“Still, that’s unimportant,” Xiao Shen made no further comment as he appraised Yan Zhaoge all over,
“Yan Zhaoge, you beat up members of my Sacred Sun Clan in the Sealing Dragon Abyss; did you think that would be the end of that?”
Yan Zhaoge laughed, “You want to stand up for Chao Yuanlong and the others?”
Xiao Shen strode forward, coming to stand in front of Yan Zhaoge, “What else?”
The group from Broad Creed Mountain had not recognised the other party initially. After hearing Xiao Shen’s name, however, they instantly realised who the person before them was.
He was the grandson of the Sacred Sun Clan’s Grand Elder, and at the same time, a member of the Sacred Sun Clan’s Four Rising Suns, alongside Chao Yuanlong. Having cultivated for longer, though, his cultivation realm was even higher than Chao Yuanlong’s.
“Late outer aura Martial Scholar,” Sikong Qing frowned, looking at Yan Zhaoge and Xiao Shen.
Like the earlier Chao Yuanlong who had been undefeated amongst late inner aura Martial Scholars, along his road of martial cultivation, Xiao Shen had also been one of the top few amongst those of the same stage; in fact, his achievements in battle were even more glorious than that of Chao Yuanlong.
As compared to Chao Yuanlong who had forsaken the sword for some non-mainstream martial arts, Xiao Shen had all along been acting according to convention and cultivating in the Sacred Sun Clan’s most orthodox martial arts.
Despite that, he had still been able to outshine all those other young geniuses of the Sacred Sun Clan.
While at the early outer aura Martial Scholar stage in the past, he had defeated opponents of the mid outer aura Martial Scholar stage, his name thus coming to shake the entire world.
While the crowd of Broad Creed Mountain disciples had confidence in Yan Zhaoge, with Xiao Shen’s current cultivation realm, as well as the huge gulf in experience between them, they could not help but be shaken.
Xiao Shen’s voice was rough, but his words were slow and ordered, “What you did to Chao Yuanlong and the others previously; I will pay you back in full today.”
“Other than Chao Yuanlong, you also hit some of my other junior apprentice-brothers. Today, other than you, I will also choose some of those people standing behind you to accompany you.”
At Xiao Shen bullying people with his cultivation realm like this, the disciples couldn’t help but have dissatisfaction well up within their hearts, “You think my Broad Creed Mountain has no late outer aura Martial Scholars?”
Yan Zhaoge, though, had his expression unchanged, “Martial practitioners with a forty-year age difference, perhaps with three to five years of leeway given, are divided into different age
categories.”
“You and I have too huge a difference in age. Still, I’m fine with that; we’ll all just take it that we’re in the same age category then.”
“Ah Hu, you don’t have to participate.”
Ah Hu glared at Xiao Shen with an unfriendly look on his face. Hearing Yan Zhaoge’s instructions, he nodded, and retreated.
Xiao Shen stared at Yan Zhaoge, “Skill aside, you do indeed have some courage, at least.”
“I will also not bully you based on our gap in cultivation. Your sword having broken Chao Yuanlong’s Piercing Sun Needle Art and Heaven Striking Palm, I guess your sword arts must have something special about them. I’ll just compete with you in that area then.” Saying thus, Xiao Shen’s pair of hands grabbed at the distant air.
From far away, the two artistes acting out “Mr Dong slays the Fire Demon King” and the “The Sacred Sun Saint Ascends in Daylight” suddenly felt their hands lighten.
Then, they found that the two wooden puppets which individually represented Mr Dong and the Sacred Sun Saint had completely disappeared from their hands.
The audience was in an uproar as they looked around in all directions, looking for the wooden puppets. Yet no one knew where the puppets had gone, or how they had vanished.
The two wooden puppets had both ended up in Xiao Shen’s hands, grasping the cross which firmly kept locked in place the string with which they were controlled.
“I heard that you used a bamboo as a sword, wielding it skilfully; looks like you should be somewhat proficient in controlling over your aura-qi, and have the qualifications to be playing this little game with me.”
Xiao Shen laughed, “While this little thing is somewhat hardier than a stick of bamboo, it is still very weak; if aura-qi that were too strong were to be infused within in, it would just explode.
Therefore, you don’t have to worry about me bullying you with my higher level of cultivation, because using this plaything is equivalent to having restricted the amount of aura-qi we can use.”
“In the area of the amount of aura-qi we can draw on, both sides are the same. To obtain victory, we will have to compete in whose martial skills are more superior, and who is more proficient in controlling their aura-qi.” Saying thus, Xiao Shen threw the Mr Dong puppet towards Yan Zhaoge.
As Yan Zhaoge caught ahold of it, he suddenly laughed, “If I do not remember wrongly, the founder of your clan was chased into the mouth of a volcano by our clan’s founder exalted Hantian, not daring to emerge for a good half of his life.”
“Only when the fire demons invaded and he received our founder’s express permission, did he slowly crawl out from within?”
Xiao Shen looked at Yan Zhaoge and said coldly, “The people of Broad Creed Mountain only know how to talk about the past. People who like to live in the past, should just turn into dust along with history.”
Saying thus, he flipped his palm, releasing his aura to surround his body.
The strings holding the puppet broke apart, but the puppet remained hovering in mid-air rather than dropping to the ground, as a faint metallic radiance suddenly began circulating around the surface of its body.
Under the effects of the released aura, the wooden puppet of inferior make began glowing with a brilliant light, as if it possessed a life of its own.
The four limbs of that wooden puppet moved about, directly striking a palm out at the Mr Dong puppet in Yan Zhaoge’s hands!
At the tiny, intricate puppet’s palm strike, a biting cold wind blew!
An explosion even resounded within the air, as if the air itself had been blown apart!
Seeing this, the hearts of the Broad Creed Mountain disciples all shivered, “No wonder despite knowing how senior apprentice-brother Yan defeated Chao Yuanlong, he still dares to issue this sort of challenge!”
Yan Zhaoge, on the other hand, laughed, as, with a flip of his palm, he also snapped the string connected to his wooden puppet.
With the infusion of his aura-qi, the eyes of the Mr Dong puppet seemed to have a light flickering within.
Instantly, Mr Dong transformed into the Exalted Hantian, as his aura blazed out awe-inspiringly in an instant.
The wooden short sword within the hands of the wooden puppet shook, then cut a line in the air, actually leaving in its wake temporary, suspended scars that were clearly visible to the naked eye.
“Perform well, Yan Zhaoge, at least let me have a little fun ah.”
At this moment, a cold, dark gaze resembling that of a snake resided within Xiao Shen’s eyes.
Under his control, the twin palms of the Sacred Sun Saint puppet attacked, going straight for the wooden puppet under Yan Zhaoge’s control!
History's Strongest Senior Brother Chapter 33: Slapping his own face
HSSB33: Slapping his own face
Under Xiao Shen’s control, the Sacred Sun Saint puppet resembled an illusory shadow as it flew forward with both palms outstretched.
It was like the sun setting in the west; that final, remaining light changed to depict thousands of varying scenes, sad but beautiful in their unpredictablity.
Sunset Thousand Illusionary Palms.
It was a martial art of the Sacred Sun Clan that could only be learnt by members of the direct lineag
e, one of the clan’s Seven Great Sun Arts alongside the Heaven Striking Palm.
It was one of the few martial arts of the Sacred Sun Clan that was renowned for its individual techniques.
Having spent many years cultivating on this art, Xiao Shen had already gained a deep understanding of its true essence.
Even those of the senior generation within his clan who had stronger cultivations than him, could not compete with him in the usage and understanding of this martial art.
Under the effects of Xiao Shen’s aura-qi, that puppet seemed to resemble a living cultivator, actually executing this martial art that contained many changes and variations to the point of utmost fluidity.
“Controlling the puppet to this extent; it it were Xiao Shen itself, what sort of scene would it be?”
The crowd of spectating Broad Creed Mountain disciples felt their mouths turning bitter, as their palms slowly began to sweat.
Yan Zhaoge never looked at the puppet of the Sacred Sun Saint, as his sight remained on Xiao Shen’s hand that was controlling the puppet.
Against the fierce encroaching enemy, Mr Dong’s puppet did not hesitate in the slightest, just slashing out with its knife!
Right in front of their eyes, the originally lifeless puppet resembled a divine dragon as it soared up into the skies, breaking through the multiple layers of illusions created by the light of the setting sun.
A brilliant green light shot out, resembling a true armoured dragon rampaging about, unparalleled under the skies.
The multiple layers of illusions instantly dissipated as if they had been but shadows from a dream.
While the wooden weapon in Mr Dong’s hands was a short sword, Yan Zhaoge had the ability to use it as he would a long sword, despite its form. The sword technique of the Coiling Dragon Sleeve that he had used was still performed at its peak state, dissipating Xiao Shen’s Sunset Thousand Illusionary Palms.
At this, the Broad Creed Mountain disciples simultaneously whooped together in delight.
The corners of Xiao Shen’s mouth, though, revealed a hint of cruel amusement.
“Do you think I am like that bull-headed Chao Yuanlong, only knowing how to rely on that bit of brute strength?”
Saying thus, Xiao Shen’s hand movements through which the wooden puppet was being controlled became even more varied and precise, as innumerable, subtle variations of the Sunset Thousand Illusionary Palms played out.
Under the control of his aura-qi, the Sacred Sun Saint puppet began glowing with a faint light, resembling the last rays of the setting sun, which once again spread out to envelop Mr Dong.
This time, other than being sad and beautiful as well as unpredictable and greatly varied, the illusions exuded a feeling of desolation.
As the sun descended beyond the mountains and the land prepared to step into the darkness of the night, only a final hint of sunlight remained hovering at the edge of the sky.
However much the people wanted it to stay, however much they will not willing to see it go, their wishes were all meaningless.
What must come, must eventually come!
The Sunset Thousand Illusionary Palms were performed at a very deep level, as their true meaning was drawn out to the utmost at this very moment.
Those final remaining rays of the setting sun, like a cage of desolation, wrapped around the puppet of Mr Dong.
Yan Zhaoge’s Coiling Dragon Sleeve was like a divine dragon soaring into the skies, presiding over the ordinary masses.
But at this moment, he could only open his eyes wide, watching the setting sun descend beyond the distant mountains, unable to revert this natural phenomenon of the skies.
The green sword light instantly dulled, as the sunlight blurred. The audience could only see the darkness that had suddenly converged, swallowing up the two puppets within its midst.
Xiao Shen laughed, “What will fall, will eventually fall.”
“Reminiscing and gaining pleasure off old memories, is utterly useless!”
His aura-qi trembled; the next thing the audience knew, both palms of the Sacred Sun Saint puppet were already headed straight for the Mr Dong puppet’s vitals at its chest area!
“Ah…” Seeing this scene, a cold light flashed within Yan Zhaoge’s eyes.
That very same instant, the Mr Dong puppet’s entire body abruptly twisted, its wrists suddenly moving!
The wooden short sword’s sword-light retracted, returning to gather around the wooden puppet’s body.
Where its sharpness had previously been on full display, things had suddenly regressed to a totally ordinary state.
It was like a sword which had been returned to its scabbard, and also like a genuine dragon that had soared up to transcend the nine heavens, its figure submerging into the clouds.
Coiling Dragon Sleeve, Dragon Concealed Cloud sword technique!
Xiao Shen stopped smiling, as an uneasy feeling suddenly welled up within his heart.
Uncomfortable, unable to relax, as if there were a threat at his back!
Yan Zhaoge had controlled Mr Dong to perform a stealth-based sword technique. Currently, Xiao Shen could only feel that his adversary had suddenly vanished without a trace from right in front of him.
His opponent was obviously still there, but the palm strike that he had been sure would land, had actually missed!
“Petty little tricks, a clown’s tomfoolery!” Xiao Shen raged, his rough voice even feeling a little shriller than usual.
He controlled the Sacred Sun Saint puppet while forcefully keeping in the momentum of his palm, holding it back without releasing it, carefully feeling for his opponent’s presence.
Having just detected a faint sign of life, Mr Dong’s body had already appeared before him!
A mass of biting cold sword light erupted, resembling a clump of clouds that had been struck apart by lightning as it headed straight for the Sacred Sun Saint.
It was as if a dragon had submerged into the clouds, then suddenly stuck out its massive head!
It was like in worldly battles; performing a Parthian Shot, or retreating from a battle whilst dragging the blade to lure the enemy into complacency before turning back to counterattack, killing the enemies without giving them any time to react.
Xiao Shen laughed uglily, as the earlier unreleased momentum from his palm similarly erupted out with power, just in time to meet Yan Zhaoge’s attack.
“I have you this time!”
Just as he was thinking that, he looked at the Yan Zhaoge across of him. His original sword intent that had been rising to the clouds had been withdrawn again, vanishing without a trace!
Yet again that stealth-based sword technique!
The Cloud Concealed Dragon sword technique, where the false coexisted with reality, and action coexisted with inaction, resembling a concealed divine dragon, hidden within the clouds, hidden without a trace, striking without any warning whatsoever!
Xiao Shen’s Sunset Thousand Illusionary Palms missed completely!
And in the next instant, a fiery green sword-light appeared, sweeping through the great firmament, ripping apart the night sky, allowing light to once again illuminate the earth!
“After the sun sets, it will rise as usual. While floating clouds may obscure the eye for a time, there will surely be a day when they dissipate, and we once again see the light of day.”
Yan Zhaoge dragged out a long laugh. Substituting sword with short sword, the sword-light of Mr Dong, stabbed straight at the chest of the Sacred Sun Saint!
Xiao Shen’s eyeballs contracted, but it was already too late for him to control the Sacred Sun Saint puppet to avoid the strike.
Countless invisible streams of a metallic radiance flickered, as they circulated around the body of the wooden puppet.
Aura-qi defences were raised all the way to the maximum possible level, as he tried with all his might to resist Mr Dong’s blow.
But on Mr Dong’s sword-light, a sharp green glow could be seen, that also had a metall
ic radiance flickering.
As this instant, the wooden short sword resembled a real, metallic long sword as it forcefully broke through its opponent’s aura-qi defences, stabbing straight into the chest of the Sacred Sun Saint puppet!
“Heng!”
With a cold snort, Xiao Shen clapped his hands. The aura-qi on the body of the Sacred Sun Saint puppet, abruptly skyrocketed!
The Sacred Sun Saint puppet first disintegrated, before the the wooden short sword that was stabbed into its body also shattered.
This power flowed along the wooden short sword and extended into the body of the Mr Dong puppet, which instantly broke apart as well!
Seeing this, Yan Zhaoge was unmoved. He retracted his palms, putting his hands behind his back as he looked leisurely at Xiao Shen.
Xiao Shen stared straight at Yan Zhaoge in hatred, his eyes already closed to slits, a cold, vengeful gaze flickering within.
The large beard on his face, accompanied by his rough breathing, shook unceasingly.
Although it had not been like with Chao Yuanlong, who had been defeated without any face left to him at all, having lost all the way down to his underwear, at this moment, Xiao Shen’s embarrassment had turned into fury, as a hot feeling lit up his face.
The method of competition had been chosen by him, but at the end, it was he himself who had broken its rules. It was equivalent to slapping himself in the face.
The draw which looked like it had ended with both sides dying together, had actually already ended with his defeat prior to that.
Yan Zhaoge looked at Xiao Shen through the corners of his eyes, shrugging his shoulders, “Actually, I agree with your words; people indeed shouldn’t be living in the past.”
“Securing a position in the present, and looking towards the future; that is the true path.”
How could Xiao Shen not understand the hidden meaning behind his words?
Xiao Shen stared at Yan Zhaoge, nodding his head slowly, “Yan Zhaoge, you’re good.”
History's Strongest Senior Brother c1-1474 Page 28