History's Strongest Senior Brother c1-1474
Page 22
Xu Chuan pondered as he gaze fell on the Cloud-Veined Crystal in Yan Zhaoge’s hand, which he had seen a lot of before. But however he looked, he was still unable to see anything special or different about it.
“Could this little object hold some abstruse secrets within?” Xu Chuan was totally confused, “Or maybe I’m just being too sensitive, and he was just simply expressing praise for it?”
Bidding Xu Chuan goodbye, Yan Zhaoge’s fingers gently tapped on the Cloud-Veined Crystal, the expression on his face looking somewhat as though he wanted to laugh, but also somewhat not.
The next day, Ah Hu reported a piece of bad news, “Young Master, yesterday, we received news from our clan in the Central Heaven Region that the Disciplinary Hall has dispatched a Disciplinary Elder of the East Heaven Region over to this Eastern Tang.”
The person Broad Creed Mountain had sent over to take charge of its affairs in the East Heaven Region was known as the East Elder. Under the East Elder, other than the Principal Elders and the Acting Elders, there were also the Disciplinary Elders, who, other than being managed by the East Elder, also reported directly to the clan’s Disciplinary Hall. These Elders were in charge of supervising an entire Region and making sure that the clan’s laws were followed, meting out the appropriate punishment to those who failed to keep by them.
Yan Zhaoge asked, “Do you know the reason?”
Ah Hu answered, “The Sacred Sun Clan came over to make a scene; other than that, there is also that thing with Ye Jing.”
He pursed his lips, “Never would I have thought that that Ye Jing would really be so unlucky, actually dying in the Dragon Sealing Abyss. Someone must have grabbed this opportunity and blown up the issue to bring trouble to you, Young Master.”
Yan Zhaoge asked unconcernedly, “To the capital of the Eastern Tang?”
“No, right here in Overlooking Abyss City. The Eastern Tang’s Principal Elder Yan Xu failed to successfully eliminate the threat posed by the Ghost Hatchet Elder, and with the whereabouts of the Crimson Spirit Flag Elder still unknown, as well as the volatile situation in the Sealing Dragon Abyss, he decided to first return to Overlooking Abyss City. A Disciplinary Elder, as well as a representative from the Eastern Tang Kingdom, will also be coming.”
Yan Zhaoge stroked his lower chin, “Let’s just wait here then.”
Ah Hu stroked his lower chin in imitation, “Young Master ah, with your background, the Disciplinary Hall would not be roused easily; now that a Disciplinary Elder is on the move, things aren’t looking good for you.”
Yan Zhaoge spread his hands out wide, “Eldest apprentice-uncle has always snubbed me for being too unrestrained. The previous incident with the Internal Crystal Furnace had originally caused him to change his views towards me, but now that this has happened, I fear that he has grown even more disappointed instead. After all, the higher the expectations one possesses, the greater the disappointment one feels when things go awry.
“Perhaps eldest apprentice-uncle will not lean towards second apprentice-uncle’s faction, but I fear that this time, he is seriously thinking of handling and regulating me strictly, lest I ‘commit a mistake while on a mission’.
Ah Hu bit down on one side of his lips, “It’s hard.”
Yan Zhaoge propped up his leg relaxedly, “Indeed, someone is going to have it hard.”
Very quickly, the rest of them, including Sikong Qing and the others, also received the news.
Having been travelling companions with Yan Zhaoge, they were also subject to interrogation as eyewitnesses.
Having heard the news, they stared at one another, their minds going into overdrive.
As Ah Hu had said, Yan Zhaoge’s situation was special, and should not get into trouble with the Disciplinary Hall easily. Once he did, it meant that the situation was grave, and would not be so easy to resolve.
Of the clan’s younger generation, the Broad Creed Young Master Yan Zhaoge who could call the wind and summon the rain; could it be that he was really going to get it this time?
History's Strongest Senior Brother Chapter 23: Questioning Yan Zhaoge
HSSB23: Questioning Yan Zhaoge
What will come, will eventually come. Very quickly, the East Tang Kingdom’s Principal Elder as well as a Disciplinary Elder of the East Heaven Region, come from far away, arrived together at Overlooking Abyss City.
Along with the Disciplinary Elder, came the King of the Eastern Tang Kingdom.
This most exalted person in the Eastern Tang Kingdom, actually also rushed over to Overlooking Abyss City.
With the incident having taken place in Eastern Tang, the Eastern Tang Kingdom naturally had to put on a show of concern towards it. But for their King, as the head of a kingdom, to actually leave his capital and set off to the borderlands of his kingdom’s territory; it was still out of everyone’s expectations.
Although to the outside world, the explanation was that the volatile situation within the Sealing Dragon Abyss was such that it had the possibility of putting half of the Eastern Tang’s territory at risk, causing their King to have to pay a visit personally, in the eyes of Xu Chuan, Wen Ningzhi, and all those others, this head of a kingdom was, more likely than not, here for Yan Zhaoge.
The Disciplinary Elder coming here was obviously not good for Yan Zhaoge, and the Eastern Tang’s Principal Elder, Yan Xu, was also a prominent member of Yan Zhaoge’s second senior apprentice-uncle’s faction.
With Yan Zhaoge’s background placed out there for all to see, doing something like beating a confession out of him was naturally impossible, but the pressure he faced was still not small.
The King and Yan Zhaoge’s father had formed close ties when they were young; he was obviously here to show his support for Yan Zhaoge this time.
In recent years, while the encroachment of the Sacred Sun Clan on the Eastern Tang Kingdom had reached a rather serious stage, Broad Creed Mountain still held the upper hand in Eastern Tang. The King of the Eastern Tang Kingdom’s favouritism towards Broad Creed Mountain was the most significant reason for this.
Having learnt of his arrival, Xu Chuan did not rejoice, but rather, worried; Wen Ningzhi did not worry, but rather, rejoiced.
While the arrival of the King would indeed help Yan Zhaoge somewhat, the arrival of this bigwig in itself was a sign of how the trial Yan Zhaoge was going to face this time was really not that easy to pass. The clan’s Disciplinary Hall had moved for real this time, such that even the King of the Eastern Tang Kingdom could not sit by and watch.
Sikong Qing and the other young disciples were, perhaps, still unaware of the deeper underlying meaning behind the king’s arrival, but even they could feel the suffocating atmosphere, warning of the storm that was raring to come.
Outside the Great Hall, Yan Zhaoge turned back to look at them, smiling, “They’ll be interrogating me, not you; you lot don’t have to be so nervous.”
They gave strained laughs, not speaking, till a young female disciple, hugging a small Light Spirit Cat, gathered up her courage and said, “Senior apprentice-brother Yan, I believe that nothing will happen to you.”
Yan Zhaoge smiled, then turned and walked into the Great Hall.
Entering the hall, they saw that at the primary position were two people, seated side by side.
One of them was an old man who had a calm, peaceful expression on his face, yet even so naturally exuded an aura of authority. This was one of Broad Creed Mountain’s Disciplinary Elders of the East Heaven Region.
The other was a middle-aged man, who, though wearing ordinary bright-yellow clothes, still naturally exuded the majestic, stately aura of a king. He was the King of the Eastern Tang Kingdom.
At the position below him sat an emaciated-looking elderly man, a stern expression on his face. This was the Principal Elder of Broad Creed Mountain in the Eastern Tang Kingdom, Yan Xu.
Next, sitting respectfully at the end of the line, was the original owner of this place, Broad Creed Mountain’s Acting Elder in
the Eastern Tang Kingdom’s Overlooking Abyss City, Xu Chuan.
Though there was currently a solemn look on his face, deep within Xu Chuan’s gaze could vaguely be seen a bit of worry.
Yan Zhaoge entered the main hall, calmly paying his respects to those in sitting.
After he had done so, The King and Yan Xu, not speaking, remained seated quietly, leaving the matter of the interrogation to the East Heaven Region’s Disciplinary Elder.
The Disciplinary Elder looked at Yan Zhaoge, and said peacefully, “Junior apprentice-nephew Yan’s victory over Chao Yuanlong, did not disgrace the name of my Broad Creed Mountain. That, when seen by itself, would be a cause for celebration.”
“Yet, after that victory, you gathered the unconscious Chao Yuanlong and the other disciples of the Sacred Sun Clan, and chased them out of the Sealing Dragon Abyss’s central vortex region.”
“During the course of the fight, you did not simply take the victory, but instead deliberately humiliated Chao Yuanlong, disfiguring his face, afterwards whipping the other Sacred Sun Clan disciples.”
“The above is the testimony of the Sacred Sun Clan; were there any falsehoods within?”
Yan Zhaoge said mildly, “It’s basically true.”
The Disciplinary Elder asked, “What do you have to say for yourself?”
Yan Xu added, “Now, it is not just a matter of the personal duel between you and Chao Yuanlong.”
Yan Zhaoge smiled lightly, “The reason I chased them out of the central vortex region was that that particular area was especially useful to our clan. In order to keep it under wraps, I naturally could not allow those people from the Sacred Sun Clan to continue hanging around that area.”
The Disciplinary Elder shifted his gaze over, “Oh?”
Yan Zhaoge nodded, “That spot of land was a Nine Evils Congregating Ground. I had to perform an experiment there; in order to upgrade my Internal Crystal Furnace.”
The matter of the Internal Crystal Furnace was already known by the Eastern Tang Kingdom’s King, as one of the few outsiders not of the clan who was in the know.
The Disciplinary Elder asked, “That place no longer exists, isn’t it? Of your explanation, is there any proof?”
Yan Zhaoge replied honestly, “The Internal Crystal Furnace I brought into the Sealing Dragon Abyss with me went missing; it is true that that particular furnace is not in my possession. However, using that furnace, I produced a mid-grade artifact within a short period of time; the young disciples of the clan who were there with me all saw it, and can attest to it.”
As the one with the highest cultivation amongst the crowd of disciples, Sikong Qing was the first to be questioned.
“Senior apprentice-brother Yan’s words are all true; the other disciples and I all saw it happen.”
Yan Xu looked at Sikong Qing, “How much do you know about Internal Crystal Furnaces? Do you understand the underlying principles beneath them, thus being able to deduce the authenticity of that situation?”
Sikong Qing answered neither quickly nor slowly, “This disciple has limited understanding towards Internal Crystal Furnaces. It is true that I am unable to determine what happened at that time; all the facts which I have described have only come from what I saw with my own two eyes then.
“Whether senior apprentice-brother Yan had already prepared a mid-grade artifact beforehand and then used some sleight of hand to switch out the mortal tool for it, fooling us to get through the situation, this disciple cannot ascertain with her level of cultivation. However, that jet-black long knife was definitely a mid-grade artifact.”
“That Nine Evils Congregating Grounds can help in upgrading the Internal Crystal Furnace, this disciple cannot verify; but the Nine Evils congregating, is something that this disciple is familiar with.”
Hearing this, everyone turned to look at her. The Nine Evils congregating was not something that most people would be familiar with; on the contrary, most would never even have heard of it.
Yan Xu looked at Sikong Qing, and nodded his head slowly, as he ceased to speak.
The King of the Eastern Tang Kingdom opened his mouth for the first time, “According to what Miss Sikong has described, that place, did indeed show signs of the Nine Evils congregating.”
The Disciplinary Elder nodded, “Indeed.”
“Nine Evils Congregating Grounds do not last forever; as time passes, they have the possibility of vanishing.”
He looked towards Yan Zhaoge, “In this matter which concerned the Internal Crystal Furnace, any delays could cause the opportunity to be missed; you saw this and hurriedly exerted your authority, getting rid of the Sacred Sun Clan’s disciples. This cannot be considered a mistake.”
“If it can be determined that it could improve the Internal Crystal Furnace’s efficacy a step further, not only would you not be guilty, you would even be seen as having achieved some merits instead.”
“The Sacred Sun Clan will be handled by our clan itself; you won’t have to appear personally. But if any disciples from their younger generation show up to challenge you to a duel, you’ll have to deal with it yourself.”
Yan Zhaoge laughed, “That is only natural.”
Although the Sacred Sun Clan was slightly stronger, as a Sacred Ground on par with it, Broad Creed Mountain, even having found Yan Zhaoge guilty, would deal with his punishment internally, and stand firm against any outside forces; it would not show weakness in front of the Sacred Sun Clan.
Even if Yan Zhaoge were to be punished, in a situation like this, his punishment would not be too severe. At most, he would be lectured to, as a disciple of the clan, not go around finding trouble as and when he liked, in the process bringing meaningless, unnecessary trouble to the clan.
Yan Zhaoge knew that what came next would be the real highlight of the show.
As expected, the Disciplinary Elder changed the topic, “The matter of the Sacred Sun Clan, we’ll set aside for now. About our clan’s disciple Ye Jing who died in the Sealing Dragon Abyss; as the Martial Scholar leading the group, Junior apprentice-nephew Yan, who do you have to say?
Yan Xu continued, “Within that black fog, just what exactly did you do that caused Ye Jing to be so furious and unresigned just before his death?”
“Ye Jing, did he really die because of the Crimson Spirit Flag Master?”
History's Strongest Senior Brother Chapter 24: His defence
HSSB24: His defence
Hearing Yan Xu’s question, Yan Zhaoge raised his eyebrows slightly, “Who does Elder Yan think is responsible for junior apprentice-brother Ye’s death then?”
Yan Xu looked coldly at Yan Zhaoge, “What sort of scenario is this; are you in a position to ask questions here?”
“What you need to do now, is answer truthfully when questioned; there is not to be a word of untruth, or any quibbling to worm your way out of the situation.”
Yan Zhaoge laughed, “If I remember correctly, this is just a simple question-and-answer session, and not an interrogation. And even if it were an interrogation, it doesn’t seem like it should be you, the Eastern Tang’s Principal Elder, questioning me.”
“If you have already decided beforehand that I am guilty, then well, where’s the proof of that?”
Yan Xu remained unruffled, as he asked calmly, “That seed of Li Flame True Fire, whose hands is it in now?”
Yan Zhaoge answered smilingly, “Mine.”
Yan Xu turned to look at Sikong Qing, “Right before he died, did Ye Jing say anything?”
Sikong Qing was silent for a time, before she answered honestly, “He was shouting out senior apprentice-brother Yan’s name.”
“In what manner?”
“…… Angrily, unresignedly, and…full of hate.”
The Disciplinary Elder folded his hands, as he peaceful gaze once again came to rest on Yan Zhaoge, “Junior apprentice-nephew Yan, regarding Ye Jing dying in the Sealing Dragon Abyss, as the leading Martial Scholar, what do you have to say?”
While he was simply repeating his earlier question, it was clear that his current tone was slightly more serious than the one he had used earlier.
Yan Zhaoge said, “Firstly, there’s a point that I’d like to correct. At this point, junior apprentice-brother Ye is only missing; his death has not actually been confirmed.”
The Disciplinary Elder asked without changing his expression, “Why do you say so? What exactly did happen then?”
Yan Zhaoge retrieved a document, smiling as he said, “As the Martial Scholar in charge of leading a group of fellow clan members out on a mission to temper themselves, this having happened, I’d naturally have to write an incident report on this. It’s just that right before delivering it to the clan, I received the news of your arrival. Thus, I just decided to leave it on hand, and pass it to you here directly.”
The Disciplinary Elder fell silent momentarily, before he nodded, “Having come here this time, this old man’s original intention was also to bring your report back to the clan with me.”
He accepted the document. After having perused through it once, his gaze shook slightly, before he passed it over to Yan Xu.
Having read through it, Yan Xu frowned, “Your Internal Crystal Furnace dropped into the abyss and exploded, thus destroying Ye Jing’s physical body. Still, with a protective treasure on hand, Ye King’s soul was shielded from the blast, although his current whereabouts are unknown?”
Yan Zhaoge said, “That treasure, it was extremely extraordinary. I predict that junior apprentice-brother Ye will reappear in front of us very soon; my words will finally be proven then.”
“Of course, because of the Internal Crystal Furnace exploding, he may still be angry towards me.”
The King of the Eastern Tang Kingdom wrinkled his brows, “If what you say is true, Ye Jing should only be in the mid qi-directing stage right now? Usually, already nine in ten would die upon entering the Sealing Dragon Abyss alone, let alone someone with only his soul left intact, even falling into an abyss.”
Yan Zhaoge said unhurriedly, “That protective treasure of his; the aura it can emanate in an instant is extremely strong, and is not to be looked down on.”