History's Strongest Senior Brother c1-1474

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

  Previously, the relationship between the clan and the Pill Pavilion had been managed by the Eastern Tang’s Disciplinary Elder. This definitely fell within his jurisdiction, so it made sense that he had this power.

  However, Yan Zhaoge had personally obtained Zhao Shilie’s share of the Pill Pavilion—and it was a fairly huge at that. According to common sense, Yan Zhaoge should hand it over to the clan, whereupon it would be managed alongside the clan’s own share of the Pill Pavilion. In return, Yan Zhaoge would be rewarded in some other form.

  Of course, this naturally meant that all of it would be handed over to the Eastern Tang Principal Elder—Yan Xu.

  But right now, it seemed that the entire situation had been flipped on its head. Instead of it going to Yan Xu, the clan’s original share of the Pill Pavilion was also going to be completely transferred to Yan Zhaoge.

  Without even discussing the specifics of their value, just the concept of giving away his authority over the Pill Pavilion was like taking a knife and carving the meat off Yan Xu’s body.

  The other martial practitioners looked on with some measure of bewilderment towards Elder Qin. Even the King of the Eastern Tang Kingdom, Zhao Shicheng, seemed shocked as he sized up the situation.

  Elder Qin retained a peaceful expression, as did Yan Xu.

  Witnessing this scene, Yan Zhaoge put on a smiling expression but said nothing.

  Regarding the struggle between Yan Zhaoge’s father Yan Di and his second apprentice-uncle Fang Zhun, Elder Qin still remained neutral.

  Although Elder Qin’s impression of Yan Zhaoge had changed to one of extreme admiration, this was still not sufficient for him to lean towards Yan Di’s faction.

  Elder Qin’s current actions killed two birds with one stone. On one hand, he was rewarding Yan Zhaoge for the various merits the other had earned for the clan. On the other hand, he was also putting a little bit of pressure on Yan Xu as a warning.

  Previously, Wen Ningzhi had tried to act against Yan Zhaoge, instead ending up harming himself. Him being Yan Xu’s trusted subordinate, Elder Qin naturally had to focus his gaze on the Eastern Tang and Yan Zhaoge.

  Regarding Lin Yushao’s death, even though no final conclusion could be definitively reached, it seemed like Yan Zhaoge was at least temporarily able to cast off any suspicions.

  As for just who had caused her demise, that was naturally an important question worthy of a detailed investigation.

  At any rate, the body had first been discovered by a subordinate of Yan Xu and was currently being watched over by his people as well. The fatal wound had been caused by the Tushita Palm, which Yan Xu himself was also proficient in. With his cultivation base, if he wanted to mimic the attack of an early outer aura Martial Scholar, that would naturally be simplicity itself.

  Elder Qin was also quite sure that Lin Yushao had not actually been killed by Yan Xu, but there was no telling. Perhaps Yan Xu had made some moves in order to deal with Yan Zhaoge, and was the culprit in truth.

  Presently, the fact that he was stripping away a portion of Yan Xu’s authority and instead conferring it onto Yan Zhaoge was a clear warning for Yan Xu.

  With regard to the competition between Yan Di and Fang Zhun for the seat of Clan Chief, Elder Qin was a neutral party who did not participate in the struggle. However, his character dictated that there was a moral bottom line that neither party should ever cross.

  “The amount of revenue being generated is only one aspect.” Yan Zhaoge leisurely thought, “Before, I was only a foppish master spending money hand over foot. Now, perhaps this can be counted as me finally earning some money?”

  Elder Qin continued, “You also found a Maiden of Extreme Yin and convinced her to swear loyalty to the clan—this is also a contribution that cannot be understated.”

  “Discovering the Golden Needle Liberating Pill technique and winning a share of the Pill Pavilion, refining the Internal Crystal Furnace, as well as discovering the use of Cloud-Veined Crystal in producing Jade Essence…every single one of these is a meritorious contribution.”

  “If Young Friend Feng manages to regain her Extreme Yin Physique, the clan will naturally have an enormous reward for you.”

  Yan Zhaoge nodded his head. Even though he didn’t know the specifics, he was still a little bit expectant about his reward from the clan.

  Elder Qin continued, “You were able to defeat Xiao Shen and spread the fame of my Broad Creed Mountain. Even though the matter with the Maiden of Extreme Yin cannot be made public, you will still be rewarded by the clan.”

  “As for what these rewards will be, that has to be decided back at the clan. This old man is not qualified to make such decisions; at the end of the day, you are not actually a martial practitioner stationed in the East Heaven Region.”

  “However, you having consecutively earned so many merits, the clan will also not instead become stingier as a result. If you have your eye on any specific reward, just let me know and I will report it back to the clan.”

  “You know all the rules, and won’t request anything unrealistic.”

  Hearing what was said, Yan Zhaoge slightly laughed and nodded his head, “Many thanks to Elder Qin. I won’t hide it from you; I really do have my eyes on something.”

  Elder Qin asked, “Huh? What thing?”

  Yan Zhaoge laughed, “I actually want something of yours, that Nine Treasure Ice Gourd which originates from the Thunder Domain’s Lonely Gorge Mountain.”

  With some astonishment, Elder Qin asked, “You have some treasure that needs to be stored for a long time?”

  “This old man knew that you had obtained the Glacial Dragon Bone Soul, and had originally planned to give you its entire skeleton as well.”

  “But, having collected the Glacial Dragon Bone Soul, a large amount of Profound Jade should be sufficient.”

  Yan Zhaoge spoke again, “It really isn’t the Glacial Dragon’s skeleton, instead being something else. I wonder if you, Elder, would be willing to part with it?”

  Waving his hands, Elder Qin directly took out a white-colored gourd and handed it over to Yan Zhaoge, “What is there to be unwilling about?”

  “Even though this item is rather rare, it really isn’t all that valuable. This old man happened to chance across one when I was younger, and have possessed it ever since.”

  “It is like chicken ribs-tasteless, yet a pity to throw away.”

  “If you only want this item, then there is no need to wait for the clan to decide. This old man can just give it to you directly.”

  Receiving the Nine Treasures Ice Gourd, Yan Zhaoge immediately felt an icy sensation in his hands. He smiled and replied, “My thanks to Elder.”

  Looking at Yan Zhaoge, Elder Qin seemed to have suddenly thought of something as he opened his eyes wide, “You rascal, it must be because you’ve gotten some new idea, right?”

  Yan Zhaoge laughed lightly, not concealing the matter, “It’s true that I have something, but it’s still just an idea right now and I don’t know if it will really work. I will have to experiment a little bit.”

  Elder Qin pointed at Yan Zhaoge with his forefinger, “Ah, you little rascal. You really don’t let people save worry.”

  Even while saying that, his attitude was quite kind and amiable. While looking at Yan Zhaoge, it was clear that his expression held both kindness and praise.

  When others heard what they were talking about, they all felt very curious about what new idea Yan Zhaoge might have.

  Simply from empirical evidence, it was quite clear that one couldn’t judge Yan Zhaoge by any common standard.

  Even though Yan Zhaoge had played down his idea and made it sound plain, it could very well be something pivotal.

  Having addressed the issue of Yan Zhaoge’s rewards, Elder Qin ordered the clan to make a detailed investigation in the matter of Lin Yushao’s untimely death.

  Considering that the victim had been murdered in the Eastern Tang, it made sense for the investigation to be under the ju
risdiction of the Eastern Tang Principal Elder, Yan Xu.

  However, it had quickly become apparent that Yan Xu was unsuited to carrying out the rest of the investigation. As such, Elder Qin tasked his subordinates with continuing to delve deeper into the matter.

  With regard to Yan Zhaoge, it was clear that he had absolutely no connection at all with Lin Yushao’s death.

  Previously, when Yan Zhaoge had actively called for the investigation of the matter, it had simply been to demonstrate his attitude with regard to the affair.

  After this, it was very possible that the Sacred Sun Clan would have some movements, making it more important than ever for there to be cooperation between the Eastern Tang and Broad Creed Mountain.

  During this period of time, while they were acting in the Eastern Tang, regardless of whether it was Yan Zhaoge, Elder Qin, or Yan Xu, each one of them naturally wanted to have a mutual understanding with Zhao Shicheng.

  Everything having been basically settled, Yan Zhaoge escorted Zhao Shicheng to the door, sending a sound transmission with his aura-qi, “Uncle, I’d like to have a little chat with you regarding your sixteenth son, Zhao Hao.”

  History's Strongest Senior Brother Chapter 68: Zhao Hao is indeed a good person

  HSSB68: Zhao Hao is indeed a good person

  Glancing at Yan Zhaoge, Zhao Shicheng slowly nodded his head, “I know what you, Zhaoge, want to discuss.”

  Conversing with Yan Zhaoge in private, Zhao Shicheng was no longer as formal as before, switching to a very ordinary form of address instead.

  “Even if we say that he just came to see the light one fine day, the changes in Hao’er are really just far too great, far too sudden.”

  “Not even mentioning the changes in his temperament, his attainment in the dao of alchemy is such that even I would have to admit that mine is inferior. As for his cultivation attainment, while I have still yet to see it, his cultivation speed over the past half year has been far, far greater than before.

  Zhao Shicheng was very honest, not looking down on Yan Zhaoge as a member of the younger generation.

  As for the earlier Zhao Hao who had been a totally unremarkable character, Zhao Shicheng also could really not say how much he understood about him.

  As for the Zhao Hao after the change… if Zhao Shicheng wanted to, he could naturally perform a thorough, clear check of most of the things that Zhao Hao had been involved in since birth. Otherwise, he would have been the head of a Kingdom for nothing.

  “If it’s said that he had some extremely fortuitous encounters and obtained some martial legacies or was secretly accepted as a disciple by an expert, his growth would still barely be explainable.”

  “However, the dao of alchemy does not merely look at talent but also the accumulating of experience; however did Hao’er attain the lofty heights of now?”

  Zhao Shicheng shook his head slightly, “Still, all of this can still be slowly investigated. Having produced an even more outstanding son, it is naturally a good thing for the Eastern Tang.”

  As Yan Zhaoge listened, he was also secretly smirking by the side.

  To those in positions of power, those beneath them possessing ability was not something to be afraid of. The crux was whether the situation was still within their control.

  As long as they did not lose the ability to control the situation, the more capable their subordinates were the better.

  Oftentimes, it was not that they had failed to spot their abnormalities and flaws. It was only that even having done so, they would play dumb and observe the situation from the shadows.

  Zhao Shicheng was already like this. Yan Zhaoge’s own father, Yan Di, was even harder to fool.

  Thus, ever since having crossed over to this world, Yan Zhaoge had been doing everything in gradual phases.

  Even if he didn’t manage to completely avoid all suspicion, at the very least, the difference between him and his body’s original owner could not be too great.

  Although he had managed to reproduce the Internal Crystal Furnace, causing it to reappear within this world, that was only the creation of a tool; it had nothing to do with his own proficiency in artifact forging at all. The other artifact refining techniques that Yan Zhaoge used could only be considered somewhat better than average.

  The Golden Needle Liberating Pill Technique that had he had let resurface was but a technique. Meanwhile, his overall proficiency in alchemy would gradually improve as time went by, increasing the impression he left on others slowly but surely.

  Changes in his martial prowess as well as some strange discoveries could mostly be attributed to fortuitous encounters, or having a sudden flash of inspiration.

  Progressing a little slower now was fine—the future whereupon he would spread his wings and soar high into the sky was already close at hand.

  Actually, in thinking about it sometimes, Yan Zhaoge would be unable to resist breaking into a laugh. “Zhao Hao is indeed a good person ah.”

  Yan Zhaoge’s current achievements were naturally far higher than that of Zhao Hao.

  However, when compared to the Zhao Hao who bared his fangs openly and acted as he liked with hardly any reservation, Yan Zhaoge actually appeared somewhat more normal.

  Of course, this was only comparatively.

  In many people’s eyes, Yan Zhaoge was similarly high-profile and domineering like there was no tomorrow.

  However, as his body’s original owner had also possessed such a temperament, the difference was actually not too great.

  Therefore, having told Feng Yunsheng that he was acting low-key, it was because Yan Zhaoge truly felt that he himself was already being pretty low-key.

  Faced with Feng Yunsheng’s somewhat disbelieving gaze, Yan Zhaoge really felt like he had been wronged…

  With such a personality of loving to act and look cool, he had already been working extremely hard to suppress it!

  Zhao Shicheng sighed rather emotionally, “The potential that Hao’er has currently revealed…even the Fourth Prince cannot compare to it, let alone the First and the Third Princes.”

  Yan Zhaoge smiled slightly. Other than the First Prince Zhao Yuan and the Third Prince Zhao Sheng, the Eastern Tang royal family actually still had a Fourth Prince, Zhao Ming.

  In terms of cultivation talent alone, not considering the black horse Zhao Hao, Zhao Ming was the first amongst all of Zhao Shicheng’s sons, at the same time also the most outstanding talent within the entire Eastern Tang Kingdom’s younger generation.

  Many years ago, Zhao Ming had already entered Broad Creed Mountain to learn the martial way. He was an official disciple of Broad Creed Mountain.

  With Broad Creed Mountain being the overlord of the Heaven Domain and the elites of the Heaven Domain seeing Broad Creed Mountain’s glory as their own, most of the top martial talents there had landed within its palm.

  It was only that, having entered Broad Creed Mountain as a disciple, the position of the Eastern Tang’s next king would no longer have any relation to him if no major incidents happened.

  While the Eastern Tang Kingdom was close to and subordinate to Broad Creed Mountain, it did not mean that the Eastern Tang was completely its vassal.

  Being able to cultivate in Broad Creed Mountain or ascending as the Eastern Tang’s King—which option was better was a matter of personal opinion.

  However, Zhao Ming was completely devoted to the martial way, so he was more than happy to enter the Sacred Ground to develop his skills.

  While entering Broad Creed Mountain might make it seem like he had separated himself from the Eastern Tang Kingdom, the Eastern Tang could still make use this to improve the relation between the two sides from behind the scenes.

  Having always been wholeheartedly devoted to Broad Creed Mountain, Zhao Shicheng had naturally not done something like placing bets on both sides. Thus, other than his fourth son Zhao Ming, who had entered Broad Creed Mountain, all of his other sons remained in the Eastern Tang.

  Other than that, it
was also worth mentioning that the son of Zhao Shilie, Prince Jin, had entered the Sacred Sun Clan.

  The relationship between Zhao Shilie and the Sacred Sun Clan was remarkably close as a result, causing the Sacred Sun Clan’s influence in the Eastern Tang to be constantly encroaching.

  Yan Zhaoge and Zhao Shicheng both did not mention this matter as though under a tacit agreement.

  Yan Zhaoge said slowly, “I am unable to exactly determine Brother Zhao Hao’s situation. However, according to my conjecture, the changes on his body should be related to the Martial Saint expert of old, the Pill Fire Divine Sword Gao Zhe—perhaps he obtained his legacy.”

  It was already enough that he had said that much.

  Zhao Shicheng nodded his head, pondering deeply for a moment. “Excelling in sword arts as well as the dao of alchemy… The Smoke Cloud Powder… En, there is indeed this possibility.”

  He raised his head to glance at Yan Zhaoge, “If I’m not remembering wrong, it was rumored that the Pill Fire Divine Sword’s relationship with Broad Creed Mountain was quite strained?”

  Yan Zhaoge answered candidly, “I am not clear on the exact reason, but that is indeed true.”

  “Other than that, it is not known if Gao Zhe passed down a message along with his legacy, and also what exactly Brother Zhao Hao inherited from him, having caused him to seem to be slightly hostile towards our clan.”

  Zhao Shicheng sighed. “Having heard the report from my men, I also know of this matter.”

  “Relax—I will work on clearing up that hostility. If no progress is made this way, other arrangements will naturally be made.”

  His personal ties with Yan Di aside, Zhao Shicheng also wouldn’t let a son possessing hostile intentions towards Broad Creed Mountain become the successor to his throne.

  Spending a lot of effort in grooming him was a sure thing, but the throne was something that he would have no hope of sitting on.

  Yan Zhaoge bowed. “Uncle has his own arrangements; Zhaoge doesn’t dare to speak presumptuously on them. What we have talked about today has already been rather bold of me.”