The Heavenly Thunder Hall had fierce attacks, its style being even more domineering and swift than the Sacred Sun Clan, resembling the flashing of lightning and the rumbling of thunder. Of the six great Sacred Grounds, the Heavenly Thunder Hall focused the most on speed.
And of the Sacred Grounds, Heavenly Thunder Hall’s martial arts also walked the most extreme path.
If one said that the Sacred Sun Clan that was domineering as fire greatly prioritised offence over defence, Heavenly Thunder Hall could virtually be said as only knowing offence and not defence.
‘Smelly and hard that Infinite Boundless Mountain’ was used to slander Infinite Boundless Mountain martial practitioners as being as smelly and hard as the stones in the latrine pits, also describing how their martial arts were comparatively heavy and stagnant, not being as flexible as those of the other Sacred Grounds.
For the legacies of the six great Sacred Grounds, Infinite Boundless Mountain was publicly recognised as the most proficient in tough, head-on fights, but also the least proficient in terms of speed of movement.
‘Slick to the extreme Turbid Wave Pavilion’ referred to the style of Turbid Wave Pavilion’s martial arts, proficient in countering toughness with softness.
Turbid Wave Pavilion’s dissipating force with force techniques could practically be hailed as standing at the top of the current Eight Extremities World.
Their defensive ability along Infinite Boundless Mountain’s strength, one soft, one tough, were named side by side in this world, while their movement techniques also specialised in moving over short distances, being nimble to the extreme.
As for that final ‘Most venomous naught but Jade Sea City’, it referred to Jade Sea City’s martial arts, proficient in wielding secret and unseen forces, resembling a sea that appeared calm on the surface yet surged with unseen turbulent tides beneath, formlessly harming others without them knowing.
One of Jade Sea City’s most famed supreme martial arts, the Jade Sea Formless Sword, was even more so a formless and shapeless sword. When its sword intent fanned out, enemies were as though plunged into the sea.
The sword-qi that was formless yet all-pervading and omnipresent, once entering someone’s body, was like a maggot that had invaded their bones, being hard to dispel, thus handing Jade Sea City the outside reputation of ‘venomous’.
Zhao Ming laughed, “This Jade Sea Formless Sword is not just something that those first and second-rate forces are scolding; even the other five Sacred Grounds, our clan included, also hate it bitterly.”
Holding Han Long’er’s hand, Yan Zhaoge smiled, “Of the six great Sacred Grounds, which doesn’t have a supreme art that everyone also hates bitterly?”
Feng Yunsheng nodded, “It is precisely so.”
Glancing at Jing Yunzhi, Yan Zhaoge sighed silently, before handing Han Long’er over to Feng Yunsheng’s care.
Jing Yunzhi had lent a helping hand, yet caused her own Scarlet Rainbow Sect’s medicinal field that they had painstakingly cultivated to be implicated instead, with some of their martial practitioners even perishing.
While this fellow disciple of his was a reasonable person, asking her to help take care of this child now would inevitably feel a little uncaring.
While Feng Yunsheng was a little quizzical at Yan Zhaoge’s actions, she did not ask any questions, all smiles as she took hold of Han Long’er’s hand.
Han Long’er was dazed as his vision was still focused on the corpses of his parents.
“Daddy…mommy…why are you not waking up?”
Feng Yunsheng sighed within her heart, her gaze becoming gentler and gentler.
And on the other side, the battle between Sikong Qing and Hou Xiang was also gradually being decided.
Sikong Qing displayed Broad Creed Mountain’s direct lineage martial arts, the Great Heaven Earth Sword of the Eight Extreme Arts, fighting strength with strength, accumulating her advantage bit by bit.
The Great Heaven Earth Sword held offense and defence in one. While it seemed simple and clumsy, it was actually intricate to the extreme, encompassing everything under the heavens, grand and majestic as it contained the essence of Broad Creed Mountain’s attainments in the dao of the sword.
The Big Dipper Sword appeared extremely complicated but actually contained extreme simplicity, while the Great Heaven Earth Sword appeared simple but had many complexities hidden within.
At this moment, Sikong Qing displayed the flair of the Great Heaven Earth Sword as best she could, her advantage increasing unceasingly till the point that she was like a rolling snowball, her momentum growing greater and greater as Hou Xiang completely couldn’t find a chance to turn the tables at all.
Zhao Ming glanced at the Yan Zhaoge beside him.
Similarly in a head-on clash, Yan Zhaoge’s way had been to end the fight speedily, swift as wind speeding and lightning flashing, deciding the victory in but an instant.
Whereas Sikong Qing’s way had been even more direct and overboard, while not as shocking and dazzling to the eyes, being steady as Mount Tai.
Such a young girl, against an opponent of Infinite Boundless Mountain, was even more stable and sound than him, firmly grasping the advantage in her own hands.
Although Hou Xiang was still barely holding on, looking at him now, he gave off the feeling that his defeat was only a matter of time, with virtually no one feeling that he would be able to turn the tables around.
However, as opposed to Sikong Qing, Yan Zhaoge gave off a bottomless feeling, rendering others completely unable to see through him, to discern where exactly his limit truly was.
“While junior apprentice-sister Sikong appears to be fighting based on stability, her sword-intent is constantly pushing forward, not showing any signs of passivity whatsoever,” Yan Zhaoge smiled lightly, before his focus turned elsewhere.
There, yet another group of Infinite Boundless Mountain martial practitioners had appeared.
One of them, rather resembled the Zhao Ming currently standing beside Yan Zhaoge.
He was obviously the Zhao Hao who had totally vanished following the war of the Eastern Tang!
Yan Zhaoge appraised Zhao Hao all over, “Eh? Not having to specifically breathe, there are streams of qi flowing slowly about the outside of his body. This is the appearance of already having opened up his orifices, such that they will automatically take in qi themselves?”
“He has become a Martial Scholar, and has also already reached the peak of the early inner aura Martial Scholar realm, about to completely open up all his orifices and step into the mid inner aura Martial Scholar realm.”
“That’s quite a fast speed,” Yan Zhaoge wasn’t much surprised, because while half a year ago, Zhao Hao had only just broken through from the eighth level of the Body Refinement realm, the mid qi-directing stage, to the ninth level, the late qi-directing stage, following that reaching the peak of the Body Refinement realm and breaking though to become a Martial Scholar, jumping up three levels within a short period of time in what was an extremely world-shocking feat, he knew Zhao Hao’s background.
With his experience from his previous lifetime, having been reborn now, it was completely logical that he would start off with an extremely high speed.
Only that part of martial cultivation which required slow grinding over a period of time meant time which Zhao Hao could not avoid spending.
Other than that, as long as it was a bottleneck that required insights, to him who had gone through the process before, it was basically like walking on flat land.
To Zhao Hao, those problems that those around him were stuck on for long periods having to analyse and ponder on, were completely nothing.
Although it was reincarnation, as long as he always had a grasp of his body’s situation, there existed for him no barriers in the form of knowledge and experience.
Therefore, Zhao Hao’s unworldly speed in the Body Refinement and Martial Scholar realms had completely been within Yan Zhaoge’s predictions.
However, he had not predicted that Zhao Hao would appear at this Cloud Portent Mountain.
“What’s he here for?” Yan Zhaoge raised his brows slightly, “Is it also for the Giant Spirit Magnetite vein?”
History's Strongest Senior Brother Chapter 129: No longer of use
HSSB129: No longer of use
The arrival of Zhao Hao and the others did not affect the result of Sikong Qing’s and Hou Xiang’s battle.
Sikong Qing’s advantage had already accumulated to the point of being difficult to reverse; as long as she herself did not make a silly mistake out of complacency, she would inevitably be the victor.
The passion of this cold girl towards the martial dao far surpassed the imaginations of many; currently focused on the battle, she naturally wouldn’t be complacent and underestimate the enemy.
Thus, Hou Xiang was already destined for defeat.
When the sword in Sikong Qing’s hand knocked away his spiritual artifact that was a short axe, Hou Xiang stood where he was, his face a burning red.
The other Infinite Boundless Mountain disciples were also completely without face. Ji Hanru and Hou Xiang were elites of their clan’s younger generation, yet had both been defeated at the hands of Broad Creed Mountain’s disciples.
And in terms of age, Hou Xiang was older than Sikong Qing while Ji Hanru was older than Yan Zhaoge.
Especially embarrassing was the fact that Ji Hanru was older than Yan Zhaoge by not just a year or two. Strictly speaking, they weren’t even in the same age category; by logic, Ji Hanru should have secured a complete victory.
Zhao Hao was currently also garbed in black, in the attire of an Infinite Boundless Mountain disciple.
However, he didn’t even glance at his fellow disciple Hou Xiang once. Rather, it was Sikong Qing on whom his gaze rested on for a moment.
However, the next instant, Zhao Hao’s gaze had already shifted to fall on Yan Zhaoge.
Glancing at Zhao Hao, Yan Zhaoge no longer saw the arrogance and disdain that he had once seen in the other party’s eyes. However, it was definitely not a peaceful gaze, being as sharp as a sword.
“Ah, I no longer have to give face to Uncle Zhao now…” The corners of Yan Zhaoge’s mouth curled slightly as his gaze suddenly turned cold and penetrating.
His eyes like electricity, it was as though the air shook suddenly, causing Zhao Hao’s eyes to feel a piercing pain.
Elder Zuo snorted from mid-air, “A late outer aura Martial Scholar bullying someone of the early inner aura stage?”
He said this layered with a cold snort, his voice solidified till it seemed like a real entity, pressuring down towards Yan Zhaoge like a mountain peak.
The Fu Enshu by the side similarly gave a cold snort, “Rein in the pair of eyes of that disciple of yours first. Such unbridled and unrestrained provocation; does he think that no one can take care of him?”
As her words resounded, the mountain peak weighing down on Yan Zhaoge abruptly shattered, disappearing without a trace.
Looking straight at Elder Zuo, Fu Enshu said in a slow and orderly manner, “Speaking of bullying, your clan’s early Xiantian disciple also attacked the late outer aura stage Zhaoge just now, didn’t he?”
Usually speaking like a swift gale of wind and a heavy downpour of rain, currently suddenly speaking slowly and leisurely in a soft and gentle manner, it really was all that more aggravating.
On the ground, looking at Zhao Hao, Zhao Ming sighed, “Sixteenth Brother, with your talent, even if you did not inherit the throne, you could still enter my Broad Creed Mountain whereupon the clan would treat you as an important target for grooming. Why did it have to come to this?”
Zhao Hao glanced at Zhao Ming from the corner of his eye, then completely ignored him.
In comparison to Zhao Yuan and Zhao Sheng, while Zhao Ming was more forthright and cared more about relationships, he also had a rasher temper. Seeing Zhao Hao’s arrogant and disdainful manner, he was instantly angered to the point of not being able to say a word.
From the sky now resounded Fu Enshu’s voice, “So it’s that ungrateful bastard of Zhao Shicheng’s.”
In her life, the person she respected the most was her Master Yuan Zhengfeng, the two being as close as father and daughter. Because of this, she especially hated those who were unfilial.
Fu Enshu’s likes and dislikes followed her heart, having never been a reasonable person. Now, recognising Zhao Hao, her gaze instantly turned hostile.
This glance of hers was like it could truly birth electricity within the air as a streak of light vaguely seemed to flash by.
Elder Zuo’s expression changed as he boomed loudly, “Fu Enshu, that’s too much!”
He moved to block Fu Enshu’s attack, the latter raising her brows, “Hmmm?”
Lifting his hand to stop the two, Shan Shiweng gazed at Fu Enshu, “Our two clans had an agreement that day. The matter of the Eastern Tang already having passed, whatever his background, this one is now a disciple of my Infinite Boundless Mountain.
Fu Enshu glanced towards Yan Zhaoge, Feng Yunsheng, Sikong Qing and the others.
With her temper, if she had been on her lonesome, she might have not cared about it and slaughtered Zhao Hao on the spot, even if it meant being surrounded and simultaneously attacked by the Infinite Boundless Mountain trio following that.
However, there were also juniors of her clan present here. If she failed to take proper care of them and something happened, the consequences would be disastrous beyond compare.
Infinite Boundless Mountain’s Elder Zuo said coldly, “Fu Enshu, do you really think that without the people of your Broad Creed Mountain, my Infinite Boundless Mountain cannot ourselves deal with the problem of the Giant Spirit Magnetite vein?”
“Eh?” Fu Enshu was slightly stunned as she lowered her head to look towards Zhao Hao, “…you don’t mean him, do you?”
Shan Shiweng was silent for a moment before he nodded, “To tell you the truth, our clan’s new disciple Zhao Hao has also put forward a technique for helping the Giant Spirit Magnetite vein to recover.”
“Before this, this was kept secret and not announced, not as an intentional concealment of the fact, but rather because we were surveying the area and making certain of our preparations.”
At this point, Shan Shiweng’s expression did not change, whereas Elder Zuo and the Magnetite Elder actually stared at Zhao Hao with rather unfriendly gazes.
Due to wanting to keep everything to himself, this little fellow had all along withheld the core portion of his secret technique, only having revealed some limited information on it.
However, with this matter just being so important, concerning one of Infinite Boundless Mountain’s most important lifelines, Elder Zuo also hadn’t dared to suppress and not report the matter.
Therefore, he had not shared in such a great contribution at all, only able to receive some recommendation benefits through Zhao Hao.
It was the same for the Magnetite Elder who guarded Cloud Portent Mountain as well.
Although facing Broad Creed Mountain, the two Infinite Boundless Mountain bigwigs had to stand behind their disciple Zhao Hao, they were both extremely dissatisfied towards this untactful member of the younger generation within their hearts.
Meanwhile, they were also secretly doubtful on whether Zhao Hao’s method would really work.
These past days, having been in Cloud Portent Mountain, Zhao Hao had been surveying it on-site.
Earlier, he had not completely finished with that yet. Therefore, when Yan Zhaoge and the others had come visiting, Infinite Boundless Mountain had also not been against it, wanting to have two hands of preparations available as they sought stability.
Herein lay the reason why Yan Zhaoge had earlier felt that Infinite Boundless Mountain’s attitude was ambiguous.<
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Zhao Hao glanced coldly at Yan Zhaoge and Fu Enshu, saying, “My plan here has already reached complication; we no longer require any others coming from outside of the clan.”
The meaning of his words that Yan Zhaoge and the others were no longer of use being here.
“Ah,” Fu Enshu was angered to the point of laughing.
Looking at Zhao Hao, Yan Zhaoge had a thoughtful expression on his face.
Earlier, Hou Xiang had let out big words, and Yan Zhaoge had been completely too lazy to pay heed to them.
In the first Extreme Yin Bout, when the Extreme Yin Crown had fallen into the hands of the Sacred Sun Clan, the relationship between Broad Creed Mountain and Infinite Boundless Mountain had become much warmer, as the cooperation between them increased.
It was only after the second Extreme Yin Bout, with Jade Sea City having obtained the Extreme Yin Crown, that their relationship gradually grown distant once more.
Now that the Extreme Yin Crown had fallen back into the hands of the Sacred Sun Clan, would Infinite Boundless Mountain team up with the Sacred Sun Clan?
This was why following the third Extreme Yin Bout, with the Extreme Yin Crown falling to Meng Wan once more, the tensions between Broad Creed Mountain and Infinite Boundless Mountain had instantly eased.
However, cooperating did not mean that they would be intimate to the point of being inseparable.
How they cooperated and to what extent they did so, as well as what each side could get from the other-all these were continually changing, continually being weighed by them.
For example, when the Sacred Sun Clan had started a war with Broad Creed Mountain, Infinite Boundless Mountain definitely wouldn’t have helped the Sacred Sun Clan. However, whether they stood on as simple bystanders or they truly helped Broad Creed Mountain in facing off against the Sacred Sun Clan was naturally a different matter altogether.
If they, representing Broad Creed Mountain, helped Infinite Boundless Mountain to solve the huge problem of the Giant Spirit Magnetite vein, Infinite Boundless Mountain would owe them, and in effect Broad Creed Mountain, an incomparably huge favour.
History's Strongest Senior Brother c1-1474 Page 85