525: They didn’t elope, right?
Yan Zhaoge had fought a heaven-shaking, earth-overturning battle with Lin Qiancheng and Fang Kan during his travels. Still, he had avoided exposing his relationship with Xu Fei and Shi Jun as much as possible for fear that they might be affected as a result.
After arriving at Changli Mountain and learning that Shi Jun was currently out adventuring, Yan Zhaoge rejoiced at his earlier vigilance.
Lin Qiancheng having had the deficiency in his Illusory Shadow Demonic Art exposed, he currently needed to stay low lest he was surrounded and killed by his enemies.
While Spirit Rhino Island still possessed many experts even after their Chief Fang Kan had been slain, that Sweet Pouring Raindrops water vein Yan Zhaoge had left behind meant that they would inevitably be in conflict with the Spirit Returning Sect for a time, unable to quickly extricate themselves as they were left greatly troubled over the matter.
However, Yan Zhaoge had not forgotten that there was still another Sacred Ground-level power of the Vast Ocean World whom he had enmity with, the Evil Shifting Sect of the Six Evil Sects.
The number one Essence Spirit expert of the Evil Shifting Sect, the ‘Dark Evil’ Jiang Xiong, along with several other Martial Grandmasters of theirs, had been slain by Yan Zhaoge in the Bewildering Maze Sea.
The news had been spread by Spirit Rhino Island initially such that everyone knew about it.
During the battle at the Deep Sea Corridor, the Evil Shifting Sect had rushed over upon hearing the news of Yan Zhaoge’s arrival as well. However, whether it should be considered fortunate or unlucky, they had arrived too late.
When the Chief of the Evil Shifting Sect had arrived, the battle at the Deep Sea Corridor had already long ended, Yan Zhaoge having leisurely left following his world-shocking battle.
Due to the existence of the Northern Ocean Clone, the Chief of the Evil Shifting Sect had not dared to pursue Yan Zhaoge as he had only been able to bitterly give up.
Yan Zhaoge had still been a little worried earlier that if the people of the Evil Shifting Sect knew that he was related to Xu Fei and Shi Jun, they might make things difficult for Shi Jun as a result.
Never would he have thought that the news that came would have nothing to do with the Evil Shifting Sect at all. Instead, Shi Jun had apparently kidnapped a female disciple of the Blood Dragon Sect, the two then vanishing without a trace.
“What exactly could have happened?” Yan Zhaoge felt confounded as he knew not whether to laugh or to cry, “They didn’t elope, right? The little guy can do it. I know he can.”
Bai Jingkang who had come over to deliver this news, however, could not smile, “The one who has gone missing, Shen Ying, is the only daughter of the Chief of the Blood Dragon Sect, Shen Shicheng.”
“The news sent over by the Blood Dragon Sect is that…it was Nephew Shi Jun who had untoward intentions towards Shen Ying. Some Blood Dragon Sect disciples tried to stop him. Instead, he killed two and inflicted serious injuries on one of them before snatching Shen Ying away, with their current whereabouts unknown.”
Xu Fei frowned, “How is that possible?”
Yan Zhaoge stroked his lower chin as he looked at Xu Fei, “From how you have described Shi Jun’s character these past days, he does not seem like the kind of the person who would do such a thing.”
According to Xu Fei, Shi Jun’s growth had still been influenced by his father, Shi Songtao, somewhat.
It was not that his personality was becoming more and more like Shi Songtao’s. Instead, Shi Jun seemed to be intentionally trying to distance himself from his image of his father.
This could be seen in how Shi Jun was unable to tolerate criminal actions at all, having reached the point of harbouring abhorrence towards evil and sin.
…Just like he was trying to prove that he was different from Shi Songtao.
As Yan Zhaoge saw it, this was still within acceptable boundaries, just that some care still had to be taken with it.
Shi Jun being sensitive and having matured early, his early life experience had made it such that he had a pressing desire to prove himself.
Thankfully, with Xu Fei’s good guidance all these years, other than being a little rash and inflexible, Shi Jun had turned out rather well such that during Yan Zhaoge’s stay in Changli Mountain thus far, the Changli Mountain martial practitioners had been relatively full of praise towards him.
With there being few who knew of Yan Zhaoge’s relationship with Shi Jun, these evaluations were basically all credible.
Yan Zhaoge looked at Bai Jingkang, “From what I know, the relationship between Changli Mountain and the Blood Dragon Sect is not all that harmonious.”
When Yan Zhaoge had first met Bai Jingkang and his wife, they had been in a conflict with martial practitioners of the Blood Dragon Sect who had even been trying to kill them for good.
Bai Jingkang nodded with a heavy expression on his face, “That’s right. Amongst the Seven Pillars of Good, the relationship between us and the Blood Dragon Sect is perhaps the worst.”
If it did not tie in with the wars between Good and Evil, the two sects of the Vast Ocean World that Changli Mountain had the worst relationship with were the Blood Dragon Sect and the Evil Shifting Sect.
They could basically be considered longtime enemies.
All these years, if not for the ‘public enemy’ presence of the Six Evil Sects, the relationship between Changli Mountain and the Blood Dragon Sect would only have deteriorated.
Yan Zhaoge spread his hands apart, “Therefore, the one-sided words of the Blood Dragon Sect are not credible at all. They might even have invented all of it, trying to stir something up against you.”
His eyes narrowed momentarily into slits, a cold light shooting out from within, “What I am more concerned about is-where is my junior apprentice-nephew now?”
Xu Fei said slowly, “For right or wrong and that which is uncertain, we have to first find Jun’er and hear his side of things.”
Bai Jingkang gave a helpless smile, “The problem now is that we are unable to find Nephew Shi Jun.”
He glanced at Yan Zhaoge and Xu Fei, having something to say but not being able to say it.
Changli Mountain actually shared the same suspicion as Yan Zhaoge as well. In the worst case scenario, Shi Jun might already have been slain by the Blood Dragon Sect, with them currently acting instead as though they were the ones who had suffered a loss.
“Maybe they do not know about my relationship with senior apprentice-brother Xu and Jun’er, but the Blood Dragon Sect definitely knows that I am on Changli Mountain,” Having already calmed down, Yan Zhaoge pondered as he said, “Daring to come finding fault with us, the Blood Dragon Sect definitely has something that they are relying on.”
“After all, your Changli Mountain is on extremely good terms with Water Crystal Palace.”
“Either they really have actual evidence, or…” Yan Zhaoge smacked his lips, “You should pay a little more attention to Myriad Sword Pool’s movements.”
Bai Jingkang slowly nodded.
With Yan Zhaoge having joined up with Changli Mountain, it was equivalent to Water Crystal Palace having gained powerful assistance.
The collaboration between the Blood Dragon Sect and Myriad Sword Pool was destined to grow in opposition to this, especially with Myriad Sword Pool’s alliance with Spirit Rhino Island having being weakened earlier on.
Yan Zhaoge looked at Bai Jingkang, “Where was Jun’er last heard to be?”
As long as he was still alive, even if his current whereabouts were unknown, it was impossible for there not to be any traces of him at all.
As for the possibility of Shi Jun being dead, it was not that Yan Zhaoge had not considered it. It was just that so long as there was still hope, he would not give up on him.
Bai Jingkang said, “In the Star Shifting Sea, according to the Blood Dragon Sect.”
As he said so, he took out a jade talisman, infusing his true essence within. Radiance shot out from the jade talisman, condensing into an illusory scene of light.
Within a great hall, two sides were currently at a standoff, the atmosphere being extremely tense.
A longtime Elder of Changli Mountain said in a heavy tone, “While Shi Jun is not a disciple of my Changli Mountain, with him having grown up here, this old man is very clear about his character. He is definitely not that kind of dastardly person.”
Someone of the Blood Dragon Sect opposite them, an old man, raged, “This bunch of brutes! You are still covering up for him?”
This old man took out a jade talisman as well, an illusory scene of light similarly forming from it which seemed to portray the scenes of that time.
A youth wielding a sword in his right hand ruthlessly stabbed someone to death.
Beneath his left arm was held a person, a girl.
After stabbing that opponent, as more people rushed over to surround him, the youth jumped into an oceanic whirlpool along with that girl, instantly vanishing.
Watching this from two scenes of light away, Yan Zhaoge and Xu Fei found the image to be rather surreal.
“Senior apprentice-brother Xu?” Yan Zhaoge swivelled his head to look at Xu Fei, who nodded, “It is Jun’er.”