HSSB776: Forsaking the depraved for the righteous?
Yan Zhaoge was rather familiar with the spiritual qi fluctuations as well as that voice.
He retracted his aura slightly, heading forward as the words instantly became clearer.
“Please do not be so hasty, you two. We have no intention of being enemies with you.”
The speaker was clearly the Purple Sun Martial Saint Zhang Chao, the former Chief of the Sacred Sun Clan in the Eight Extremities World.
“It is the Radiant Light Sect that are enemies with the Grand Xuan Dynasty. While we were with the Radiant Light Sect, that was only a temporary measure. In ascending to the World beyond Worlds, we just happened to land within the Radiant Light Sect’s area of influence, thus residing there.”
Zhang Chao’s tone was calm, carrying no rage at all, “You brothers possess a remarkable status in the Grand Xuan Dynasty, surely being privy to much news. We of the Sacred Sun Clan have never directly opposed the Grand Xuan Dynasty or those of your Shenling Ten Swords, no blood debts existing between us.”
Opposite Zhang Chao stood two people, these being the brothers Kang Maosheng and Kang Jinyuan.
They had accompanied their father Kang Ping in the battle which had culminated in the fall of the Radiant Light Sect’s Sun Moon Peak.
They had only eventually lost contact with Kang Ping after having entered the underwater palace.
Traversing the underwater palace, they had not run into Luo Zhiyuan, Gu Hong or Gongsun Wu, instead having encountered Zhang Chao.
Kang Jinyuan’s face was gloomy as he spoke not a word, his entire person seemingly enveloped within a dark shadow.
This was completely unlike his former arrogance where he had seemed to fear nothing at all.
He had been this way ever since his mother, Madame Kang, had faced danger and died.
Sorrow, rage, panic, loss, helplessness- various emotions intermingled within him.
Still, after calming down slightly, he was unable to forget that it was his rashness in using a Blood Incantation Shattering Space Awl which had given Yan Zhaoge a chance in the wound of the sky.
Everything afterwards still had this as the ultimate cause. Without that Blood Incantation Shattering Space Awl, just based on the Blood Devil Plate that Yan Zhaoge possessed alone, it would have been impossible for him to have completed the consequent Blood Devil Sacrificial Ritual as well as Illusory Devil Sacrificial Ritual.
It was precisely because of the awl’s sudden appearance that Yan Zhaoge had decisively reacted to the situation, acting to overcome it as this had resulted in all the events which had hence occurred.
In the end, this had resulted in a situation where only one out of the group from the Radiant Light Sect and Madame Kang and sons could survive, with it even being possible that both might perish.
No one had mentioned this matter, not his father Kang Ping or his elder brother Kang Maosheng to whom he had always felt antagonistic.
Yet, Kang Jinyuan himself just remained unable to forget about it.
Kang Maosheng who stood beside him was just as steady and dependable as always, ever imposing.
However, radiance currently flickered on the Shenmen acupoint on his wrist, resonating with some actual stars in the sky up above as he had shockingly already broken through space to see Divinity, thus stepping into the early Seeing Divinity stage.
He was still extremely young as compared to other martial practitioners of the same cultivation level, possessing limitless potential.
Kang Maosheng looked at Zhang Chao, “Whatever you want to say, say it.”
While he was looking at Zhang Chao, at least half of Kang Maosheng’s attention was currently on the maiden who stood beside him.
She was extremely beautiful with perfect, flawless features and deer-like eyes, carrying cleverness amidst their acuity. She was also soft and weak as one would instinctively feel as if they wanted to protect her.
She had not changed much as compared to the previous time Yan Zhaoge had seen her, just having matured somewhat alongside the passing of time.
She was precisely Meng Wan.
As she currently stood calmly beside Zhang Chao, on her other side was a handsome, high-spirited youth who resembled the great sun rising from the east, gradually following its upwards trajectory.
It was Tang Yonghao whom he had not seen for a long time.
The three people of the Sacred Sun Clan who had come to the World beyond Worlds were all here.
As compared to Meng Wan, the Radiant Light Sect would obviously pay less heed to Tang Yonghao, providing him with considerably less resources than her.
Even so, however, Tang Yonghao’s cultivation base had improved by leaps and bounds, exhibiting his outstanding talent that was rare even in the World beyond Worlds. In recent years, the Radiant Light Sect had been paying an increasing amount of attention to him.
However, Tang Yonghao who was currently still a Martial Grandmaster could still not catch the eye of Kang Maosheng despite the fact that his cultivation base was actually higher than Meng Wan’s.
Rather than saying that Kang Maosheng valued Meng Wan, it should be said that he valued the white crown that Meng Wan was wearing.
While it was tranquil and pure like the moon’s light of extreme yin, it was impossible for anyone to overlook it as the moonlight dispersed like waves, seemingly enveloping the surrounding heavens and earth with an independent world being formed.
Kang Maosheng having already successfully attained the Seeing Divinity stage, he possessed shocking power that was superior to Zhang Chao’s.
This was especially so when Zhang Chao did not possess a Sacred Artifact.
However, as Meng Wan wielded the Extreme Yin Crown, she was already able to exert the might of a mid-grade Sacred Artifact. With this treasure which was comparable to the Extreme Yang Seal really being too powerful, Kang Maosheng was not confident enough of overcoming the combined might of Zhang Chao and Meng Wan who wielded it.
With Zhang Chao apparently wanting to make peace under such circumstances, Kang Maosheng was slightly moved.
Indeed, he heard Zhang Chao say, “We wish to forsake the depraved for that which is righteous, and hope that you brothers will be able to introduce and open the way for us.”
Kang Maosheng and Kang Jinyuan both frowned.
Fairly speaking, while Zhang Chao’s strength was inferior to the likes of Kang Ping and Luo Zhiyuan, he was indeed still a Seeing Divinity Martial Saint at the end of the day, being an important expert wherever he was.
Also, Zhang Chao might still be able to advance his cultivation base.
With him wanting to pledge his allegiance to the Grand Xuan Dynasty, the Grand Xuan Dynasty still would welcome him. Just as he had said, there was no conflict that existed between him and them.
Yet, what Kang Maosheng and Kang Jinyuan were really concerned about was the Extreme Yin Crown.
This high-grade Sacred Artifact was not just itself outstanding. It could also signify things other than itself.
Zhang Chao calmly stood where he was, patiently awaiting their decision.
His confidence too was based on the existence of the Extreme Yin Crown.
Having learnt about the background of the Extreme Yang Seal and the Extreme Yin Crown through various channels, Zhang Chao felt even more confident.
The better one understood the background of the Extreme Yin Crown just as Kang Ping’s group did, the more unlikely it would be for them to blindly desire it for themselves like the Radiant Light Sect.
He believed that Kang Maosheng and Kang Jinyuan were unlikely to refuse. At the very least, they should first bring them to meet Kang Ping’s group in person before only then making a decision.
Instead, Zhang Chao remained focused on observing Meng Wan’s reaction.
While Meng Wan was currently still a Martial Grandmaster, as she wielded the Extreme Yin Crown, she was instead more powerful than him, Zhang Chao.
To Meng Wan, Zhang Chao was a rumoured grandmaster figure and hegemon, being her senior apprentice-granduncle as he was of higher seniority than even Huang Guanglie in the Eight Extremities World who had constantly decided her fate, being more powerful as well.
However, as time passed, the current Meng Wan already had the ability to make decisions of her own even when faced with Zhang Chao.
She was currently silent now. Even as Zhang Chao felt at ease with this, he could not help but also wonder what exactly it was that Meng Wan had in mind.
Meanwhile, Tang Yonghao could not help but frown, worry surfacing within his eyes.
Looking at Kang Maosheng and Kang Jinyuan, Zhang Chao slowly said, “Deep enmity exists between you brothers and the Radiant Light Sect. Actually, you two also share a common enemy in that Yan Zhaoge.”
“This old man’s lineage similarly shares an irreconcilable enmity with Yan Zhaoge and his lineage.”