And things like interrogation could not be rushed, with slow grinding easier to break through the psychological defences of the captives.
Therefore, keeping the Shadow Shrinking Pouch, Yan Zhaoge led them along on their way.
Although they didn’t know what methods Ah Hu had to force the mouths of the two open, bringing along Elder Li’s corpse, the Broad Creed Mountain martial practitioners under Elder Li all had looks of expectation on their faces, their hatred having been sated.
Feng Yunsheng’s expression was as per usual while looking at Yan Zhaoge keep the trio in the Shadow Shrinking Pouch, while Jun Luo and Lian Cheng had rather complex looks within their gazes.
History's Strongest Senior Brother Chapter 228: The results of the investigation
HSSB228: The results of the investigation
The other Broad Creed Mountain martial practitioners ignored Lian Ying’s body, lying on the ground.
Earlier, when he, Jun Luo, and Lian Cheng were trapped in the Black Dragon Dread, Yan Zhaoge had rescued them. No one had thought that this unassuming boy would repay this kindness with evil. In the critical situation that had just occurred, Lian Ying had almost been able to deliver a fatal strike.
If Yan Zhaoge hadn’t been able to get them out of their predicament in such a short time, they would have been forced to simultaneously defend against the Black Dragon Dread aboveground, while also guarding against the White Dragon Dread at their feet.
Considering the death of Elder Li, the very fact that the Broad Creed Mountain martial practitioners hadn’t vented their rage against Lian Ying was already quite good.
Looking at Lian Ying’s corpse, Lian Cheng let out a sigh. After a moment, he went forward to gather up Lian Ying’s remains.
Back in the clan, both he and Lian Cheng suffered from the same sickly body and had many of the same difficulties. Because of this, they were quite close.
Both of them were born to concubines and lost their parents at an early age. Moreover, their temperament was often seen as effeminate and weak, causing them often be bullied in their clan.
Stumbling along the bumpy road of growing up together, they considered each other as one of the pitifully few friends and family they possessed.
It was only that Lian Ying had gradually become alienated from him since some unknown time, causing Lian Cheng to be puzzled.
After hearing what Lian Ying had said and observing his actions, only now did Lian Cheng realize that Lian Ying’s behavior changed after meeting Jun Luo.
In fact, it was the same for Lian Cheng. Wasn’t Jun Luo a rarely seen light in his life?
Even though Lian Ying had unkind intentions and had almost caused him to sink into the White Dragon Dread, Lian Cheng still had a soft spot for him in his heart. Even now, he could not bear to let Lian Ying’s corpse be left in this empty expanse of the desert.
Even though he was already dead, his final resting place should at least be in his birthplace.
Looking at Lian Cheng, Jun Luo hesitated for a moment while biting her lip.
When her gaze landed on Lian Ying’s corpse, her emotions were extremely complicated. When her gaze landed on Lian Cheng, her expression softened.
After a long pause, Jun Luo also sighed before stepping forward to help Lian Cheng. After resolving the matter with Lian Ying’s corpse, they prepared to leave the Great Western Desert.
The Broad Creed Mountain martial practitioners looked at this scene, neither offering to help nor stopping to wait for them. Bearing the body of Elder Li, they stood silently as they waited for Yan Zhaoge’s instructions.
Yan Zhaoge glanced at Jun Luo. “Luo Luo, this is the true, normal state of the outside world. Rather, this isn’t something which would be considered special–just like there is a glamorous, bright side of world, there is also a side which is filled with underhanded, bloody affairs.
Bloody and callous sudden assassination, prompted by exploiting the most vulnerable part of a person’s psyche. The struggle between two great powers would always drag others into the conflict.
Black Nightmare Mountain had been destroyed a long time ago, but even now, its remnants wanted to retaliate. Their target was not someone from the upper echelons of Broad Creed Mountain, but rather the Yan Zhaoge of great repute. Despite his lofty status and impressive achievements, his cultivation was still rather low since he had not even stepped into the Martial Grandmaster realm.
Of course, the impact of their conflict could not compare to the likes of a battle between two Sacred Grounds.
Even so, the ripples from such a conflict were still far more than enough to destroy people like Lian Cheng, Lian Ying, or Jun Luo.
Even if they didn’t wish to be involved, once they were drawn in their participation would be completely involuntary. If they died, they probably wouldn’t even know how they died.
Even at the moment of the death, Lian Ying still didn’t really understand that all along, he was just a pawn of Yao Shan. Even Yao Shan himself could only be considered someone else’s chess piece in the greater scheme of things.
Yao Shan wouldn’t even be considered to be a key piece of the plan, just an auxiliary piece.
After gathering Lian Ying’s remains, Lian Cheng stood up beside Jun Luo. Jun Luo bit her lower lip as she looked toward Yan Zhaoge.
Yan Zhaoge calmly said, “The enmity between my clan and Black Nightmare Mountain is something that you do not have the strength to participate in. However, you also cannot prevent being involuntarily dragged into this conflict. This is not your fault. Rather, it can only be blamed on this war itself.”
For people like Jun Luo or Lian Cheng, their status made it almost impossible to avoid the ripples caused by these high-level conflicts.
Speaking of being dragged into a conflict, such a thing could happen with almost no warning at all.
“And your Howling Wind Sword Sect, amongst other power of its level, its influence is not small. If a war erupted between your sect and another, such methods would also come into play.”
Jun Luo was silent for a moment, before responding in a low voice. “Brother Yan, I understand what you mean now.”
Then, she stubbornly added, “But I still believe that there is more to the outside world than just this bloodshed.”
Seeing Jun Luo’s eyes which were still bright with anticipation, Yan Zhaoge laughed lightly. “I didn’t mean to dictate anything for you. Rather, I just wanted to give you a reminder. Don’t forget that if anything terrible happens for you, Uncle Jun and the others will be heartbroken.”
Jun Luo nodded her head. “Yes, Brother Yan.”
Yan Zhaoge spoke again. “Alright, let’s set off. Let’s wait until we are out of the Great Western Desert before we discuss other things.”
The others all nodded their agreement. Following Yan Zhaoge, the group began to retrace their steps as they headed back on the road to Suzhou City.
As they were walking, Feng Yunsheng sent a sound transmission to Yan Zhaoge. “The little girl isn’t bad.”
Yan Zhaoge held the stone pillar with his right hand as he continued walking. Laughing slightly, he responded, “That year, did you also pass by this area like she did?”
Feng Yunsheng laughed, “More or less. I was almost captured by a human trafficker and sold as a slave.”
Yan Zhaoge turned around to look her in the eye.
Feng Yunsheng was quite calm as she recounted. “When I was in the Sacred Sun Clan, even though I often went outside the clan to train, it was mostly with regard to fighting and killing. Even then, I always had someone from the senior generation watching over me so even if I suffered a defeat, I never truly had to worry about my life.”
“Afterwards, when I fled from the clan and had no one to rely on, I had to escape from my pursuers while staying low-key. In this way, I had traveled through roughly half of the Fire Domain.”
“In the course of my escape, I experienced many things and met many people. I even made some friends, bu
t…” Feng Yunsheng paused and lightly laughed before continuing. “The very first friend I made while escaping seemed to be just and warm. When he treated me as a friend, I was extremely touched.”
“At that time, I had just narrowly escaped from an attack by the Sacred Sun Clan. Even though I had managed to escape, I was also grievously injured. When that person met me, he kindly brought me to someplace safe where I could recover from my injuries.”
Feng Yunsheng smiled. “Who would have thought, he was actually a human trafficker who wanted to drug me and sell me off to other people. He even had a buyer already lined up. If it wasn’t for the fact that I found out his plan, I would probably be caged up in some person’s household.”
Yan Zhaoge’s mouth twitched. “I won’t need to ask about the outcome of that trafficker then.”
Feng Yunsheng let out a laugh, and didn’t say any more.
After leaving the Great Western Desert, even though the scenery was still endless yellow sand, that constant fear of Black Nightmare Storms was left behind.
Before they had reached Suzhou City, Ah Hu’s interrogation had yielded some results.
History's Strongest Senior Brother Chapter 229: Second refinement of the pillar of the Divine Palace
HSSB229: Second refinement of the pillar of the Divine Palace
Yan Zhaoge had never been worried as to whether or not Ah Hu would be able to open the two assailant’s mouths.
Because he had already handed the Cold Marrow Needles technique to Ah Hu.
Other than this final method, Ah Hu also possessed many other interrogation methods.
This big fella who looked simple and honest was proficient in many areas, making him a very dependable subordinate. It was just that he had not had a chance to put many of his professional skills on display before.
Ah Hu had indeed lived up to all their expectations, having wrung from the two what Yan Zhaoge wanted before they had reached Suzhou City.
“Indeed connected to the Decimating Abyss,” Yan Zhaoge stroked his lower jaw, “Of the remnants of Black Nightmare Mountain, a considerable portion, whilst not falling to the dark side, have joined the Decimating Abyss.”
“However, most of them still retain their independence, while at the same time also guarding against the Decimating Abyss and the Nine Underworlds in secret. But the two sides still maintain contact?”
“These people are mainly funded by the Sacred Sun Clan? This was within my earlier predictions.”
Hearing Ah Hu’s report, Yan Zhaoge muttered to himself.
Ah Hu imitated him, also stroking his lower chin, “I just don’t know how much the Sacred Sun Clan know about the Decimating Abyss’s situation, with their connection with the remnants of Black Nightmare Mountain? The positions of those two were still a little too low, with the useful information being limited.”
Yan Zhaoge said, “No, actually, it’s already sufficient, especially knowing that a considerable portion of those Black Nightmare Mountain remnants who joined the Decimating Abyss and had left the Wind Domain before have returned again to the Wind Domain in recent months. This piece of information is very important-perhaps they are planning to make another move.”
After considering for a moment, Yan Zhaoge told Ah Hu, “Make two copies of the information that you obtained. Send one back to the Mountain and one to the First Seat Elder of the Sand Region.”
Ah Hu nodded, going off to arrange it.
Yan Zhaoge turned and gazed back in the direction of the Great Western Desert, where the sky was still dark and gloomy.
Somewhere out there was at least one Black Nightmare Mountain Martial Grandmaster who had caused two Black Dragon Dreads earlier.
Yan Zhaoge was similarly certain that Broad Creed Mountain’s Principal Elder who was nearest to here, in charge of sitting over the Howling Wind Sword Sect, had currently also arrived in the Great Western Desert, thereby deterring the Martial Grandmasters of Black Nightmare Mountain from personally making a move.
Accompanied by Yan Zhaoge safely bringing that stone pillar out of the Great Western Desert, the Principal Elder also retreated from that dangerous area. However, he did not go far, temporarily remaining at the borders of the Great Western Desert.
The group returned to Suzhou City. Elder Li had been Acting Elder in Suzhou City for so many years, and everyone rather looked up to him. Hearing of the bad news, the Broad Creed Mountain martial practitioners here all felt pain and grief.
As the First Seat Elder of the Sand Region and the Principal Elder of the Howling Wind Sword Sect received the news of Elder Li’s death, as they sent over a letter of consolation, they also dispatched a new Acting Elder to take up office here in Suzhou.
Before the new Acting Elder of Suzhou arrived, Yan Zhaoge would be temporarily remaining here.
Yan Zhaoge’s current identity as well as position was rather special. In theory, even the Sand Region’s First Seat Elder would be unable to restrict him.
What requests he had, figures like the Principal Elder of the Howling Wind Sword Sect would even have to try to satisfy him as best they could.
While his age and cultivation were still limited, after Yan Zhaoge had left the clan and come here, his position had become exceptionally lofty.
However, Yan Zhaoge’s current efforts were still mainly focused on that stone pillar which he had brought out of the Great Western Desert.
Entering Suzhou City, arriving at the lodgings that had been allocated to him, Yan Zhaoge finally set the massive stone pillar down.
As the stone pillar was placed on the ground, the dust all around did not arise as it seemed to hold no weight at all, just like when Yan Zhaoge had been carrying it. However, only those who truly dared to try would know how heavy this thing really was.
Yan Zhaoge was certain that if not for him already having achieved initial refinement, even if he had stepped into the Martial Grandmaster realm, he would be unable to lift the pillar up.
Since he had already achieved initial refinement of the stone pillar in the Great Western Desert, while staying in Suzhou City this time, Yan Zhaoge was preparing to refine it a second time.
On entering the city just now, Yan Zhaoge’s manner of carrying such a massive stone pillar had already led to him being surrounded by spectating crowds.
It truly was flashy, but if it went on like this all the way, it might just be too flashy for words.
Not speaking of anything else, just bringing along this giant fella that could not be placed within a Shadow Shrinking Pouch, no matter where he went, everyone would know that it was he who had come, making him unable to conceal his movements at all.
Like carrying around a torch in the darkness of the night, and also a torch which could not be readily extinguished.
Let everyone know that I am here.
These words sounded pretty heartening, pretty cool, pretty flashy, pretty arrogant.
However, if a few more words were added at the front, the meaning would completely change.
For example, ‘I can only let everyone know that I am here’…
Yan Zhaoge sat on the empty ground of the courtyard in the meditative position, raising his head and gazing at the pillar of the divine palace on the ground before him, more than twenty metres in height, virtually even higher than the walls of Suzhou City.
He traced some lines in mid-air with one hand, his aura-qi leaving marks behind as lines were inscribed one after another, forming abstruse patterns.
Afterwards, these silhouetted patterns were sealed together within a crystal.
These patterns were those that were on the surface of the pillar of the Divine Palace, recorded down by Yan Zhaoge.
Also sealed within was Yan Zhaoge’s deciphering and understanding of these patterns.
The patterns on the stone pillar themselves did not contain any special meaning, but they held unique principles as well as concept within.
Viewed by a martial practitioner with a lower cultivation base, they would f
ind it hard to understand its profundities as well as value, but if it was experts at the level of Yuan Zhengfeng, Yan Di, Fang Zhun and Shi Tie, they might be able to have gains of their own.
Based on everyone’s personal situation, their gains might vary from one to the next, and some would gain more, while some would gain less. However, it was indisputably a treasure trove.
Bringing the entire stone pillar back, the only one who could actually truly refine and decipher it on a deeper level was in the end still Yan Zhaoge.
To Yuan Zhengfeng and the others, what held significance were the profundities within those patterns.
Therefore, while Yan Zhaoge would temporarily be remaining in Suzhou City for the stone pillar’s second refinement, he recorded all of the patterns on it down, discreetly arranging for it to be secretly sent back to Broad Creed Mountain as soon as possible.
“Other than this matter, help me search meticulously for this thing in the Sand Region, seeing if you can find the second half,” After handing the crystal over to Ah Hu, Yan Zhaoge took out that half a jade coin, “Do not be too showy-perform the search in a low profile manner.”
Ah Hu received it, “Rest easy, Young Master. I know what to do.”
After Ah Hu left, Yan Zhaoge refocused his mind on the stone pillar before him, beginning to attempt to refine it a step further.
As Yan Zhaoge’s fist intent merged with it, the scene of the Great Calamity that year seemed to appear before his eyes once more.
The heavens collapsing and the earth shattering, the scene turning illusory, directly plummeting down from above the nine heavens. Yan Zhaoge knew full well that this scene was of the stone pillar’s descent from the heavens. As though it was a lifeform with a memory of its own, his current visual perspective belonged to the stone pillar.
The stone pillar landed directly in the desert. At the beginning, the desert was totally ordinary. However, afterwards, the natural phenomena gradually changed, turning into the Great Western Desert that it was today.
And in this process, the stone pillar also gradually merged with the natural phenomena of the Great Western Desert, sometimes exposed on the outside, sometimes buried by the wind and the sand, not a trace of it visible.
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