed blood!
The serpent collapsed to the ground, struggling with its final breaths.
Those escorting it could finally sigh in relief.
The wagon already having been damaged, while the serpent was just heavily injured and not yet truly dead, it was no longer possible to load it on and continue escorting it to their destination.
Therefore, Yan Zhaoge and the others saw them draw the blood out of the serpent directly before storing it. This way, while the spiritual qi in its demonic blood would dissipate greatly, not giving others the ability to cultivate in it, it would still be able to assist in other ways in the cultivation of them demonic blood cultivators.
The leading demonic blood cultivator now looked in the direction from which the black storm had come.
Seeing Yan Zhaoge and the others, he asked in the language of the Floating Life World, “Can I ask where these experts hail from?”