History's Strongest Senior Brother c1-1474
Page 108
With the Heavenly Connection Meet just having begun, what would very possibly be its highest-level contest now began playing out.
Looking at Xu Fei and Tang Yonghao exchanging moves with their swords in the majestic battle of a dragon and a tiger, Yan Zhaoge could not help but nod repeatedly, “Worthy of their name.”
He swivelled his head to look in another direction. There, the other Sacred Sun Clan disciples were tensely focused on the battle situation, all except for a single person, whose expression remained the same, with no changes occurring whatsoever as he was silent to the point that he seemed non-existent.
The World Illuminating Young Master, Huang Jie.
History's Strongest Senior Brother Chapter 170: Broad Creed Young Master and World Illuminating Young Master
HSSB170: Broad Creed Young Master and World Illuminating Young Master
Considering his identity, Huang Jie was already relatively low-key.
In fact, he was low-key to the point that his title of World Illuminating Young Master seemed not to fit him that well.
Rather than resembling the resplendent sunlight that captured the gazes of all under the heavens, he seemed to resemble the moonlight, quiet and secluded.
Yan Zhaoge looked towards Huang Jie just as Huang Jie turned towards him. Their gazes met, with neither betraying any emotions.
“Interesting.” Yan Zhaoge lightly raised his eyebrows.
Yan Zhaoge was unable to accurately gauge Huang Jie’s actual cultivation. The only measure he had to go on was his sense of hearing. By judging the almost imperceptible sound of the other’s blood and qi flow, he was able to form a rough guess.
Blood like mercury – this was a characteristic only possessed by those who had undergone a second washing of the marrow. By this measure, Huang Jie’s cultivation was at least at the early outer aura Martial Scholar realm.
Apart from this, Huang Jie had concealed his aura as its characteristics were also kept hidden, making it difficult for Yan Zhaoge to accurately assess his cultivation.
The characteristics of a mid outer aura Martial Scholar were being able to manifest a weapon with their aura qi and control their aura-qi from a hundred paces away. The characteristic of a late outer aura Martial Scholar was the power to take to the air. Without exchanging blows or displaying one’s martial skill, it was impossible to detect these characteristics.
Xiantian Martial Scholars were defined by their aura qi possessing spirituality. Without Huang Jie releasing his aura-qi, this was also unable to be determined. The second defining characteristic of Xiantian Martial Scholars was the spiritual light above their heads that was connected to the heavens. However, if a Xiantian Martial Scholar wished it so, he could hide it as well.
As a result, regarding Huang Jie’s cultivation, Yan Zhaoge could only place a lower limit of the early outer aura Martial Scholar realm.
In fact, with respect to his age, it would not be unordinary if Huang Jie was currently an early or mid outer aura Martial Scholar.
Yan Zhaoge aside, the other Martial Scholars near his age, including Jade Sea City’s Li Jingwan and Infinite Boundless Mountain’s Xiao Yu, were all around this cultivation level.
Huang Jie’s age was slightly higher, but not by much. All of them could basically be considered as being in the same age category.
However, Yan Zhaoge’s instincts warned him that Huang Jie was not so simple.
Rather than Tang Yonghao, whose cultivation was far higher than Yan Zhaoge’s, if the similarly-aged World Illuminating Young Master Huang Jie were able to best Yan Zhaoge in a battle, that would be the best case scenario for the Sacred Sun Clan.
However, it seemed as though Huang Jie himself had no intention of making a move.
Not only did he have no intention of fighting against Yan Zhaoge, even towards other people, Huang Jie would remain formal and distance himself.
This time, his appearance at the Heavenly Connection Meet seemed to be limited to spectating the matches.
The surrounding people all stopped what they were doing to watch the clash between Tang Yonghao and Xu Fei.
This battlefield was specially constructed by Turbid Wave Pavilion, allowing the two combatants free reign in their attacks. The aftershocks of their attacks would be contained by the formation, thus giving them the chance to go all out without having to worry about the spectators.
Previously, the exchange between Tang Yonghao and Song Chao had lasted merely a moment. In contrast, the battle between Xu Fei and Tang Yonghao now was truly a battle between a dragon and a tiger.
Amongst the crowd, even those Xiantian Martial Scholars had serious expressions on their faces. While their cultivation bases were comparatively inferior, watching the battle, they could roughly weigh and feel the great strength of the two combatants.
Just like how Yan Zhaoge had suddenly risen up in recent years to suppress all others with his overwhelming martial prowess, while the direct disciples of the Sacred Grounds were basically all at the same level in terms of talent, potential, and combat strength at the same cultivation level, going into it closely, there were still some divisions of strength amongst them.
Xu Fei and Tang Yonghao, were the peak existences amongst them!
Tang Yonghao brandished his sword, his sword-light illuminating the world as it seemed like it was omnipresent.
Not only was his opponent’s every movement within his predictions, even his various techniques and variations seemed all to be within his grasp.
Whatever his opponent tried to do, it seemed as if Tang Yonghao was able to preempt it a half-step before it happened and completely foil it.
Other than the Sacred Sun Clan’s direct lineage martial art, the Divine Sword of Dawn, Tang Yonghao also displayed proficiency in some other supreme sword arts. Having immersed himself in the dao of the sword for many years, he had gained a deep understanding of its essence, his sword variations unpredictable and innumerable.
Her full attention on the match, Sikong Qing knit her brows slightly, “Tang Yonghao, is so strange ah…”
“It isn’t strange. You only feel that it is strange because you don’t know that Tang Yonghao is a true genius in the sword,” Yan Zhaoge said, “It is rumored that in the current Eight Extremities World, other than the four supreme sword arts, Tang Yonghao can learn all other sword arts simply by observing them from the side.”
Sikong Qing’s eyes flashed as she turned around to look at Yan Zhaoge.
Profound sword arts were not just about simple stances and movements. The sword-intent contained within, the qi circulation method required for them as well as the many profound meanings contained within were all incomparably complicated.
And the martial arts of the six great Sacred Grounds-which of them would be weak?
Yan Zhaoge laughed lightly, “Don’t look at me, this rumor is actually true. For example, of our clan’s Great Heaven Earth Sword and Big Dipper Sword, without requiring their manuals, just by watching you or me practicing in the sword for a period of time, Tang Yonghao would already be able to comprehend seventy to eighty percent of it.”
“Only, Tang Yonghao has never acted this way. Even when learning sword arts not of the Sacred Sun Clan, he only learns those whose legacies have been discontinued.”
“For those sword arts which have owners, even though he can comprehend them, he does not cultivate in them.” Yan Zhaoge softly sighed, “Apart from the other five Sacred Grounds, even when it comes to those second and third-rate powers, Tang Yonghao restrains himself.”
Yan Zhaoge looked towards the arena at Tang Yonghao, “Therefore, I say that this is someone with his own persistence, even if that persistence is something that most people are unable to understand.”
Sikong Qing looked towards Xu Fei, “Senior apprentice-brother Xu is not any worse than him.”
Yan Zhaoge showed a faint smile, “This is only natural.”
Resisting Tang Yonghao’s fierce, ceaseless tide of sword variations, Xu Fe
i was like an unmoving reef that did not yield a single step.
From the start, he had been executing the Great Heaven Earth Sword to the utmost in both offense and defense. With its clumsy simplicity and boundless momentum, containing thousands, tens of thousands of profundities all in one, Xu Fei did not yield a single step.
Executing his self-created Great Heaven Earth Palm in combination with the Great Heaven Earth Sword, coming together as one, Xu Fei’s power multiplied, as he was able to keep Tang Yonghao’s innumerable sword-lights at bay with room to spare.
Just by watching the Great Heaven Earth Sword, Tang Yonghao was able to comprehend the profundities within it, allowing him to have an understanding of Xu Fei’s actions.
Even so, he was unable to gain the slightest advantage over Xu Fei.
Xu Fei’s attainment in the Great Heaven Earth Sword had already reached the pinnacle that was possible for Martial Scholars. Even if Tang Yonghao were to cultivate in it, it would also not be possible for him to do any better.
This competition between two Heavenly Connection Martial Scholars was a feast for everyone’s eyes.
Now, the disciples of Infinite Boundless Mountain and the Heavenly Thunder Hall ascended Hovering Island from two different directions.
On the side of the Heavenly Thunder Hall, neither the Thunder Rumbling Young Master Lin Zhou nor ‘Lightning Flashing’ Yan Shan was present. Instead, the leader of the group was a youth of higher cultivation who was of a similar age to Xu Fei, Tang Yonghao, and Song Chao.
Yan Zhaoge recognised him as Xie Ziyi, a long renowned Heaven’s favoured son who was currently a late Xiantian Martial Scholar.
Still, Yan Zhaoge knew that in clashing with a powerful enemy previously, despite ultimately having managed to prevail and slay him, Xie Ziyi had also received some long-term hidden injuries from their battle.
As a result, his cultivation had slowed down slightly. Otherwise, there was a nine in ten chance that he would have already broken through the bottleneck and stepped into the Heavenly Connection stage.
There were some younger disciples by Xie Ziyi’s side, likewise all in the garb of the Heavenly Thunder Hall’s core, direct disciples.
On the other side were Infinite Boundless Mountain’s direct disciples. Sure enough, Liu Shengfeng was nowhere to be seen, with the leading disciple being Ji Hanru.
At his side, a haughty Zhao Hao looked over the assembled disciples like a hungry wolf eyeing its prey.
History's Strongest Senior Brother Chapter 171: Want to spar a bit?
HSSB171: Want to spar a bit?
From a certain perspective, the martial legacies of Infinite Boundless Mountain and the Heavenly Thunder Hall were both rather extreme.
Before the matter of the Thunderbolt Soul Jade, the young disciples of both sides had already not liked the sight of one another.
The Heavenly Thunder Hall mocked Infinite Boundless Mountain as being a turtle shell, while Infinite Boundless Mountain mocked the Heavenly Thunder Hall as only having an axe which would break after three uses.
With the matter of the Thunderbolt Soul Jade having occurred now, enmity had officially arose between the two sides, causing the atmosphere between them to be even more tense than before.
At this moment, the people from both sides just happened to be meeting face-to-face, such that they even did not care to follow the bout between Xu Fei and Tang Yonghao over at the other side.
The Heavenly Thunder Hall’s direct disciples with Xie Ziyi at their head and Infinite Boundless Mountain’s direct disciples with Ji Hanru at their head stared at one another, sparks seemingly flying between them in the air.
However, the people of Infinite Boundless Mountain were very quickly defeated.
With Liu Shengfeng not there, no one could compete with Xie Ziyi.
Moreover, even if Liu Shengfeng were here, he most likely wouldn’t be Xie Ziyi’s match.
It was only Zhao Hao who held a cold and intractable gaze, not retreating in the slightest.
Shooting him a cold glance, Xie Ziyi didn’t say anything further, his gaze shifting away as he was clearly disdainful of competing for real with a mere inner aura Martial Scholar.
Behind him, a youth close to Zhao Hao’s age smiled coldly as he now stepped forward, “This Junior Brother of Infinite Boundless Mountain looks extremely unfamiliar; let us spar for a bit.”
The corners of his mouth revealing a mild, cold smile, Zhao Hao said nonchalantly, “That’s fine with me.”
Looking rather interestedly at this scene, Yan Zhaoge looked like he was smiling whilst also not.
The results were completely within Yan Zhaoge’s expectations, with Zhao Hao’s complete victory.
Zhao Hao’s performance also drew the attention of others, not just because Zhao Hao had displayed the cultivation base of a late inner aura Martial Scholar, but also because his victory had appeared extremely relaxed.
The gazes of Sikong Qing and Zhang Yao fell on Zhao Hao, whose age was similar to theirs.
“Half a year ago, seeing him in Infinite Boundless Mountain, he was still in the early inner aura stage,” Sikong Qing swivelled her head and asked Yan Zhaoge, “I heard that when we went to the Eastern Tang, he was only at the eighth or ninth level of the Body Refinement realm?”
As these words were said, Zhang Yao and the others by the side all jumped in shock, “Are you saying before the war of the Eastern Tang? In such a short time, his cultivation rose to this level?”
Yan Zhaoge replied like it was nothing, “Actually, a while before that, his cultivation base was even lower, perhaps not even having reached the fifth level of Body Refinement. In arriving at his current stage, he took around two years or maybe less to do so.”
Zhang Yao was rendered a little speechless while Li Jingwan knit her brows slightly, “Having a high cultivation speed is one thing; at the same cultivation level, his combat strength is very strong.”
Yan Zhaoge smiled but did not speak; all of these were within his predictions.
Because their various encounters and experiences differed, there would be the strong and the weak amongst those of the same cultivation level.
While Zhao Hao was an extremely proud person, his combat strength at the same cultivation level was indeed even stronger than Lin Zhou and Ye Jing.
The lower the threes’ cultivation bases, the more prominent Zhao Hao’s advantage would be, an advantage which would persist for a long time.
Even though Heavenly Thunder Hall suffered a loss at Zhao Hao’s hands, with his position, Xie Ziyi couldn’t personally make a move. Those similarly aged to Zhao Hao, after witnessing his strength and prowess, also lacked the confidence to do so.
With Lin Zhou and Yan Shan both not having come, there existed a small age gap amongst those Heavenly Thunder Hall direct disciples who had come this time, resulting in Infinite Boundless Mountain’s Ji Hanru also not having an opponent.
With the Heavenly Thunder Hall wanting to find back some face, the situation temporarily became extremely awkward.
Finally, it was still a female disciple of theirs known as Chen Lin who stepped forward, battling it out with Infinite Boundless Mountain’s Xiao Yu.
While Chen Lin was female, her personality was extremely brutal and her moves vicious as she was also rich in combat experience. While Xiao Yu was a natural born genius, he was someone who didn’t fight if words could do the trick. His experience being insufficient, he let Chen Lin gain the upper hand, allowing the Heavenly Thunder Hall to finally to get back some face at the very least.
While Ji Hanru and the others didn’t say anything, the gaze with which Zhao Hao looked at Xiao Yu was not at all friendly as it was filled with scorn.
On the other side, the showdown between Xu Fei and Tang Yonghao had already completely reached an impasse as both sides were locked deep in battle without a clear victor.
Although there was no enmity between them, with them even being appreciative of each other, both of them were curr
ently going at it with full force, not holding anything back in the least.
The match between them instead became the one with the greatest smell of gunpowder in the air ever since the start of the Heavenly Connection Meet.
As they exchanged moves, there were several times where it seemed like both of them would come out from it with injuries, even to the point that the two sometimes looked dangerously close to simultaneously bringing each other down for good.
This was a battle between a dragon and a tiger where it was hard to determine the victor-while Broad Creed Mountain and the Sacred Sun Clan both hoped for their disciple to obtain victory in this match, if these two seedlings who both possessed shocking potential really fought it out to the point of both perishing together, it was a result that neither side would be happy to see.
Finally, this contest could only be ruled as a draw.
The battle between Xu and Tang having ended, most of the spectators could only retract their attentions before going off to find their own opponents. While having experienced this Xu-Tang battle was like having directly eaten a huge meal, with what remained being only the post-meal dessert, from here on out, the Heavenly Connection Meet finally really became bustling as it livened up.
While only the younger generation disciples participating in the Meet had ascended Hovering Island, the various bigwigs who had lead them to Clear Concealed Island were similarly focused on the progress of the Heavenly Connection Meet.
While their hearts also contained another matter, this didn’t keep them from observing the outstanding descendants of the various Sacred Grounds.
In every Heavenly Connection Meet, many geniuses and heroes would surface, coming out and shocking everyone.
However, Zhao Hao’s performance still drew many gazes.
“Fang Zhun, how is this old man’s disciple?” A black-bearded old man bragged proudly, “I told you, he is not any worse than your Broad Creed Mountain’s Yan Zhaoge!”
By the side, Infinite Boundless Mountain’s Elder Shan Shiweng appeared indifferent as some helplessness could be seen within his gaze.