HSSB973: Alliance
When Yan Zhaoge arrived at the foot of Vast Spirit Mountain, many people were already gathered atop it.
The Lord of Vast Spirit Mountain, Daoist East Spring, was currently in high spirits as the owner of this land.
Most of the leaders of the Announcing Peace Mountain Range’s powers and some renowned solitary practitioners had all gathered at Vast Spirit Mountain now.
Before this, they might not have listened to Vast Spirit Mountain’s commands.
Due to the conflict between the Night Magnificence Sect and Vast Spirit Mountain, the other powers of the Announcing Peace Mountain Range had extremely high autonomy as they could improve their relationship with and gain benefits from both sides.
While it was said that those who sat on the fence and leaned towards the advantageous side were the most abominable, and they were actually offending both sides, before victory and defeat was finally decided for good between the Night Magnificence Sect and Vast Spirit Mountain, they still needed the support of the majority.
Still, their good days seemed to have finally come.
Vast Spirit Mountain made use of this chance and borrowed the authority of Phoenix Ritual Mountain’s Wutong Slope, gaining the advantage.
It would be extremely difficult for the Night Magnificence Sect to regain their footing after this.
The other sects of the Announcing Peace Mountain Range might not be happy to lower their heads to Vast Spirit Mountain. Still, with experts of Wutong Slope having personally arrived, they all could only obediently follow and come.
Along with this momentum, Vast Spirit Mountain had solidified their advantage as they had vaguely gained the look of being the martial alliance Chief of the Announcing Peace Mountain Range.
With the Chief of the Night Magnificence Sect being in death seclusion, unable to emerge, experts of theirs had still hurried over to Vast Spirit Mountain for fear of offending Wutong Slope.
As a result, they felt even more suppressed.
It was just that the Night Magnificence Sect was only able to swallow their dissatisfaction here.
Looking at Daoist East Spring who was in high spirits, the despondence of the Elder of the Night Magnificence Sect present could not be expressed in words.
However unhappy he was feeling, that was however happy those of Vast Spirit Mountain were feeling.
“Thank you, Fellow Daoists, for coming here today on this momentous occasion,” Sitting on the host’s seat, Daoist East Spring smiled, “Today’s alliance meet is held for none other than a martial practitioner of the southeast. I believe everyone knows that he, Yan Zhaoge, is here in the eastern region of our southern Blazing Heaven Territory.”
“He has sought his own death in coming over to our southern Blazing Heaven Territory this time. All martial practitioners of the south should strive hard to slay him, thus bringing peace to the souls of the deceased in heaven.”
Daoist East Spring surveyed the surroundings, “This is the reason I have invited everyone here today. Besides the various Daoists of our Announcing Peace Mountain Range, also present are Mister Yuan of Phoenix Ritual Mountain’s Wutong Slope and Mister Zhao of the southern Bright Connection Sea’s Purple Tide Sword Sect.”
Seated up front along the side was an old man with a severe, gloomy bearing about him. About his entire body circulated crimson flows of spiritual qi which resembled flames.
The old man’s eyes was not dull like that of most old people as they were instead extremely bright, simultaneously seemingly containing the silhouette of a phoenix as it flapped its wings and soared.
He looked even older than the Blazing King Peng He. Yet, his seniority was actually much lower than him.
This person was named Yuan Xiancheng, nicknamed ‘Phoenix Pupils’. He was Zhuang Shen’s most senior disciple, being renowned throughout the entire World beyond Worlds.
Even before the deterioration of relations between the south and the southeast, there had been many hidden, unseen conflicts between them.
The mainstays of both sides had respectively been Long Hanhua of the southeast who had been using the surname Lin at the time and this disciple of the south, ‘Phoenix Pupils’ Yuan Xiancheng.
Beside Yuan Xiancheng, at a lower seat to him, sat a purple-clothed middle-aged man.
This middle-aged man was not a martial practitioner of the Announcing Peace Mountain Range, instead being the Chief of a major power of the Bright Connection Sea that lay to the south of the Announcing Peace Mountain Range. He was Chief Zhao Zhen of the Purple Tide Sword Sect.
As Yan Zhaoge tried to return to the southeast via the eastern region of the southern Blazing Heaven Territory, he would have to pass through Circumference Mountain.
He would have to pass through the Announcing Peace Mountain Range to get to Circumference Mountain.
This Zhao Zhen was on good terms with Yuan Xiancheng. With the latter having come to the Announcing Peace Mountain Range with a group hereby being formed to obstruct Yan Zhaoge, Zhao Zhen had come along to help too.
Smiling, he said not a word, only nodding in acknowledgment as he was introduced by Daoist East Spring.
While he appeared inconspicuous, none of the martial practitioners of the Announcing Peace Mountain Range present, Daoist East Spring included, dared to underestimate him.
Beneath his reign, the Purple Tide Sword Sect virtually reigned supreme over the entire Bright Connection Sea, being an important major power within the southern Blazing Heaven Territory.
“Everyone here possesses formidable strength, especially Misters Yuan and Zhao,” Daoist East Spring continued, “If we trap that fella surnamed Yan, he would naturally only be able to helplessly give in.”
“Still, everyone knows that the geography of our Announcing Peace Mountain Range is too complex as it is easy for people to conceal themselves within. Looking for a person here would be no different from searching for a needle in a haystack.”
“We martial practitioners of the Announcing Peace Mountain Range whose ancestors lived here are naturally familiar with the lay of the land. Still, our combined efforts will be required to locate him.”
Daoist East Spring said, “There cannot be an organisation without a leader. Fortunately, Mister Yuan of Wutong Slope has specially left Circumference Mountain and come here, allowing us all to unite under a single banner.”
Hearing his words, the other martial practitioners of the Announcing Peace Mountain Range were inwardly snorting at them.
While Yuan Xiancheng could indeed command them, he was not familiar with the geography of the Announcing Peace Mountain Range.
The actual implementation would definitely still be left to the local martial practitioners.
And that meant him, Daoist East Spring.
It was just that Yuan Xiancheng had clearly already tacitly allowed Daoist East Spring to borrow his authority as the Night Magnificence Sect and the other powers could only grit their teeth and let it go.
Still, how stifled they must be feeling could only be imagined.
“As the host, this humble Daoist invited everyone here for a discussion on how to leave that Yan Zhaoge behind for good,” Despite naturally feeling triumphant, Daoist East Spring did not let this show on his face.
Otherwise, if he got carried away and offended Yuan Xiancheng, things would be troublesome then.
Therefore, Daoist East Spring did not act domineeringly in the least even towards the Elder from the Night Magnificence Sect.
He definitely could not force the implementation of his own proposals as healthy discussions had to take place before Yuan Xiancheng of Phoenix Bearing Mountain’s Wutong Slope made things final.
Anyway, as long as most martial practitioners of the Announcing Peace Mountain Range attended this alliance meet, his Vast Spirit Mountain would already have benefited the most from it.
Everything had been going very smoothly at first. Now, however, Yuan Xiancheng suddenly knit his white brows on his seat of honour.
Seeing this, Daoist East Spring was dazed as he thought that he might have somehow offended him.
Before he could consider how he might have done so, his connection with the mountain’s guardian grand formation relayed that some uninvited guest was actually approaching Vast Spirit Mountain.
At virtually the same time as this, a voice resounded.
“Broad Creed Mountain’s Yan Zhaoge has come. Is the owner of this place here?”
Instantly, everyone was rendered speechless, the commotion quelled as minds ceased to function.
Everyone exchanged looks, doubting their ears.
“The person outside called himself…Yan Zhaoge?”
“That Yan Zhaoge of Broad Creed Mountain?”
“He has come to Vast Spirit Mountain on his own?”
While a ruckus did not arise, everyone’s gazes were filled with disbelief as they all exchanged looks.
Daoist East Spring shot right up from his seat with an outward exclamation.