History's Strongest Senior Brother c1-1474

by 八月飞鹰, Ba Yue Fei Ying, August Eagle

But finally, Yan Zhaoge’s left hand’s Tushita Palm, not giving in an inch, managed to fall heavily down on Xiao Shen’s body!

  Xiao Shen let out a muffled groan, as, fresh blood spurting out from his nostrils, his figure tumbled backward in retreat.

  The crowd of Sacred Sun Clan disciples let out alarmed cries, their faces all turning the colour of ash.

  The late outer aura Martial Scholar Xiao Shen against the mid outer aura Martial Scholar Yan Zhaoge; it had actually ended with Xiao Shen’s defeat!

  This result was much more shocking than Yan Zhaoge having previously defeated Chao Yuanlong twice while the two had been at the same level of cultivation.

  After all, Xiao Shen was not just an ordinary late outer aura Martial Scholar; this was a genius-level existence who had surpassed levels to defeat opponents in the mid outer aura stage while he himself had only still been in the early outer aura stage!

  During his clash with Chao Yuanlong in the Sealing Dragon Abyss previously, ignoring how much strength the two had possessed at the time, a single phrase from Yan Zhaoge had been enough to deter Chao Yuanlong from wanting to make use of weapons in their fight.

  While fighting bare-handed, both sides being young Chosen of their generation, they would just be fighting it out based on their respective cultivation attainments. However, if they were to make use of weapons in their fights, even while Chao Yuanlong was a direct lineage genius of the Sacred Sun Clan, how would he be able to compare to Yan Zhaoge, whose father was one of Broad Creed Mountain’s most prominent figures?

  Xiao Shen on the other hand, was different. Like Yan Zhaoge, his entire body was full of precious treasures.

  However, having been drawn in and contained by both sides’ clashing of precious treasures, he had actually just been defeated by Yan Zhaoge who had even surpassed levels to do so. The difference between their levels of cultivation was clearly laid right there for all to see; it could not talked away.

  Worse was the fact that Yan Zhaoge saw bottlenecks as flimsy entities which might as well be non-existent; the gulf from the early to the mid outer aura stage was just to be crossed whenever he felt like it, as his mood dictated.

  While in the Sealing Dragon Abyss previously, he had still only been in the late inner aura stage. Now, however, he was already in the mid outer aura stage. The swiftness with which he had achieved this was so exaggerated that it was something most people, if not all, would find hard to believe.

  Such a Yan Zhaoge was like a high, towering mountain, causing a sense of desolation to inevitably rise up in the hearts of all who saw him.

  As the airborne Yan Zhaoge descended, without any hesitation whatsoever, he threw out his right arm, the Jade Dragon Sword directly flying over toward Xiao Shen!

  Xiao Shen bit his teeth as he controlled his Radiant Sun Wheel to block the Jade Dragon Sword.

  The two spirit artifacts instantly began clashing.

  Yan Zhaoge laughed as he looked at Xiao Shen, “Late outer aura Martial Scholar, don’t just focus on running away ah!”

  Having finished his lines, he exerted strength with his feet once more, instantly travelling almost a distance of a hundred kilometres, headed straight for Xiao Shen once more!

  Xiao Shen stared at him, his eyelids spread so far wide they very nearly permanently ripped themselves apart for good. Finally, looking towards the other Sacred Sun Clan disciples, he let out a low, dispirited howl, “Let’s go!”

  The bodies of the Sacred Sun Clan disciples jolted as they glanced over at Yan Zhaoge and Xiao Shen with complicated expressions on their faces, their hearts all having died along with Xiao Shen’s humiliating defeat. Carrying the fainted Chao Yuanlong who was long since dead to the world, they retreated outside the valley.

  Yan Zhaoge also didn’t make things difficult for them, just focusing on that one Xiao Shen as he continued to gift him with injuries as generously as he could.

  Xiao Shen dispiritedly performed a Leap of the Rising Sun, this time not for a sudden sneak attack but rather to avoid Yan Zhaoge, before finding a chance to escape.

  Though his heart currently felt like it was dripping blood, and he was completely unwilling to admit it.

  Things having progressed to this stage, even Xiao Shen had to admit to himself and really recognise that, he truly wasn’t Yan Zhaoge’s match!

  The him of the late outer aura Martial Scholar realm, was no match for Yan Zhaoge who was only in the mid outer aura stage!

  Relying on the levitating ability possessed by late outer aura Martial Scholars as well as the swiftness of the Leap of the Rising Sun, Xiao Shen once again managed to barely avoid Yan Zhaoge’s next blow.

  However, having come into contact with Yan Zhaoge’s aura-qi, the large beard on Xiao Shen’s face was suddenly separated from its owner, gently flying away on the adjacent breeze.

  Xiao Shen was stunned for a moment. Next, his face abruptly turned the crimson of blood. Having lost control of his emotions, his voice was no longer able to sustain its former roughness as he let out a sharp, piercing shriek full of with anger and hatred.

  At this, Yan Zhaoge was also momentarily stunned.

  The Xiao Shen before him had not had his beard partially slashed off. Rather, his entire large beard had been separated from his face cleanly, leaving behind a completely smooth lower jaw with not even a single bit of stubble to be seen.

  Without his beard, Xiao Shen’s form conformed with the image of the handsome youth within Yan Zhaoge’s memories.

  However, with that shrill noise which had left his mouth earlier, however he looked, Xiao Shen just seemed a little feminine, and somewhat different from a normal male!

  Having his embarrassment turn into rage, Xiao Shen stared at Yan Zhaoge for a moment, before turning to glare at Feng Yunsheng with a venomous expression on his face. Finally, he didn’t continue to linger, as he turned and left.

  The corners of Yan Zhaoge’s mouth twitched as he swivelled his head to look back at Feng Yunsheng.

  “You said you heavily injured him that year…exactly which part of him did you injure ah?”

  Feng Yunsheng, however, had totally ignored all of Xiao Shen’s fury and hatred that had been directed at her, her gaze instead having been focused on Yan Zhaoge all along.

  While she was currently heavily injured, her cultivation limited to the Body Refinement realm, her experience and judgment still remained.

  And it was exactly because of that that she had been so astonished and amazed by Yan Zhaoge’s performance.

  Before Yan Zhaoge had turned back to pose her the question, so surprised had she been that her mouth had all along been slightly open.

  On hearing Yan Zhaoge’s query, Feng Yunsheng snapped back to reality, replying with a relaxed expression on his face, “That year, his little brother was being unlawful, wanting to take advantage of me. I naturally helped to discipline it for him lor.”

  “……right.” Yan Zhaoge pursed his lips, suddenly feeling like the wind blowing beneath his hips was a little chilly.

  He had heard that Xiao Shen’s maternal grandfather had only borne a single daughter, his mother. Having come to Xiao Shen’s generation, he naturally only had that single grandson.

  The Xiao family on his father’s side, having come here, also only had him as the sole successor…

  No wonder they want to kill you off, when, with your Grand Master being dead, there’s no longer anyone in the Sacred Sun Clan who can protect you.

  Feng Yunsheng said carelessly, “Of the so-called Four Rising Suns of the Sacred Sun Clan’s young generation, Xiao Shen and Chao Yuanlong both have their own issues holding them back.”

  “Chao Yuanlong is unswervingly determined, not fearing danger or hardship. However, he likes to walk the path less travelled, always thinking of accomplishing things that other people can’t succeed in, as if thinking that that is the only way he can exhibit his capabilities.”

  “Actually, if he had just honestly settled down and got on with things, c
ultivating in the more orthodox Sun Saint Clan martial arts just like the other disciples, rather than veering towards things like the Piercing Sun Needle Art and the Heavenly Snake Silk-Binding Hand, with his talent and perseverance, perhaps his actual combat ability would be slightly lower than currently it is now, but his accomplishments would only be higher in the future.”

  Feng Yunsheng shook her head, “While Xiao Shen’s perseverance cannot compare to Chao Yuanlong’s, he is better at comprehending the martial dao than Chao Yuanlong is. However, Xiao Shen is too wild and unbridled in his thoughts, especially being very lustful as well as a spendthrift, unable to control that ‘Little Xiao Shen’ of his. Otherwise, his accomplishments would be greater than they are now.”

  At this point, Feng Yunsheng laughed, “Having helped him by ridding him of that problem by the root, his cultivation these past two years has obviously been improving at a much higher rate than before.”

  At this, Yan Zhaoge just rolled his eyes, “He still lacks a Sunflower Manual[1].”

  Feng Yunsheng was momentarily speechless in her confusion, “What martial art is that; I’ve never heard of it before.”

  Yan Zhaoge just waved his hands, no longer speaking. Instead, he began examining the spoils of his battle.

  In his fight with Xiao Shen, both sides had clashed with a large amount of precious treasures.

  While Xiao Shen had eventually managed to get away, the connection between him and many of those treasures had been forcibly cut off by Yan Zhaoge.

  Fleeing in a panic, Xiao Shen had naturally had no time to retrieve them. Therefore, they all now naturally entered Yan Zhaoge’s pockets.

  Amongst these, there were two mid-grade artifacts that just happened to be well-suited to him. However, Yan Zhaoge himself did not lack mid-grade artifacts.

  Well, there was a high-grade artifact which could still be considered as having some value.

  Still, the one which really drew his attention the most was that spirit artifact, the Radiant Sun Wheel!

  The value of this spirit artifact was on a completely different level from that of normal artifacts.

  Even Yan Zhaoge himself currently only possessed a single spirit artifact, the Jade Dragon Sword.

  [1] From The Smiling Proud Wanderer, something that martial practitioners can only cultivate in after having, ahem.

  History's Strongest Senior Brother Chapter 48: My strongest point is that I’m low-key

  HSSB48: My strongest point is that I’m low-key

  The Radiant Sun Wheel and Jade Dragon Sword were both outstanding, well-known items amongst all spirit artifacts.

  If it weren’t for their family backgrounds, it would be difficult for a Martial Scholar like Yan Zhaoge and Xiao Shen to possess such artifacts.

  For mid-grade spirit artifacts, Yan Zhaoge’s father and Xiao Shen’s grandfather would naturally possess many of them.

  However, with Yan Zhaoge’s and Xiao Shen’s current cultivation, the number of spirit artifacts that existed in the Eight Extremities World which they would be able to wield were a small number.

  Not even mentioning Sacred Artifacts, even a mid-grade or high-grade spiritual artifact, when wielded by a Martial Scholar, would almost be unable to have its power unleashed at all.

  Spirit artifacts possessed a spiritual consciousness, which elevated them above typical artifacts.

  Thus, Feng Yunsheng was full of surprise as watched Yan Zhaoge survey the Radiant Sun Wheel.

  To begin with, spirit artifacts possessed a consciousness that gave them a certain independence. If the other party wasn’t a Martial Grandmaster at the very least, it would be difficult to change the owner of the artifact.

  At the moment, the Radiant Sun Wheel was still suppressed by the Jade Dragon Sword, and hadn’t yet submitted and acknowledged Yan Zhaoge as its master.

  If it wasn’t for the suppression of the Jade Dragon Sword, it would have long since flown away in search of its erstwhile owner, Xiao Shen.

  Now, Yan Zhaoge had gotten the opportunity to lock down the Radiant Sun Wheel, but in the same stroke, had been forced to use his own Jade Dragon Sword to bind it down.

  The two spirit artifacts mutually suppressed each other. Without first resolving this problem, forget about the Radiant Sun Wheel—even Yan Zhaoge’s Jade Dragon Sword would be unusable.

  In terms of total strength, his strength had dropped a large amount.

  For low-grade spirit artifacts, their meaning for Martial Scholars was akin to what a typical artifact would mean for martial practitioners in the Body Refinement realm.

  Having taken the artifact, he naturally had to keep it. Still, if he encountered an enemy while in his current state, it would be a little bit awkward.

  “En.” Feng Yunsheng suddenly stared as Yan Zhaoge walked up to the intertwined Radiant Sun Wheel and Jade Dragon Sword, reached out his hands, and used each of them to grab one of the spirit artifacts.

  The Radiant Sun Wheel loudly rumbled and let out a fierce aura. At this moment, it was almost as if a slumbering Martial Grandmaster had been woken up.

  The Jade Dragon Sword also began to act identically. It was as though the two spirit artifacts had begun to struggle round after round, with neither emerging the victor.

  Unperturbed, Yan Zhaoge reached out his two hands and used his ten fingers to gently stroke the spirit artifacts. Using his knuckles, he gently rapped their surface in a strange cadence.

  The Jade Dragon Sword and the Radiant Sun Wheel once again vibrated slightly.

  Yan Zhaoge’s eyes suddenly flashed with a strange light as they began to mirror a multitude of transformations, as though he had entered an entirely different world.

  Within the world, an enormous golden colored sun was suspended in the sky while a jade colored dragon coiled itself around it.

  Under the influences of the continued tapping from Yan Zhaoge, the two spirit artifacts actually began to slowly calm down.

  Rather than mutual suppression, the two artifacts had truly become quiet as they entered a temporary state of calmness.

  Feng Yunsheng opened her mouth as she thought, “He was actually able to calm down the Radiant Sun Wheel so quickly; just how did he do it?”

  “This is practically unheard of!”

  Turning back around, Feng Yunsheng lightly gasped in admiration, “Even though this one has heard of your esteemed name before, having seen it in person today, I can firmly say that the rumors weren’t exaggerated in the least—rather, they could only be considered to be too conservative.”

  “Hearing isn’t as good as seeing; this idiom is something I’m known ever since I was a child, but the deepest impression I’ve had of it has been today.”

  Yan Zhaoge pocketed the two spirit artifacts and pointed a finger, “As a person, I have a lot of strong points, but my best attribute is that I’m low-key.”

  “In the future you’ll find that your thinking today will still have been conservative.”

  Feng Yunsheng good-naturedly smiled and nodded her head, “Alright, I’ll wait and see.”

  She followed up with a question, “That’s right, speaking of your sudden breakthrough into the mid outer aura Martial Scholar realm, why did they all look so dumbfounded? Even though it’s rare to break through under situations of intense pressure, it isn’t unheard of.”

  “To my knowledge, there are some people who specifically seek out life and death situations and use the pressure to break through their own bottlenecks.”

  One of the black-clothed guards by Yan Zhaoge’s side spoke out, “Not even a month ago, Young Master had just stepped into the outer aura Martial Scholar realm.”

  These people who always followed Yan Zhaoge everywhere, upon seeing Yan Zhaoge’s miraculous breakthrough, were also struck dumb like wooden chickens. Their shock was even greater than that of the Sacred Sun Clan disciples.

  At this point, Feng Yunsheng could no longer restrain herself as she turned to look at Yan Zhaoge.

  Half a s
econd later, she spoke again.

  “Are you even human?”

  Yan Zhaoge only laughed in response, not answering her.

  Feng Yunsheng drew in a breath of cold air, taking a long moment before she regained her senses, “Everyone says that despite being a genius, you still are lacking when compared to your esteemed father when he was your age. However, from the looks of it, in cultivation talent at least, you even surpass your esteemed father.”

  Knowledge from before the Great Calamity had been lost forever.

  However, after the Great Calamity, amongst all the geniuses and old monsters of the contemporary era, it was Yan Zhaoge’s father—Broad Creed Mountain’s direct lineage disciple Yan Di, who was the youngest Martial Scholar, and also the youngest Martial Grandmaster.

  At the same time, it seemed highly likely that he would also become the youngest Martial Saint.

  Yan Zhaoge laughed lightly. Comparatively, breaking through from the early to mid outer aura stage had been much easier for him than breaking through from the late inner aura Martial Scholar to the early outer aura Martial Scholar realm.

  This had had a lot to do with a number of fortuitous events and chance encounters. Upon reaching the early outer aura Martial scholar realm, he had quickly accomplished the second cleansing of the marrows within his bones. With the Profound Spirit pill to supplement his aura-qi and his encounter with the ice dragon soul providing momentum, he had had the optimal encounters to let him make his breakthrough.

  “Everyone says that a tiger father will not birth a useless dog of a son, so I also have to work hard. Even if I can’t surpass my father, I at least can’t fall behind too much.”

  Yan Zhaoge laughed, “What’s more, the path of cultivation leads to a gate. The gate is like flat ground for some people, where they can easily progress; but, for others, they can become trapped at a bottleneck and spend many years without being able to make a single step.”

  “Yet, after stepping through this gate, those who had originally fallen behind may not be destined to fall behind forever. The situation could easily invert, with those who had originally fallen behind surpassing those who were once in the lead.”