HSSB823: Moving afterwards yet securing the advantage
This was the first time that Yan Zhaoge was personally seeing and coming into contact with the Profound Sky Purple Gold Furnace as well.
Still, with just a look at that furnace, he knew it for certain. This was precisely a supreme treasure of the Pill Hall of the Heavenly Court’s Divine Palace in the past, the Profound Sky Purple Gold Furnace.
Yan Zhaoge did not hastily rush over without thinking.
He surveyed his surroundings, pondering on in silence.
After carefully observing the furnace for a moment longer, Yan Zhaoge exhaled slowly, suppressing the greed in his heart as he instead retreated, returning amidst the layers of purple fog behind him.
“What, is there a problem?” Feng Yunsheng asked.
Yan Zhaoge answered, “While I cannot say for sure, things here appear rather strange. It would be better to be a bit cautious.”
Feng Yunsheng, Ah Hu and Xiao Ai all looked cautiously at that Profound Sky Purple Gold Furnace.
While they were currently amidst the purple sea of clouds, they were located along its boundary.
From that position, they were still able to clearly see the furnace. Yet, gazing over from where the furnace was, their position would still not be easily discovered.
After looking for a moment, Ah Hu scratched his head, “Is Young Master feeling worried because of those newly concocted pills that others might long since have arrived here?”
“Still, from the looks of it, there appears to be no one present. Even if someone once got here before everybody else, they should already have left by now, leaving the furnace behind.”
Steam arose in the surroundings of the furnace, some powerful fluctuations ever contained within.
Even those with extremely powerful cultivation bases would be hard pressed to hide their form in such an environment.
If they were really able to stay hidden under such circumstances, the other party’s cultivation base would be far from something that Yan Zhaoge and the others could currently deal with. If that was really true, it would not matter at all whether they were vigilant or not.
“That is just one aspect,” Yan Zhaoge slowly shook his head, gazing at the Profound Sky Purple Gold Furnace.
There were some things which only he was able to tell.
It was true that there were no enemy ambushes before him, nor any unique defensive mechanisms. The spirituality of the Profound Sky Purple Gold Furnace was retracted as it appeared to be amidst deep slumber. It possessed no offensive capabilities as well.
Yet, the pill furnace before him just gave Yan Zhaoge an extremely strange feeling.
It was as if this furnace was currently still located in the pill of the Heavenly Court’s Divine Palace, never having been shifted away.
Yet, they were clearly not inside the Pill Hall right now. Otherwise, it would be impossible that Yan Zhaoge did not recognise it.
At the start, Yan Zhaoge had just thought that he was imagining things.
Yet, he had confirmed it soon after. While he was still unable to get to the bottom of that feeling, it still continued warning him non-stop that something was up.
Since he had not been imagining things, Yan Zhaoge had tried to find the underlying reason therein. Yet, he had failed to find out anything in the end.
Not only did this not cause Yan Zhaoge to doubt his earlier judgment, this instead caused him to feel even more vigilant.
Thus, after considering things, Yan Zhaoge decided to simply adopt a wait and see strategy, even if this caused his prior advantage over Fu Ting’s group to be wiped out as a result.
This was clearly not the case of the early bird getting the worm.
While they could not really understand his rationale, everyone else still chose to trust Yan Zhaoge’s judgment as they calmed down and just patiently waited.
After yet some more time had passed, the purple sea of clouds over to the side suddenly rippled as a golden phoenix flapped its wings, shooting out from amongst them and arriving before the Profound Sky Purple Gold Furnace.
The phoenix silhouette dissipated, revealing the figures of Fu Ting and the rest.
Seeing the Profound Sky Purple Gold Furnace, a joyful, shocked look appeared on Fu Ting’s face.
Still, her face soon turned perplexed as she then gazed all about the surrounding area.
The other Ingenious Flying Peak martial practitioners looked just as puzzled.
Logically speaking, there should be someone who had arrived ahead of them. It was also likely to be that inscrutable Yan Zhaoge.
Yet, why had he vanished without a trace now?
Yan Zhaoge and the others were currently located amidst the purple sea of clouds with the Myriad Dragon Palace having retracted its seven-coloured radiance. Everything appeared ordinary and innocuous as Fu Ting and the others would not be able to easily discover their location.
From the perspective of Fu Ting’s group, there was only a dense purple sea of clouds all round with not a single person visible in their surroundings.
The Profound Sky Purple Gold Furnace sat quietly in the space before them, qi rising from its surface.
Not having discovered any ambushes or defensive mechanisms or trials that had to be surpassed, there did not exist a need for anyone to be cannon fodder and open the path ahead.
That furnace itself too did not seem to have an owner as it was not showing any signs of rejecting them outsiders.
Logically speaking, there should not exist the situation of a mantis stalking a cicada with an oriole waiting behind.
Fu Ting was rather hesitant now.
If Yan Zhaoge had met with an accident mid-journey, having been trapped amidst the purple sea of clouds, that would be equivalent to their group having caught up with them again, surpassing them to regain the lead position.
Hesitating and not advancing now would be equivalent to wasting time and opportunity.
Their competitors did not consist solely of Yan Zhaoge’s party.
Still, if Yan Zhaoge had already arrived here ahead of them yet had retreated afterwards for some unknown reason, them approaching the pill furnace lightly might see some landmines triggered.
“Or is he worried about being unable to leave after obtaining the furnace, thus possessing the intention of wiping out those enemies like us who arrive after him before then obtaining the treasure?” Fu Ting frowned, her gaze scanning the surrounding area.
One of the two Seeing Divinity Martial Saints beside her now said, “I will collect the treasure to guard against unexpected occurrences. Junior apprentice-sister Fu, you stay vigilant here. If any abnormal situation really arises, you would also be able to quickly react to it.”
Despite his good intentions, Fu Ting could not bear him taking the risk, “If there really is danger, I would have the highest chance of surviving. I should really be the one going. You stay as backup, senior apprentice-brothers.”
Having made up her mind, Fu Ting no longer hesitated as she approached the Profound Sky Purple Gold Furnace.
Now, however, fluctuations suddenly emanated from the purple sea of clouds surrounding them.
Fu Ting halted, gazing back as she saw a virtually transparent sword-light which was illusory and ephemeral shooting out of the purple sea of clouds.
Seeing this, Yan Zhaoge narrowed his eyes slightly as well.
The sword-light stopped with a few figures thus being revealed.
The one leading them was a girl who appeared a little younger than Fu Ting. She wore green clothes and had features like a painting. While they were not as dazzling as Fu Ting’s, they were beautiful in their own right.
“Having made it here in such a short period of time, it is not just a matter of movement techniques alone. Is it the Spatial Heavenly Scripture or the Immortal Trapping Sword Manual?” Fu Ting asked, her gaze hardening somewhat, “It appears more like the Immortal Trapping Sword. You are of the Prime Clear lineage?”
Glancing at the Profound Sky Purple Gold Furnace, the green-clothed girl then sighed in relief, “Phew, I fortunately still managed to get here in time.”
She stared curiously at the furnace, “So this is the Profound Sky Purple Gold Furnace?”
A moment later, the green-clothed girl turned to look at Fu Ting, smiling, “I am a descendant of the Prime Clear lineage alright. Who might you be?”
Fu Ting said mildly, “World beyond World’s Kunlun Mountain’s Ingenious Flying Peak’s Red Lotus Cliff’s Fu Ting.”
That green-clothed girl realised with a start, “Right, father told me that I need to report my name upon meeting descendants of the Jade Clear and Grand Clear lineages.”
She gave a dry cough and composed herself before saying solemnly, “Roving Jade Heaven’s Green Duckweed Mountain’s Minor White Peak’s Spirit Leaf Cave’s Gao Qing.”
After her self-introduction, she blinked, “Fu Ting, this name…”
Hearing this amidst the purple sea of clouds, Yan Zhaoge thought, “The Roving Jade Heavens must be the name of the world that descendants of the Prime Clear lineage live in.”
The dao arena of the founder of the Prime Clear lineage, the Lord of Numinous Treasure, had been located at Elegant Purple Cliff’s Roving Jade Palace.
While there had always been some major contention on whether it had been located at Golden Turtle Island, Penglai Island or anywhere else, the ‘Roving Jade Heavens’ were clearly related to the Prime Clear lineage’s legacies.
As for the name ‘Green Duckweed Mountain’, it must have been put in by descendants based off the Lord of Numinous Treasure’s past accompanying sword, the Green Duckweed Sword.
Fu Ting raised her brows slightly, “From Green Duckweed Mountain, surnamed Gao?”