From the looks of the marks on the plate, they were some sort of characters.
“For the people of this era, this can be considered to be very old and cryptic, but it is definitely something that was manufactured after the Great Calamity had already occurred.” Yan Zhaoge lightly furrowed his brows: “This language should have originated not too long after the Great Calamity. Considering the archived knowledge reserves that I have, this is the perfect situation.”
Yan Zhaoge rolled his eyes up, only showing the whites of his eyes, and sat still in concentration.
“Nonetheless, it seems like this pattern really does resemble blood vessels…”
The small metal tile was roughly half the size of his palm. Yan Zhaoge racked his brains as he traced the underlying pattern, as he deeply pondered: “It somewhat resembles one of the languages that existed before the Great Calamity, which is easy to consult. However, it also adheres to a pattern of blood vessels.”
Gently rapping the metal tile with his hand, Yan Zhaoge slowly began to comprehend: “Numerous… Dragon…Ancient…Cold…Rebel…Scales…”
History's Strongest Senior Brother Chapter 21: The trouble shoved onto his head
HSSB 21: The trouble shoved onto his head
“What is all this random crap? The meaning is totally unclear; is it because the metal plate is incomplete? Some words are missing; no wonder it appears so fragmented.”
Yan Zhaoge thought for a time, then started infusing his aura-qi bit by bit into the metal plate.
As he had expected, this metal plate, which looked crude on the outside, was actually made of a rather rare material. Although it was incomplete, it could actually still withstand Yan Zhaoge’s aura qi, unlike the typical metal.
“Its durability has already reached the inner aura mid-stage Martial Scholar realm. With his current cultivation base still lacking, that Ye Jing must have still been unable to unlock the mysteries within, thus deciding to leave it for a later date.”
Yan Zhaoge redoubled his efforts. Not long after, changes began showing on the metal plate.
A faint white lustre finally reappeared, causing the entire metal plate to light up.
At the same time, Yan Zhaoge could feel the surface of the metal plate getting colder and colder by the second.
At this point in time, the aura-qi surrounding his body started circulating. Even while touching the metal plate, he was still able to feel an obvious coldness emanating from it. Its actual temperature must be very low indeed, such that the average person would be completely unable to even touch it, lest their hands freeze directly and irreparably.
“This feeling, it’s a bit similar to during the era of the Great Calamity. There was a sect then known as the Glacial Ocean Sword Sect, and this feeling is somewhat similar to a special characteristic of one of its sword forms emitted upon the successful cultivation of sword-aura, though still somewhat dissimilar,” Yan Zhaoge’s gaze flickered.
“Something seems to have been added into the mix, let’s see…in the following era, I remember the Eight Extremities World having produced a Martial Saint, whom people called the Northern Ocean’s Glacial Dragon, the Glacial Dragon Martial Saint?”
“After the Great Calamity occurred, in the Eight Extremities world, amongst those who cultivated in ice, that person should have been the strongest, with even a sacred artifact in his possession. That year, when he suddenly went missing, whether he was dead or alive a total mystery, his sacred artifact disappeared along with him.”
Stroking his lower chin, Yan Zhaoge thought, “Oh, Ye Jing, you’re good; other things notwithstanding, your luck is definitely something.”
“That dark red ring doesn’t count; who knows when he picked up such a thing like this.”
“Speaking of which, after the Great Calamity, members of the Dragon race were seldom seen in the Eight Extremities World. The attainment of the Glacial Dragon Martial Saint that year; perhaps it wasn’t merely a sword form of the Glacial Ocean Sword Sect, but had something to do with the dragons instead…”
Now, Ah Hu knocked on his door from outside the house, “Young Master, Elder Xu from the Overlooking Abyss City is here.”
Xu Chuan was Broad Creed Mountain’s acting Elder, sent by the clan to take charge of matters here in the Eastern Tang Kingdom’s Overlooking Abyss City.
Ceasing his infusion of aura qi into the metal plate, Yan Zhaoge said, “Welcome, Elder Xu.”
After Ah Hu had left, leaving only Yan Zhaoge and Xu Chuan within the hall, Xu Chuan no longer addressed the former as ‘Apprentice-nephew Yan’, instead saying, “Young Master Yan, you must have suffered this time; luckily, you emerged safely in the end.”
Yan Zhaoge smiled mildly, “Elder Xu, you are shortening my lifespan.”
This Xu Chuan was from his father’s faction. From just the form of address alone, his slickness could be seen. This was the type of person that typically acted in an ingratiating manner, to the point of not having any morals, no level that he would not stoop to.
However, his superior, the Eastern Tang Kingdom’s Principal Elder Yan Xu, was from Yan Zhaoge’s second senior apprentice-uncle’s faction. Under his oppressive rule, though, Xu Chuan was still managing to stay afloat easily; from this, it could be seen that under his slick appearance, he too possessed some level of ability, and was not the simple kind of person who chose between factions.
The incompetent would never be able to survive in Overlooking Abyss City’s complicated environment.
Yan Zhaoge asked, “How fare Crimson Spirit Flag Master and Ghost Hatchet Elder?”
Xu Chuan shook his head regretfully, “Ghost Hatchet Elder was not Elder Yan’s match, and was wounded by him yet again. Still, Elder Yan was not able to capture him; he managed to escape successfully.”
“Crimson Spirit Flag Master also managed to escape; those potential risks are still out at large.”
Yan Zhaoge’s lips twitched, “While the Eastern Tang Kingdom is situated near the very edge of the East Heaven Region, our clan has already been operating here for many years. Having let those people escape so easily, there must have been some hidden powers interfering in secret.”
The Eastern Tang Kingdom was situated at the easternmost part of the East Heaven Region. Whether it was the geography or the culture, the environment there was extremely complicated; other than the Dragon Sealing Abyss, it also bordered the Mountain Domain as well as the Fire Domain.
The Sacred Grounds in control of the two Domains were, respectively, the Infinite Boundless Mountain and the Sacred Sun Clan. Over the years, their influence had gradually seeped into the Eastern Tang Kingdom, such they now held great sway there.
The competition between the Broad Creed Mountain and the Sacred Sun Clan was intense; the two Sacred Grounds secretly clashed virtually every day in the Eastern Tang Kingdom.
Xu Chuan said, “That’s right. The greatest possibility is naturally the Sacred Sun Clan; they have been growing more and more overbearing in recent years.”
After a slight pause, Xu Chuan looked at Yan Zhaoge, “Right, I heard that Young Master Yan beat up the Sacred Sun Clan’s Chao Yuanlong in the Dragon Sealing Abyss?”
Yan Zhaoge nodded, “That indeed happened.”
“Young Master Yan won a grand victory over Chao Yuanlong, spreading the grand name of our Broad Creed Mountain far and wide; this is a cause for celebration indeed. What an admirable feat, befitting of the name of the strongest member of our clan’s young generation; a Heaven’s proud son, sure to accomplish a legendary status in the future!” Xu Chuan praised him cheesily.
If it was a clan far inferior to the Sacred Sun Clan which beat up one of its disciples, the Sacred Sun Clan would definitely not let it go so easily.
But Yan Zhaoge was similarly from a first class power, the Sacred Ground Broad Creed Mountain. Clashing with Chao Yuanlong was only a normal sparring between disciples of the younger generation.
Losing in a fight meant that one would lose face; bu
t for finding back face, it was naturally done in the same fashion.
Thus, Yan Zhaoge having beaten Chao Yuanlong to such a state, while Xu Chuan was naturally happy, he was also worried.
Rather hesitantly, Xu Chuan said, “But I heard that afterwards, Young Master Yan also threw disciples of the Sacred Sun Clan out of the central vortex region?”
Yan Zhaoge smiled lightly, “That’s right; that piece of information is true as well.”
Looking at the slightly worried face of Xu Chuan, Yan Zhaoge waved his hand dismissively, “Be at ease, Elder Xu, this incident was related to the Internal Crystal Furnace.”
Hearing this, Xu Chuan let out a breath of relief, “That’s good to hear; otherwise, the Sacred Sun Clan would definitely react. Members of our clan would also come to question you, Young Master Xu, on this matter.”
“Other than that, about that Ye Jing, Apprentice-Nephew Jing falling into danger; when the clan hears the news, they will probably come over to ask some questions as well. Still, I don’t think that will be much of a problem. After all, that was purely accidental; someone of the Crimson Spirit Flag Master’s status making a move is just like a natural disaster taking place.” Xu Chuan spoke on this matter relaxedly.
Yan Zhaoge raised his head to look up at the rooftop, “Some people might not think this way; on the contrary, they might have been waiting for such a chance.”
…………
Also situated in the Eastern Tang Kingdom, not far from Overlooking Abyss City, was the Spirit Wind Canyon, a canyon completely owned by Broad Creed Mountain, where a large amount of precious resources was produced.
Broad Creed Mountain’s acting Elder here was known as Wen Ningzhi. From far, he appeared to be a refined middle-aged gentleman.
He was still quite young, and had a bright future ahead of him; if no accidents happened, he still had much room for growth.
“Both parties started the argument due to the seed of Li Flame True Fire? Before Ye Jing died, he was angrily shouting out Yan Zhaoge’s name?” the edges of Wen Ningzhi’s mouth curled up in amusement.
The martial practitioner who was here under his orders answered, “This subordinate got this piece of news from the mouth of a young disciple who travelled together with them; it cannot be wrong. However, they did not see the scene of Ye Jing falling into the abyss.”
Wen Ningzhi laughed, “That’s already enough.
One of the young disciples got into an accident with everyone watching, and that disciple also happened to be Ye Jing, who held a strong grudge against Yan Zhaoge. As the leading Martial Scholar, Yan Zhaoge was very likely to be implicated; all the trouble shoved onto his head.
The person standing beside Wen Ningzhi said in a low voice, “Still, Yan Zhaoge is Elder Yan’s son, after all, as well as one of the leading members of the clan’s younger generation. Without real, sufficient proof, I fear we won’t be able to shake his position.”
“For this kind of incident, no proof will be required. Suspicion, is already enough.” Wen Ningzhi gave a leisurely smile.
That person said hesitatingly, “Yan Zhaoge’s Internal Crystal Furnace has reappeared within this world, with the power of our clan possibly rising by a large extent. With such an achievement, even if he has done some wrong, I’m afraid it will still be seen as forgivable…”
Xu Ningzhi scoffed, “Internal Crystal Furnace? Just that little brat, whose hair hasn’t even finished growing out yet?”
History's Strongest Senior Brother Chapter 22: Yan Zhaoge’s gonna get it?
HSSB22: Yan Zhaoge’s gonna get it?
Wen Ningzhi laughed, shaking his head, “Although Yan Zhaoge does indeed possess a shocking level of potential, the him now is still far from significant.”
“What’s important, actually, is his father, Elder Yan.”
As he said this, Wen Ningzhi’s voice lowered slightly, his expression turning grave, “The competition between Elder Yan and Elder Fang has already reached a crucial stage. Any small thing that happens now also has the possibility of influencing the Clan Head, that old man’s, final decision.”
“Yan Zhaoge, is Elder Yan’s weak spot,” he continued.
Wen Ningzhi laughed coldly, “Everyone says that the situation in the Yan household follows the old saying ‘a tiger father will not birth a worthless dog of a son’, but in my opinion, it just happens to be the contrary which holds true. Elder Yan’s defeat this time will be attributed to his troublemaking son; an embankment spanning a thousand li falling to a single anthole.”
He stood up to leave, “You will come to understand this in the future: Some things, don’t actually require evidence; suspicion, is already enough to influence how one views another.”
“As for the Internal Crystal Furnace, ah, how could it be something that a little brat still reeking of his mother’s milk could somehow obtain?”
The person before him said was startled, “Elder Wen, are you saying…”
Wen Ningzhi said coolly, “It’s obviously the work of Elder Yan.”
“It’s either that for the sake of his own face, Yan Zhaoge stole the credit from his own father, or that in order to pave the path for his own son, Elder Yan deliberately gave it to him on his own accord.”
“That’s why I said; Elder Yan will sooner or later be destroyed at that brat’s hand.”
Wen Ningzhi’s expression suddenly turned ugly, “But at the expense of my own Master.”
The martial practitioner beside him lowered his head, not daring to speak a word.
As Wen Ningzhi’s most trusted subordinate, whom he shared his innermost thoughts with, he knew that back in the clan not long ago, the Elder Cui of the Assignment Hall who had been removed from his duties and even placed under a series of interrogations, was exactly Wen Ningzhi’s Master.
Although Wen Ningzhi’s cultivation had long since surpassed Elder Cui, he still held him in high esteem.
He had visited many a place, even entreating the Eastern Tang Kingdom’s Principal Elder Yan Xu, yet only managed to improve Elder Cui’s situation slightly.
Having surely lost his position, even whether he could extricate himself from the current situation and live out the rest of his life peacefully and without punishment, was still unknown.
On one hand was Elder Yan’s trueborn son, and on the other was an average person whose latent talent had almost run dry; the pressure that could be exerted by both parties, were evidently not on the same level.
Before he had made his move on Yan Zhaoge, Elder Cui had already been mentally prepared for the negative consequences that would inevitably follow, but he had never expected that he would gain nothing out of it at all, not achieving any merit whatsoever.
The crux of this matter lay in the fact that not only had he not succeeded, his intentions may also have been seen through by Yan Zhaoge, revealing even more of his side’s plans. It was equivalent to having achieved nothing and bringing detriment instead.
With that, why would the higher ups be willing to make a move to protect him?
“Sigh, Master is old in body but not old at heart. He was completely unwilling to heed my advice, being bent on taking that gamble, as he strove to improve our situation. Yet, he was outwitted by that Yan Zhaoge instead.”
Feeling somewhat dispirited within his heart, Wen Ningzhi thought out loud rather resentfully, “Still, Master, the premise of your attack was right indeed. A dog cannot change its ****, that Yan Zhaoge, having been unrestrained for so long, still stepped into it eventually.
The martial practitioner beside him said in a low voice, “At the end of the day, Yan Zhaoge is still Elder Yan’s son; even if you succeed this time, you will still have to withstand Elder Yan’s flames of fury after the incident is over.”
Wen Ningzhi laughed, “When we succeed, I will naturally have people up there who’ll take care of Elder Yan for me.”
“I myself do not have any weak points that the other side can grab ahold of; for the higher-ups to protect
me, is very easy.”
“Alright, let Elder Yan know of this intelligence report, and send this piece of news back to the clan as well.
“Let’s see how that brat of the Yan Family can escape from this unscathed; I’ll definitely strip off a layer of his skin this time!”
…………
After Yan Zhaoge had talked with Xu Chuan for a time, he took out an object as if nothing was out of the ordinary, placing it in front of the latter, “This Cloud-Veined Crystal; is it produced in the Spirit Wind Canyon?”
It was a pale yellow crystalline object, with patterns on its exterior which resembled floating white clouds.
This was one of the speciality products produced in the immediate vicinity that Xu Chuan had provided him with after he had arrived at Overlooking Abyss City. When martial practitioners cultivated, they would place it by their side, as it had the effect of calming one’s spirits, and could slightly increase the speed of their cultivation.
Xu Chuan nodded his head, “That’s right, it is indeed produced there.”
Yan Zhaoge stroked the Cloud-Veined Crystal with his fingers, as he nodded, “Its effects are pretty good.”
Xu Chuan’s expression did not change, but his heart still twitched slightly.
With Overlooking Abyss City bordering the Sealing Dragon Abyss just outside of it, the internal division of the Spirit Wind Canyon did not have to compete with anyone from the other powers. Thus, as the resources it produced were also abundant, although the Elder in charge of the place was but at the level of an acting Elder, it was still one of the best-paying positions within the Eastern Tang Kingdom.
This was unlike Overlooking Abyss City. Although the position of acting Elder there was an important one, the responsibilities it entailed were great, and one would most likely be held responsible when things went wrong.
The Acting Elder of the Spirit Wind Canyon, Wen Ningzhi, was a trusted subordinate of the Eastern Tang Kingdom’s Principal Elder Yan Xu, as well as a member of Yan Zhaoge’s second senior apprentice-uncle’s faction.
History's Strongest Senior Brother c1-1474 Page 21
