HSSB462: A major incident
Zhang Yao said, “The Extreme Yin Crown that is currently grasped by the Sacred Sun Clan left for the Water Domain under Senior Sister Meng, Meng Wan’s control. Infinite Boundless Mountain’s Chief, the Northern Peak Towering Heaven Old Senior Chu, also left his Mountain along with the Sacred Artifact, the Heaven Cleaving Axe.”
Speaking of the Sacred Sun Clan having advanced on Jade Sea City with the Extreme Yin Crown, Zhang Yao sighed.
Yan Zhaoge appeared as per usual as he asked, “Is there anything else?”
“Also,” Zhang Yao’s spirits rose greatly, “Your father, Chief Yan, had a great battle in the borderlands between the Water and Thunder Domains with the Green Thunder Martial Saint of the Heavenly Thunder Hall.”
“While not carrying a Sacred Artifact and not bolstered by the power of a formation, your father battled the Green Thunder Martial Saint head-on just based on his cultivation base as a Martial Grandmaster. While the Water Domain was right before the eyes of the Green Thunder Martial Saint, he was unable to advance a single step!”
Hearing her words, Ah Hu instantly smiled to the point where his eyes could not be seen as he chuckled with joy.
Feng Yunsheng and Ying Longtu had on looks of admiration as well.
It was only Yan Zhaoge who didn’t seem surprised as he just smiled, asking, “What happened in the end?”
The joy on Zhang Yao’s face disappeared as her gaze gradually turned solemn, “Before victory had been decided between the two, something else suddenly happened that broke off this great battle.”
She sucked in a deep breath, a look of deep fear appearing within her pupils, “It was not just the battle between your father and the Green Thunder Martial Saint which ended. The battle between your clan’s Heaven Equalling Saint and the Sacred Sun Clan’s East Coming Martial Saint was brought to a halt as well.”
“The standoff between the Extreme Yin Crown and the Heaven Cleaving Axe too could only come to an end.”
Hearing her words, Yan Zhaoge’s eyes narrowed into slits.
Zhang Yao said in a heavy tone, “An intense disturbance occurred over at the Earth Domain, involving the entire Domain and even spreading out towards regions in the surrounding area.”
“It is rumoured that a terrifying aura emanated from within the Earth Domain, with tragic wails that shake one’s very soul emanating from within as well.”
Amidst Zhang Yao’s words, deep fear could be seen within her gaze, “Other than your clan’s Heaven Equalling Saint and the Sacred Sun Clan’s East Coming Martial Saint, all others who were in the Earth Domain at the time instantly died on the spot!”
While they had not been there themselves, Yan Zhaoge and the others felt a chill run up their spines.
The Earth Domain was vast, being virtually as large as the Heaven Domain that was ruled by Broad Creed Mountain.
While the Earth Domain was one of the six great danger grounds of the Eight Extremities World, there were also many special things produced in that place which could not be obtained elsewhere.
Therefore, there would always be those who risked entering within. This included many powerful Martial Grandmasters as well.
However, as soon as that tide assaulted, the people within were like solitary vessels within the vast sea suddenly faced with a tsunami of the entire vast ocean as they were devoured by it in an instant.
A number of these would have been martial practitioners of the six great Sacred Grounds.
Just imagining such a terrifying scene was sufficient to let someone tremble in fear.
Yan Zhaoge frowned, “While my Grand Master and the Sacred Sun Clan’s Huang Guanglie engaged in major battle over the Earth Domain, they should have paid attention to reducing the effects of their battle on the Earth Domain. It shouldn’t have led to such a great disturbance.”
Zhang Yao answered, “I heard that Old Senior Yuan and Old Senior Huang indeed paid attention to this. The sudden changes that occurred with the Earth Domain were not caused by them.”
The young girl bit her lips, “The Pavilion Lord had earlier been recuperating in secluded cultivation, but she was also alerted by this. She said that the abnormalities in the Earth Domain this time exceed what was caused by the Decimating Abyss in the past. The source seems to be in the deepest part of the Earth Domain, very possibly being related to the Nine Underworlds themselves!”
Yan Zhaoge rubbed his temples lightly, also feeling a bit of a headache coming on, “What happened then?”
Zhang Yao’s expression relaxed somewhat, “With abnormalities having occurred in the Earth Domain and the Nine Underworlds causing trouble, the parties in a standoff could only let it go for the time being, first hurrying to the Earth Domain to deal with the matter.”
Yan Zhaoge did not speak as he just looked at her, waiting for her to continue.
Zhang Yao had a doubtful look on her face, “I don’t really understand the specifics, but it is rumoured that golden radiance flickered within the deep abyss of the Earth Domain.”
“Affected by this, originally having black qi shoot up to the heavens, the Earth Domain temporarily calmed. However, it is still exceptionally dangerous.”
“The seniors of the various clans have already informed that all of us who have yet to reach the Essence Talisman Martial Grandmaster realm are forbidden from nearing the vicinity of the Earth Domain. We are barred from entering even its outskirts.”
Yan Zhaoge’s expression changed slightly, “Golden radiance?”
It was rumoured that the reason for the Earth Domain having become the zone of death that it was now was a crevice which led to the Nine Underworlds having opened there many years in the past.
It was just that some unknown force had been keeping this crevice sealed all this time, preventing the power of death and destruction within from spreading any further.
However, the Earth Domain had turned into ‘Hell’ as a result.
Not even mentioning that the Nine Underworlds had already been a famed threat before the time of the Great Calamity, just the current state of the Earth Domain alone was sufficient for one to understand why the entire Eight Extremities World was filled with wariness with regard to the Nine Underworlds, everyone baying for blood after discovering the movements of the Decimating Abyss.
The Nine Underworld Evil Devils bewitched people’s hearts, being proficient in worming through people’s souls. While they did not appear as fierce as the Flame Devils, if the Nine Underworlds descended within the human realm, what ensued would inevitably be catastrophic and fatal.
Yan Zhaoge had once suspected the people of the Decimating Abyss of trying to open up that crevice in the Earth Domain, guiding the Nine Underworlds to continue descending there.
Afterwards, seeing the people of the Decimating Abyss leave the Earth Domain and cause trouble elsewhere in the Eight Extremities World, attempting to open the Great Nine Underworlds Door there, Yan Zhaoge had become interested in that force sealing the crevice in the Earth Domain.
Still, due to wariness of the Nine Underworlds, Yan Zhaoge had not made any reckless moves.
If he was just the slightest bit careless and led to the seal being broken as a result, the Nine Underworlds would descend, and that would be the end of it then.
Hearing now of the golden light suddenly flickering into existence within the Earth Domain, suppressing the restlessness in the area once more, Yan Zhaoge immediately thought of this matter.
“Currently, what is the situation over at the Earth Domain?” Yan Zhaoge asked.
Zhang Yao said as she walked, “People from the six great Sacred Grounds have been dispatched to watch over the area. The Martial Saint experts are also stationed there, entering within once in a while as they attempt to investigate the situation. Still, they seem not to have gotten a grasp on the situation.”
“Instead, the abnormalities over at the Earth Domain have gradually quelled, growing weaker and weaker. Everyone says this tribulation seems to have temporarily passed, but we still have to remain vigilant.”
Yan Zhaoge nodded, “Logically so.”
As Yan Zhaoge walked, a layer of gloominess gradually surfaced on his face, “Has it really passed?”
Lin Zhou’s words before he had died which had seemed prophetic whilst also like a curse now surfaced in his mind, “Was he referring to this?”
The abnormalities in the Earth Domain possibly stemmed from the Nine Underworlds. Perhaps because the Decimating Abyss had previously been hindered time and time again, the attention of the powerful Evil Devils over in the Nine Underworlds had been drawn, or perhaps it should be said that they had been aggravated.
Yan Zhaoge pondered, “Careful plans have to be made.”
They passed through Turbid Wave Pavilion, visiting and greeting for a bit before continuing back north.
With such a huge incident having occurred in the Earth Domain, going through it to the Heaven Domain was not an easy thing. Still, Broad Creed Mountain currently had many of its peak experts stationed in the vicinity of the Earth Domain.
It was not just Yuan Zhengfeng who was keeping an eye on the Earth Domain. The person of Broad Creed Mountain second only to Yan Zhaoge in terms of understanding of the Earth Domain, Fang Zhun, had come over as well.
After entrusting Feng Yunsheng and Ying Longtu over to other longtime Elders of the clan to escort back to the Mountain, Yan Zhaoge himself stayed behind, preparing to go for an on-site investigation of the current Earth Domain.