HSSB660: Thank you for your great gift
The Great Calamity of the past had always hung over Yan Zhaoge’s heart.
Following that Great Calamity, not only had tribulation descended on the great thousand worlds, no news had been heard on the numerous great experts who had been active before it as well.
This was one of the reasons for Yan Zhaoge believing that it had most likely been man-made rather than a natural disaster.
Having come to understand the secret of Shen Lingzi’s lineage, it seemed like it should be related to the tip of the iceberg of the secrets of that year. Yan Zhaoge would naturally be happy about that.
While it was indeed well said that the more one knew, the faster one would die, in knowing less, one would similarly die very easily and without knowing how they died at all. They might even have been sold out by others to count money for them.
At that moment when he had first caught a whiff of the scent of the Bearing Heaven Ceremony Fragrance, Yan Zhaoge had already vaguely guessed this in the very bottom of his heart.
Now that his guess had been completely verified, while feeling that it was an unexpected surprise, he was also feeling that it had indeed been so.
Despite the upheaval in Yan Zhaoge’s heart, not much of it was expressed outwardly.
This old man who was currently battling with him was furious as well as panicked.
The materials that included the Bearing Heaven Ceremony Fragrance had already been depleted greatly before this, requiring replenishment.
After having launched those wild tides now that swept away and suppressed the anti-Xuan troops, after having reclaimed much of their lost land, they had hurried over for collection of the materials.
Some of these things were very valuable, while some were not so valuable. Still, they all shared a commonality in that they were extremely rare.
After a large scale harvest, it would virtually be impossible to collect such a great amount of these materials again within a short period of time.
In order not to appear suspicious, he had come over alone. Who could have known that he would actually be ambushed and trapped by Yan Zhaoge here?
The old man felt regretful. He had still unconsciously underestimated Yan Zhaoge to the extent that he had instead landed himself in a precarious position. If he had focused solely on running away or waiting for reinforcements, such a fate would definitely not have befallen him.
If he was unable to retrieve that Shadow Shrinking Pouch, even if he managed to extricate himself and flee now, it would be very difficult for him to account for things to the others when he had got back.
Especially when he saw Yan Zhaoge retrieving one of these treasures, the Earth Ocean Lung Crystals in great amounts. As he saw this, he was overcome by fury and panic even more greatly.
The Northern Ocean Clone drew out a large amount of brown crystal sand from the Shadow Shrinking Pouch.
The earth-brown sand crystals flickered with red light as if flames were leaping.
It was as if each grain of sand was a single world, a tiny ember leaping in every single one of them.
With a great amount of sand crystals congregated together, they held momentous power.
Accompanied by the leaping of fire light, this brown crystal sand resembled the lungs of a human that breathed unceasingly with a large amount of spiritual qi being inhaled and exhaled in a cycle.
Yan Zhaoge smiled, “Earth Ocean Lung Crystals. These are great. It just so happens that my clone needs them. Thank you!”
This was already an extinct treasure in the Eight Extremities World and the other ‘lower’ worlds.
The Northern Ocean Clone extended a palm, light surging within as the sound of oceanic tides vaguely resounded.
Swept along by the light, that earth-brown crystal sand instantly changed in form.
The crystal sand shattered in great amounts, reduced to roiling smoke.
The Northern Ocean Clone abruptly inhaled deeply.
The brownish mist instantly transformed into an earth dragon as it was absorbed within the body of the Northern Ocean Clone!
At the same time, the Northern Ocean Clone struck a fist stance, manifesting his martial true intent.
His true essence hovered above his head, condensing into an actual scene as the desolate wilderness of times long past seemed to appear once more.
Amidst the boundless, ancient ocean, an incomparably massive fish-roc bobbed up and down, a fish in water and a roc in the air as it shocked all throughout the nine heavens.
Now, as the Northern Ocean Clone unceasingly absorbed the Earth Ocean Lung Crystals, the scenes condensed of true intent above his head gradually began changing as well.
The ocean still remained. Still, it was no longer as ancient and desolate.
The earth’s crust at the seabed changed unceasingly. Underground fire would gush sometimes as well, but it was gradually changing subtly most of the time.
As generations passed and time flowed by, the vast oceans and the endless fields gradually changed.
However, that powerful roc remained an eternal existence throughout the ages. Not only did it not wither and age, it instead grew increasingly stronger with the accumulation of the ages.
Meanwhile, the aura emanated by the Northern Ocean Clone grew stronger and stronger as well, rising unceasingly with seemingly no end to its momentum.
Seeing this, that old man felt bitter, “It is actually like this? The Earth Ocean Lung Crystals actually helped him to attain a higher level, benefiting the martial art he cultivates in in progressing further?”
“The martial art he cultivates in, on the step of the body, avatar and spirit merging, is precisely one that benefits immensely from the Earth Ocean Lung Crystals!”
“Without such a great amount of Earth Ocean Lung Crystals, who knows when he would have been able to take this step. Now, however…”
The old man had the urge of slamming his head against the wall now.
Earth Ocean Lung Crystals were extremely rare, not being that easy to collect. They had spent great effort on its acquisition.
It would usually be rare to see Earth Ocean Lung Crystals on such a great scale. It was due to the Grand Xuan Dynasty having deployed a great amount of manpower and resources that they had been able to obtain so many of it in a rather short period of time.
Otherwise, if Yan Zhaoge had gone to look for it himself, even if he had known where it was, wanting to mine and obtain so many of them would still have been difficult.
If it had been too few, while it would still have been of help to the Northern Ocean Clone, the use that it would serve would naturally have been correspondingly lowered as a result.
How would it be like it was now, with the oceanic amount of earth-brown sand crystals shattering unceasingly as the Northern Ocean Clone absorbed it into his body, refining it in an endless stream.
The Northern Ocean Clone had also unceasingly absorbed and refined the dense qi of true dragons of the Myriad Dragon Palace previously, tempering his body as he established a stable foundation.
Now that he had the fortune of obtaining the Earth Oceanic Lung Crystals, he instantly arrived at the gateway towards a whole new level.
The Northern Ocean Clone’s aura rose unceasingly, till at one point in time, it seemingly broke through a bottleneck!
The scenes formed of the roiling true essence above his head were retracted, vanishing completely.
A vast half-black, half-golden light flickered within the Northern Ocean Clone’s eyes, resembling the vast ocean, resembling the great earth, resembling the sky.
A faint human silhouette seemed to surface within the pupils of the Northern Ocean Clone before very quickly disappearing.
While it was faint, one could still tell that it bore a fifty percent resemblance to the Northern Ocean Clone and another fifty percent to Yan Zhaoge himself.
It was precisely the spirit born of the Northern Ocean Clone after Yan Zhaoge had refined him now being closely connected to Yan Zhaoge’s own, resembling one entity of two bodies.
The old man’s heart trembled.
The powerful force emanated from the Northern Ocean Clone amidst his movements caused him to feel fear.
He was familiar with the Northern Ocean Clone’s current state as well.
Qi and blood of the fleshly body, thoughts of the spirit, martial true intent-all these merged perfectly as one, becoming completely indistinguishable and inseparable from one another.
Third level of the Martial Saint realm, late Merging Avatar stage!
“Thank you for your great gift,” Yan Zhaoge chuckled, retreating as he no longer clashed with that old man.
That old man could already no longer care about the Bearing Heaven Ceremony Fragrance and the other lost treasures now as he only hoped to leave this place alive!
However, Yan Zhaoge’s Northern Ocean Clone descended from above, instantly arriving before him!
From all the acupoints of the Northern Ocean Clone’s entire body simultaneously gushed light that was half-golden and half-black, a violent power shaking space itself.
The sword-intent that was able to slow the surrounding time amidst space now actually affected the Northern Ocean Clone’s martial true intent.
Time seemed to surge in reverse, everything returning to the primordial wilderness of ages long past.
The old man wielded his Glorious Rainbow Sword, but Yan Zhaoge had already passed the dark green bamboo cane he was holding to the Northern Ocean Clone just before he did so.
The Northern Ocean Clone struck down with a single cane, the sword-light instantly dimming.
Within his other hand, the domineering Fish Dragon Spear roared as it whistled through the air!