HSSB968: Great Ape King
Yan Zhaoge had self-derisively mocked that when the tiger was not in the mountain, the monkey would proclaim himself king.
In truth, however, while the current southern Blazing Heaven Territory might not have a tiger, it was still filled with ferocious beasts as it was far from a situation where a monkey could claim the throne.
If one was really to say that a monkey was rampaging about there, it could only be an incomparably terrifying great ape.
Thus, tragedy successively struck the martial practitioners of the southern Blazing Heaven Territory in the Endless Mountain Range.
When Phoenix Ritual Mountain’s Wutong Slope heard the news, Yan Zhaoge had already killed his way out of the Endless Mountain Range.
Blazing fire surged to the heavens as a massive fiery phoenix soared high, swiftly passing over the great earth of the southern Blazing Heaven Territory.
Enveloped by the flames was a massive flying divine vessel, riding the winds of the nine heavens, breaking the waves of the ocean of clouds for ten thousand li.
At this moment, on the Riding Wind Heavenly Vessel of the Southern Exalt, the group of martial practitioners of Phoenix Ritual Mountain’s Wutong Slope who was led by a middle-aged man all appeared solemn indeed.
The locals of the Endless Mountain Range were mostly not in the know. Still, those of Wutong Slope were clear on one thing.
Some fellow disciples of theirs had previously found a mysterious cave manor after obtaining some clues. These clues had ultimately led to the Endless Mountain Range.
Amongst them had also been the son of the Southern Exalt Zhuang Shen and the most outstanding figure of the southern Blazing Heaven Territory’s younger generation, Zhuang Chaohui.
Previously, they had arrived at an entrance yet lacked the treasure with which to enter. As a result, Zhuang Chaohui and the others had only been able to sigh in melancholy.
Still, they had inadvertently obtained the key afterwards. Zhuang Chaohui’s group had been greatly overjoyed at this. Even as they had entered the cave manor, they had left some people behind there to guard the entrance and dispatched people back to their headquarters with the news as well.
Yet, no news had been heard of them ever since.
Thinking of how Yan Zhaoge had suddenly mysteriously appeared in the region of the Endless Mountain Range, those of Wutong Slope were immediately overcome by an ominous feeling.
That middle-aged man’s face was sunken as water as he spoke not a single word.
His name was Peng He as he was a peak expert of the late Immortal Bridge stage.
He was called ‘Blazing King’ as he was a junior apprentice-brother of the Southern Exalt Zhuang Shen, being a peak expert of Wutong Slope’s lineage under Zhuang Shen.
He was one of the strongest experts of Wutong Slope’s lineage besides the Human Exalt Zhuang Shen.
Within the domain of the southern Blazing Heaven Territory, Peng He was one of the peak existences in terms of personal strength not considering Exalts.
He was an expert who had been famed for many years in the entire World beyond Worlds.
It was worth mentioning too that the daughter of Peng He was the wife of Zhuang Chaohui.
Behind him, a Wutong Slope martial practitioner said in a low tone, “Master, a few corpses of our fellow disciples were found close to the entrance of the cave manor. Still, senior apprentice-brother Zhuang’s and senior apprentice-uncle Wang’s were not amongst them.”
“That cave manor has already vanished. We are unable to enter it to determine the whereabouts of senior apprentice-brother Zhuang and senior apprentice-brother Wang.”
Hearing his words, Peng He did not speak.
Not having seen his corpse, it might mean that Zhuang Chaohui had not perished, still being alive.
Yet, Peng He was already filled with an ominous premonition.
At his current cultivation level, premonitions like these were generally not baseless.
“We must find that Yan Zhaoge. I want him alive, and we definitely cannot let him flee back into the southeastern Yang Heaven Territory,” Peng He said slowly.
As soon as he thought of Yan Zhaoge, Peng He’s temples instantly throbbed terribly.
This youngster who had risen to prominence within the last ten years was deeply hated by the entire southern Blazing Heaven Territory.
He possessed outstanding talent and remarkable strength. Still, his cultivation base was low at the end of the day although he had had many fortuitous encounters, being in possession of numerous extraordinary treasures.
This was generally how martial practitioners of the southern Blazing Heaven Territory saw Yan Zhaoge.
While most of them believed that Yan Zhaoge’s fame mainly stemmed from Ingenious Flying Peak and Golden Court Mountain protecting him, allowing him to run amok, their hatred towards him was no less than their hatred of Golden Court Mountain in the slightest.
And now, Yan Zhaoge actually dared to trespass on the lands of the south. As the rulers of the south, how could Wutong Slope not feel angered by this?
“Is it confirmed that there are no other martial practitioners of the southeast besides that fellow surnamed Yan?” Peng He asked after pondering for a moment, “This old man refers to martial practitioners of the southeast who are at least of the eight level of the Martial Saint realm.”
Someone replied, “We cannot know for sure. Still, there are only Yan Zhaoge’s tracks.”
Having received a negative response here, Peng He fell silent once more.
Someone answered beside him, “Senior apprentice-brother Peng, with you personally leaving to deal with a Seeing Divinity Martial Saint this time, you will definitely capture him.”
Who knew that Peng He would shake his head, “I’m afraid that it’s not so simple.”
The other Wutong Slope martial practitioners were stunned.
“First not speaking of how Chaohui has already ascended the Immortal Bridge, even if he is arrogant in his youth and does not handle matters properly, a mistake hence occurring, there would still be junior apprentice-brother Wang there,” Peng He’s tone grew more solemn, “Junior apprentice-brother Wang is a mid Immortal Bridge Martial Saint, but we have lost full contact with even him. This is definitely not normal!”
Hearing this, a look of deep thought appeared on the faces of the others beside him.
While they still could not ascertain the deaths of the two, the situation was clearly not optimistic.
Someone murmured aloud, “There was once a rumour in the southeastern Yang Heaven Territory that as a Seeing Divinity Martial Saint, Yan Zhaoge single-handedly defeated an expert of the mid Immortal Bridge Martial Saint realm, pursuing him all the way from the south to the west of the Royal Reed Sea before killing him. Could that actually be true?”
A deep silence descended on the Riding Wind Heavenly Vessel.
“Guan Lide, a ninth level Martial Saint, perished at Broad Creed Mountain,” Someone broke the silence after a while, “Everyone speculates this to be because of the Immortal Artifact. Still, as I see it, things are probably not that simple…”
The person beside him rebutted, “If not for an Immortal Artifact, even if Broad Creed Mountain has treasures like the Extreme Yang Seal and Extreme Yin Crown, they will be unable to wield the full power of these high-grade Sacred Artifacts without Immortal Bridge Martial Saints. With such a great difference in their cultivation bases, how could they have slain Guan Lide? Moreover, Guan Lide was not the only enemy attacking Broad Creed Mountain then. There were other Immortal Bridge Martial Saints there too.”
While they felt that someone not of the Immortal Bridge Martial Saint realm being able to wield an Immortal Artifact was inconceivable, Immortal Artifacts were mysterious and hard to predict at the end of the day. Perhaps it had some special function.
The other party said slowly, “Currently, there have already been two early Immortal Bridge Martial Saints of the Endless Mountain Range who have died at that Yan Zhaoge’s hands.”
“We were acquainted with those two before. While inferior to our lineage, their legacies were not weak.”
“Still, from the environment where they fought, victory was decided very quickly as it seemed to have been effortless on their opponent’s part!”
The person who had rebutted him earlier no longer spoke.
The results of actual battle were always most convincing at any time.
Thinking of Zhuang Chaohui and the others who had all vanished, the expressions of the Wutong Slope martial practitioners present all changed slightly.
The various signs indicated that their current target could definitely not be thought of as a normal Seeing Divinity Martial Saint.
It was even to the extent that the other party was even more terrifying than the likes of Zhuang Chaohui, Long Hanhua, Zeng Mo and Fu Ting as a Seeing Divinity Martial Saint.
They could no longer go on underestimating Yan Zhaoge.
Otherwise, they might very well suffer a loss!
Peng He did not speak as he just gazed fixatedly into the distance, chasing north inside the Riding Wind Heavenly Vessel, enveloped by the fiery phoenix.
Now, his expression suddenly changed as he got the Riding Wind Heavenly Vessel to stop.
The figure of a man appeared in the distance. He wore a yellow Daoist robe and was thin.
“Daoist Qiangang?” Peng He identified.
This was the personal disciple of the Heaven Emperor of the Five Emperors.