HSSB623: Relax, relax
A heavenly altar was erected above Yan Zhaoge’s body, a scene of infinite chaos appearing above it.
That insubstantial Daoist figure that resembled chaos was Yan Zhaoge’s true martial avatar which he had established with his foundations.
It originated from his comprehensions of the Peerless Heavenly Scripture.
With just a thought on Yan Zhaoge’s part, the true martial avatar on the heavenly altar suddenly changed, transforming into a giant who seemed to be raising up a great seal.
As the seal was raised, it resembled the sky. As the seal descended, it resembled the overturning of the heavens and earth as the sky collapsed.
Yan Zhaoge’s gaze was like water, light rippling within as his true martial avatar changed once more.
The true martial avatar that manifested this time was the Broad Creed Heavenly Avatar from Broad Creed Mountain’s lineage which combined the Clear Qi Profound Art and the Broad Creed Heavenly Palm.
Still, Yan Zhaoge’s Broad Creed Heavenly Avatar was different from that of Zhang Kun, He Ning and the others.
Limitless sword-light was emitted from all around the tall giant’s body, filling the surrounding area. The giant stood on a massive green dragon, rising and descending along with it.
Yan Zhaoge stood up, releasing his true martial avatar. The clear qi that enveloped the surrounding area vanished as well.
Gazing upwards, it was already morning, the skies clear overhead.
Yan Zhaoge smiled, returning to his temporary lodgings and silently adjusting his aura through meditation.
Over the next two days, apart from cultivating and analysing the spiritual qi flow of the World beyond Worlds, Yan Zhaoge conversed with the Dim Darkness Sect’s Zhang Qiansong, gaining a deeper understanding of the global situation in the Royal Reed Sea.
Still, Yan Zhaoge vaguely felt that something was wrong.
While the Wei Family was respectful and enthusiastic in their treatment of their guests, preparing whatever they wanted with just a single word to their servants, they had not seen Wei Lang at all since the very first day.
“Young Master, it seems like something really is wrong,” Ah Hu entered the room, his expression slightly solemn.
Yan Zhaoge asked, “What?”
“Regarding Wei Lang, the Wei Family said that he acted on his own, going against the Family’s rules as he is currently in solitary confinement to reflect on his actions,” Ah Hu said, “There is nothing wrong with this, but I feel like those of the Wei Family seem to be keeping surveillance on us somewhat, even though they have concealed it very well.”
Yan Zhaoge began pondering upon hearing his words.
Wei Lang had acted on his own accord in rebelling against the Grand Xuan with Zhang Qiansong, rather than the entire Wei Family having joined in. Yan Zhaoge had already been able to tell this.
Under such circumstances, he would likely be punished after having returned to the Wei Family. This was also only to be expected.
The only discrepancy was how the Wei Family saw Yan Zhaoge’s group as well as the Dim Darkness Sect.
The Wei Family had not tried to conceal the matter by saying that Wei Lang had entered secluded cultivation, gone out for an errand or whatnot. Instead, they had openly and straightforwardly told Yan Zhaoge and the others that Wei Lang had been punished and was being confined.
Just from this alone, there seemed to be nothing abnormal. Still, consolidating some discrepancies in some particular areas, one could not help but feel suspicious at that.
Yan Zhaoge told Ah Hu, “Go test out the people of the Wei Family, saying that we are preparing to leave this Labour Wind City in the next two days.”
Understanding his meaning, Ah Hu left.
Ah Hu returned after a while, his face black as a pot’s bottom, “Young Master, there’s definitely a problem. As soon as I said we were going to leave, while those of the Wei Family didn’t show anything on the surface, they seemed to have imploded entirely in private. I don’t believe that there’s nothing wrong with them.”
If they really didn’t welcome Yan Zhaoge’s group and the Dim Darkness Sect, hearing that they were about to take the initiative to leave, they should logically be feeling very happy about that.
Having such a great reaction now, they inevitably had something else in mind.
If the entire Wei Family had joined the side of the rebels, they could directly have said it. Now that things were like this, they clearly wanted to do Yan Zhaoge and the others harm.
Yan Zhaoge smiled, standing up, “Come, let’s go over to Zhang Qiansong’s.”
They left the courtyard, heading over to Zhang Qiansong’s place. On the way there, they could already see some Wei Family martial practitioners hesitantly venturing their way. Yan Zhaoge ignored them all, first heading to Feng Yunsheng’s lodgings and picking her up before going to the courtyard that Zhang Qiansong was residing in together.
Some Wei Family martial practitioners had wanted to talk to them on the way there. Before they could even come close, a formless wall would seemingly appear before them, rendering them hard pressed to advance a single step as they could only helplessly watch on at Yan Zhaoge entering Zhang Qiansong’s lodgings.
Seeing Yan Zhaoge’s group enter, Zhang Qiansong was slightly puzzled, but before he could speak, Yan Zhaoge first smiled, “Our hosts here seem not to truly be welcoming of us.”
“Oh?” Despite his physical weakness, Zhang Qiansong’s mind was very lucid. As soon as he heard Yan Zhaoge’s words, his expression instantly turned solemn.
While Wei Lang had fought alongside him earlier, he knew that the Wei Family’s attitude towards rebelling against the Grand Xuan was very ambiguous.
Zhang Qiansong thought about it for a moment before saying, “The Wei Family is a major Family of the Phoenix Bearing Region. While they have no Martial Saints, I heard that they have an Elder who is in the Transcending Mortality stage, having merged true essence to form an avatar. Possessing the geographical advantage of this Labour Wind City as well, at least in this Phoenix Bearing Region, they are still not to be underestimated.”
“Still, my sect has Martial Saint Elders active in the vicinity of this Phoenix Bearing Region. If we meet up with them, there will naturally not be anything to worry about.”
The Phoenix Bearing Region was not the Dim Darkness Sect’s fixed territory. In being here, the Dim Darkness Sect’s Martial Saint Elder had opponents as well. It would not be possible for him to come all the way to Labour Wind City for just him alone.
In having contacted his sect earlier, there were already others on the way to Labour Wind City to pick Zhang Qiansong up before going to meet up with that Martial Saint Elder.
Still, if the Wei Family wanted to do them harm now, the Dim Darkness Sect martial practitioners who were on their way would inevitably seem rather insufficient.
Just thinking about it, Zhang Qiansong felt pressured as he felt that he should really find a way to leave Labour Wind City first, even despite all his injuries.
Yan Zhaoge smiled, waving his hands, “No need to be so nervous. I have come here not to urge you to leave, but to protect you lest they try to make a move on you.”
Seeing Yan Zhaoge’s relaxed look, Zhang Qiansong was involuntarily stunned.
He explained, “While you are young, your cultivation base far surpasses mine. You are indeed a rare genius of this world. Still, our sect has already long been a hated enemy of the Xuan dogs. Also, the Phoenix Bearing Region is not under our sect’s control.”
“The Wei Family alone would be fine. The crux is that if they have really joined the side of the Xuan dogs, wanting to do us harm, they would likely already have revealed their information about us.”
“The general that the Xuan dogs have stationed in the Phoenix Bearing Region, the ‘Fire Roc’ Yang Zhaozhen, is an expert who has already Transcended Mortality and entered Sainthood. At the same time, he is also no ordinary martial practitioner, being the nephew of the Xuan Dynasty’s Marquis Haicheng as he cultivates in the legacies of the Xuan Dynasty, his strength being extraordinary.”
Zhang Qiansong said solemnly, “Yang Zhaozhen was fighting with my sect’s Elder before this, and thus might not be able to come to this Labour Wind City. Still, we cannot but guard against him.”
Yan Zhaoge smiled, “Relax, relax.”
Not knowing whether to laugh or to cry, Zhang Qiansong had just been about to attempt to persuade him further when Ah Hu’s voice resounded from outside the room, “Young Master, the people of the Wei Family are here.”
Yan Zhaoge leisurely got up and exited the room. A bunch of people stood in the courtyard outside.
Their leader was a white-haired old man, a bunch of Wei Family Elders who seemed similarly aged to him standing beside him.
Wei Yunsheng stood by the side. The Patriarch, Wei Yunchang, was nowhere to be seen.
“Why is Young Master Yan in a hurry to leave? Has my Wei Family been deficient anywhere in hosting you?” Wei Yunsheng let out a dry cough.