They all exchanged looks, with it first being someone of Changli Mountain who said, “It naturally feels greatly satisfying.”
Of the other sects, it was instead someone of Myriad Sword Pool who was next to speak, “Death is far from sufficient for traitorous scum like him.”
They all gave words of affirmation, whereas those of the Blood Dragon Sect hung their heads as if their parents had died.
Still, they did not forget the most important thing as they all gazed upwards at the hovering Nine Dragon Fingers, “The Nine Dragon Fingers are, after all…”
“They are my spoils of victory, after all. I guess I should really just take them, then. As for how to deal with them afterwards, this Yan will naturally slowly think on it. You lot don’t have to worry about it for me.”
His hands behind his back, Yan Zhaoge scanned the entire area.
Those who fell beneath his gaze all felt a chill within their hearts. However infinitely unresigned they were, looking at Yan Zhaoge and the Northern Ocean Clone by the side now, they were just unable to speak.
The value of a Sacred Artifact could not be understated.
Even aside from those of the Blood Dragon Sect, who of the other sects wouldn’t have designs on it? If they could not get it, they would hope that the others wouldn’t be able to obtain it as well.
However, as Yan Zhaoge’s cold gaze swept across them, their courage all just dissipated completely.
In today’s battle, Yan Zhaoge had fought against many heroic figures with his own strength, even having the way of things completely in his grasp as he had exposed the truth of the previous matter. All those who had watched it happened were incomparably shocked, unable to even truly think of standing against him.
The Sacred Artifact, the Nine Dragon Fingers, could not be wielded by Yan Zhaoge for quite a while yet. He suppressed it with the extraordinary combination of the pillar and beam of the Divine Palace, barely keeping it properly stored away.
As the others watched the Nine Dragon Fingers disappear, they could not help but swallow their saliva, feeling somewhat lost.
It was now that Yan Zhaoge turned to look at Shen Ying, “You don’t have to think too much. Having added oil to the fire, even your father was slain by my palm, let alone you who started the fire.”
Shen Ying opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but Yan Zhaoge ignored her completely as he instead looked at Shi Jun and said calmly, “Jun’er, you deal with it. Let it end as it begun.”
“It began with you, Shen Ying and Nian Wei. Nian Wei is already dead, with only the two of you left. End it then.”
The Northern Ocean Clone extended his palm, light flickering as Shi Jun and Shen Ying were swept along together, falling within that palm and disappearing without a trace.
The lips of the rest twitched, but no one opposed.
Those of the Blood Dragon Sect had complex expressions on their faces, but more of them looked like their hatred could finally be alleviated.
Having been out in the world for so many years and yet having been schemed against by a young girl like this, they all felt greatly ashamed to meet others as they had the urge to immediately just slam their heads into some wall and die.
Yan Zhaoge appeared composed as he sent a sound transmission over to Xu Fei, “Senior apprentice-brother Xu, what do you think that Jun’er will do?”
Xu Fei asked instead of answering, “If Jun’er chooses to let her go, what would you do, Zhaoge?”
Yan Zhaoge smiled, “When my Northern Ocean Clone captured her, a hidden force was already buried within her body that can erupt at any time.”
Xu Fei looked at Yan Zhaoge.
Yan Zhaoge said mildly, “To be honest, not considering our stances, I do indeed admire this girl’s talent somewhat.”
“Against me, against a bunch of Martial Grandmasters, she still revealed no flaw at all as even her emotions remained as stable as water with no ripples arising in the least, such that we could not feel at all that it was feigned. She virtually performed perfectly. Her martial talent and character aside, such force of will is indeed extremely hard found.”
“To be honest, if I were placed under the same conditions and environment as her, I have no confidence that I would have been able to exceed her in my performance.”
Yan Zhaoge laughed, “However, the problem is that I never care about preserving talent at all when facing my enemies.”
Xu Fei sighed, “Jun’er won’t blame you.”
He glanced at the others, “Even those of the Blood Dragon Sect would never let her get away with this, let alone the forces of Good being able to tolerate her.”
Yan Zhaoge said, “I know. I am around eighty percent certain of what Jun’er will do. I am just rather worried about how great an influence this incident might have on him.”
He glanced over at Xu Fei before formulating an explanation, “This might be rather disrespectful towards eldest apprentice-uncle and senior apprentice-brother Shi, but they are truly befitting of their same bloodline.”
“In the depths of the Shi Family bloodline is hidden a stubborn and tough streak that surpasses the ordinary.”
“On eldest apprentice-uncle, it appeared as strictness and upholding justice, persevering and never yielding.”
“On senior apprentice-brother Shi, it appeared as antagonistic and headstrong, never regretting things even till his death.”
Yan Zhaoge smacked his lips, “Jun’er still being undeveloped, only some hints are currently visible. I wonder how he might eventually turn out to be…”
Hearing his words, Xu Fei did not speak, but did not rebut him as well.
Yan Zhaoge’s gaze suddenly flickered.
The Northern Ocean Clone opened his palm.
History's Strongest Senior Brother Chapter 547: Trapping a Martial Saint
HSSB547: Trapping a Martial Saint
Virtually everyone looked unconsciously towards the Northern Ocean Clone.
The Northern Ocean Clone spread his palm wide, light flickering as a figure surfaced.
It was only a single figure.
Shi Jun.
Seeing this, many thoughts flashed momentarily through everyone’s minds.
“Calm your heart,” Yan Zhaoge said calmly, Shi Jun uncharacteristically silent as he nodded quietly.
Seeing this, Yan Zhaoge exchanged glances with Xu Fei, both understanding that Shi Jun had put his emotions into his relationship with Shen Ying in their interactions over this period of time.
Shi Jun hated evil and rose at the sight of injustice, feeling empathy for the weak. This was true.
However, he had a tough personality. Someone having set him up and tried to harm him, after having learnt the truth, it would only cause an intense backlash.
Like Yan Zhaoge and Xu Fei, Shi Jun was also someone who cared not about a person’s gender in having decided to act.
Therefore, Shi Jun was not at all conflicted over the fact that the one who had set him up was a female. However much she pleaded and added pitiful, he would still not have let her off.
However, his current silence was due to the fact that Shen Ying’s current position within his heart was special. She was not just someone whom he had seen as merely having saved from an injustice.
When the truth came to light in such a situation, it would only hurt all the much more, leading to more hatred as well.
No one knew how Shen Ying had acted in front of Shi Jun.
Had she been completely candid and resigned to her death or had she, finally free of the inner turmoil in her heart, felt relieved to be atoning for her sins?
Had she been greatly regretful, having indeed once wanted to set Shi Jun up yet gradually fallen for him over their interactions over this period of time, having gradually become unable to bear it?
Had she been tearful as she yearned for death or had she closed her eyes and merely waited?
There were various other methods as well…
Many of these insta
ntly surfaced in Yan Zhaoge’s mind. As for that kind of tearful weeping to the heavens and earth as she made a bitter vow to defend herself, Yan Zhaoge didn’t even consider it, not thinking that Shen Ying might have done such a thing at all with how she was.
Still, whether it was Yan Zhaoge or Xu Fei, neither asked Shi Jun about the specifics of what had happened. Xu Fei merely patted his disciple’s shoulder gently.
The martial practitioners of the other sects had yet to disperse, all looking somewhat hopefully at Yan Zhaoge yet not bearing too much hope.
Those of Water Crystal Palace and the Spirit Returning Sect were secretly sending sound transmissions over to the Changli Mountain martial practitioners, clearly hoping that they would help to persuade him.
As the leading Elder of Changli Mountain looked at Yan Zhaoge, he saw that the latter’s gaze was warm as it calmly met his.
The heart of this Changli Mountain Elder jolted slightly as he came to a realisation, “He is helping our sect by letting Water Crystal Palace and the other sects owe us.”
“While this person is tyrannical and acts flamboyantly, being ruthless and brutal in his actions, he is not completely unreasonable and arrogant…”
As he pondered, this Changli Mountain Elder bowed solemnly towards Yan Zhaoge, “The forces of Evil are rampant. Currently, the Dao is diminished and Evil propagates. We hope that Mister Yan can provide assistance, bringing salvation to the defenceless masses.”
Yan Zhaoge nodded slightly, “With the defenceless masses under threat, this Yan will naturally make a move.”
Yan Zhaoge having finally expressed such a stance, they could finally heave a sigh of relief.
Yan Zhaoge smiled, saying, “You can set your hearts at ease. The forces of Evil cannot overturn the heavens.”
While he was still saying this now, everyone gradually came to a realisation as they felt that he was full of confidence.
Yan Zhaoge said, “Let’s go.”
Saying thus, he led them along on their way.
While Yan Zhaoge had sowed much enmity with the side of Good in the Vast Ocean World, he actually still leaned towards Good rather than Evil.
This was not related to the categories of Good and Evil. The martial art that a person cultivated in did not have anything to do with that person’s character.
There were similarly underhanded scum on the side of Good and great heroes on the side of Evil.
However, it was also not that all on the side of the Good were actually hypocrites. There were indeed many immoral sinners on the side of Evil.
The reason for Yan Zhaoge leaning towards the side of Good overall was practicality. In the area of cultivation, at least, the demonic martial arts that the forces of Evil cultivated in were more bloodthirsty as well as brutal.
Many of them required blood as a sacrifice, sacrificing the life of a great many innocents.
For one to be accomplished in the martial arts of Soul Shocking Island of the Vast Ocean World, for instance, he or she would have to slaughter a large amount of living people on the spot and refine their souls within their own true essence and aura-qi.
The Sacred Evil Sect’s Illusory Shadow Demonic Art required one to steal the life essence of human beings for its cultivation.
Green Snake Island bred countless snakes that fed on human flesh.
The Evil Shifting Sect’s Profound Dark Sabre Qi aside, cultivating in its Blood Ocean Sabre Qi, as its name suggested, required one to kill people and obtain their blood to cultivate their sabre with. The Dim Shifting White Bone Sabre similarly required refining the Yin qi of human bones for cultivation.
For the Dragon Slayer Sect and the Brilliant Thunder Sect that were comparatively more aboveboard, their disciples killed their way out of mountains of corpses and oceans of blood as well.
Some of the demonic martial arts Yan Zhaoge knew that would categorically be considered Evil were no pushovers at all.
The Six Spirit Demonic Fists, whilst being categorised as demonic, were actually already rather upright martial arts. Still, the most direct, ideal way of cultivating in them would be to refine oneself amidst the essence blood of those six types of spirit beasts.
Yan Zhaoge felt that he was not that much of a benevolent person, lacking many inhibitions in his actions as well. Still, he remained rather rejecting of the cultivation methods of most of these demonic martial arts.
Led along by Yan Zhaoge, everyone knew not they were headed, only being able to remain patient.
Xu Fei sat beside Shi Jun. Looking at his disciple, he saw that his expression was already gradually beginning to return to normal.
It was just that Shi Jun’s gaze still showed him to be somewhat at a loss.
Feeling his Master’s gaze on him, Shi Jun swivelled his head to look at Xu Fei, asking quietly, “Master, did I do wrong this time? I was used by someone, nearly causing a great catastrophe.”
Xu Fei shook his head, first saying, “Courageously helping even random strangers in the face of injustice is always the right thing to do.”
“It is just that the situation sometimes being urgent, we would not have the time for too much consideration as we would have to make a swift and prompt decision.”
He said in a moderate tone towards his disciple, “However, the more it is like this, the more vigilant you will have to be. Your opponents might have set a trap, might have reversed truth and falsehood. Sometimes, we will face situations where right or wrong is not such a clear thing.”
“Their target this time was actually Zhaoge. There was no fault of yours in trying to do the right thing. You have no need to blame yourself.”
“You did not do wrong. However, you have to be more careful in the process of doing things.”
Shi Jun nodded upon hearing his words, “This disciple will remember it.”
He swivelled his head to look at Yan Zhaoge before saying softly, “It’s all thanks to little apprentice-uncle Yan this time. I know that it was because he did not want to leave my reputation besmirched and was afraid that I would not be able to mentally accept it that he used such a troublesome method to help me wash away this injustice.”
Shi Jun smiled, “Otherwise, if it was he himself, he would probably have begun the killing immediately, to hell with justification.”
Hearing his words, Xu Fei could not help but smile as well.
Now, Yan Zhaoge’s group suddenly received news.
The Chief of Myriad Sword Pool, Yan Gang, had reinforced Water Crystal Palace with the Sacred Artifact, the Floating Sinking Sword. The Evil Saint Lin Qiancheng had suddenly retreated, his current whereabouts unknown. The Chief of Water Crystal Palace Lin Shi and the Chief of Myriad Sword Pool Yan Gang was currently in the midst of a great battle against the Chief of the Dragon Slayer Sect Zhao Zhong and the Chief of Soul Shocking Island Liu Shuo.
The crisis of Water Crystal Palace could basically already be considered alleviated.
Everyone was taken aback upon hearing this news before they looked simultaneously at Yan Zhaoge.
“Lin Qiancheng chose the most beneficial route available to him,” Yan Zhaoge said.
An Elder of Changli Mountain asked hesitantly, “But where could Lin Qiancheng have gone?”
Yan Zhaoge smiled, “We are precisely heading to surround and trap him now.”
History's Strongest Senior Brother Chapter 548: Beat him when he’s down
HSSB548: Beat him when he’s down
Hearing Yan Zhaoge’s words, everyone was taken aback, trying to identify the direction they were hurrying in before their hearts jolted slightly, “Heading this way from the Star Shifting Sea…”
Yan Zhaoge said mildly, “The Evil Saint Lin Qiancheng is a comparatively rational doing person. As compared to his personal tastes, it is more of the benefits that he considers in doing what he does.”
“At the very least, when his power remains insufficient for him to act rampantly in the Vast Ocean World as he likes, his actions are all predicated upon
what is most beneficial to him.”
“While I sowed enmity with him, even with the Blood Dragon Sect’s Nian Chen and Nine Dragon Fingers fighting in the forefront, he still didn’t choose to move against me, because he didn’t have sufficient confidence of leaving me behind,” Yan Zhaoge said as he gazed into the distance, “Therefore, he did not come over to the Star Shifting Sea.”
With Lin Qiancheng’s personality, there must definitely be something which had attracted him for him to have cooperated with the Blood Dragon Sect and Soul Shocking Island.
However, first not speaking of how the forces of Good had been left seemingly vulnerable due to their conflict with Yan Zhaoge, they were still not something that could be so easily destroyed.
Even if the forces of Evil could successfully sweep through them, in what way would Lin Qiancheng benefit?
Being able to obtain the Floating Sinking Sword or the Nine Dragon Fingers would naturally be best. However, Lin Qiancheng would have to compete with the Dragon Slayer Sect and Soul Shocking Sect
over them as well.
How might he have been able to guarantee a victory over the number one expert of the Vast Ocean World, ‘Slaying Seven Seas’ Zhao Zhong, as well as Liu Shuo with the Soul Shocking Box in hand?
The first problem Lin Qiancheng would have to deal with was that his period of weakness would soon be upon him once more.
At that time, it would already be very good if he wasn’t taken advantage of.
With the forces of Good having been swept through, there would definitely be an ultimate showdown of heroes amongst the Six Evil Sects following that. In such a scenario, how might Lin Qiancheng suppress all those around him, attaining the peak?
At the end of the day, there was a very high possibility that this Chief of the Sacred Evil Sect would just end up paving the path for another’s success whilst himself being compromised in the process.
“Since that is so, while the attack on the forces of Good this time would definitely be beneficial towards the forces of Evil, it wouldn’t be of much benefit towards Lin Qiancheng himself. In that case, it would have been better for him to come over to the vicinity of the Star Shifting Sea and join hands with Nian Chen in assaulting me.”
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