That short girl had also already long removed her bamboo hat from which hung a veil, revealing a cute, pink round face. She looked to be around the same age as Sikong Qing.
Zhang Yao had always been appraising Yan Zhaoge curiously, as she now hurriedly bowed, “Turbid Wave Pavilion’s Zhang Yao, greets Senior Brother Yan.”
Yan Zhaoge smiled, returning the greeting, “Junior Sister Zhang, it is nice to meet you.”
Xie Youchan said, “Okay, Junior Brother Yan, do you still want to comprehend the dao on the lake?”
Yan Zhaoge answered, “I already made some gains earlier. What remains is to sort them out; for that, there is no longer a need to stay here.”
“I’ve heard that in the vicinity of this Clear Concealed Lake, other than the few main islands of its central region, there is still some other beautiful scenery. I’d like to see it. At the same time, there are also some treasures unique to this area; if your clan doesn’t mind, I would like to collect some.”
Xie Youchan said, “That’s naturally fine. Since it is so, we will take you to tour the area.”
Yan Zhaoge smiled, “In that case, I will be troubling Senior Sister Xie and Junior Sister Zhang.”
The four proceeded, Yan Zhaoge as though entering a treasure vault on Clear Concealed Lake as he made rather plentiful gains. It was just that many of these gains were things that only he himself was completely clear on.
In other people’s eyes, they didn’t appear any much out of the ordinary at all.
As they walked, a strange bird suddenly flew past, piercing through several layers of mist and clouds before it accurately found Yan Zhaoge, Xie Youchan and the others.
Looking over, Yan Zhaoge saw that that bird resembled a large goose, yet was much smaller in size, its entire body red as fire as it appeared exceptionally conspicuous within the dense clouds.
“Is this the Fire Goose that is trained by your clan? Able to freely traverse amongst the clouds of Clear Concealed Lake, it can accurately find your clan’s disciples, and is quite good for communication due to its extremely fast speed,” Yan Zhaoge smiled and praised, “I’ve long heard of it, finally seeing it for the first time today. It is indeed worthy of its fame.”
Xie Youchan said, “I have let Junior Brother Yan see its unworthiness.”
Extending her arm, that Fire Goose spiralled downwards and landed on it.
Xie Youchan removed a note tied onto the bird’s claw, reading its contents as she now raised her brows slightly, “Oh, a Pixiu has actually appeared in the vicinity?”
When the Elders of Turbid Wave Pavilion had received this piece of news, the matter not being urgent, they didn’t need stronger experts to expressly rush over from Clear Concealed Island.
Through the formation, they could basically confirm which disciples were nearby, before sending a message to get someone to handle it.
With Xie Youchan and Zhang Yao just happening to be nearby and the elders determining that Xie Youchan had the ability to deal with the matter, they had sent the Fire Goose over with a message.
“Saying that we would be guides for Junior Brother Yan, yet something just had to happen,” Xie Youchan looked at Yan Zhaoge, “However, Pixius are rare; is Junior Brother Yan interested in going?”
Smiling, Yan Zhaoge nodded, “If Senior Sister Xie permits it, I also wish to witness for myself this famous rare beast which I’ve heard of, yet never seen before with my own eyes.”
They moved off, very quickly arriving on a small nearby island.
As Yan Zhaoge and the others landed on the island, within its forest, someone had already arrived.
However, this person didn’t show himself, instead silently watching them walk further onto the island.
He was also extremely surprised, but quickly retracted his gaze, lest Yan Zhaoge’s group sense and detect him.
This person’s eyes flickered with a dangerous light, a cold smile surfacing on the corners of his mouth. He was clearly Infinite Boundless Mountain’s Liu Shengfeng.
History's Strongest Senior Brother Chapter 157: Something about this scene isn’t quite right
HSSB157: Something about this scene isn’t quite right
As they walked, Zhang Yao secretly sent a sound transmission to Xie Youchan, “Right, senior apprentice-sister Xie. Just now, it was clearly something that senior apprentice-brother Ruan did; why did you claim responsibility for it?”
Xie Youchan answered, “Don’t look at how Junior Brother Yan looks like a humorous person before the both of us. Actually, he is a person who doesn’t tolerate dust in his eyes. If junior apprentice-brother Ruan provokes him, he will definitely get back at him.”
“Similarly, while junior apprentice-brother Ruan looks like an easygoing person, he is actually arrogant and victory-prioritising to the extreme. For him to lower his head towards Junior Brother Yan would be impossible; it would only lead to both sides clashing head-on in the end.”
“Our clan does not intend to get involved in the matter between Broad Creed Mountain and the Sacred Sun Clan. Although we fear neither of them, we should not take the initiative to provoke them either. Being able to resolve this small matter is for the best; otherwise, if the matter blew up, who knows how serious it might grow to in the end.”
Zhang Yao nodded, “It is just that senior apprentice-sister Xie has taken the blame for senior apprentice-brother Ruan.”
Xie Youchan smiled, “Junior Brother Yan is an understanding person. Actually, the truth behind the matter cannot elude him; it’s just that he is giving me some face, accepting my stance and letting things blow over, actually aware but acting oblivious and not continuing to pursue the matter.”
“So that’s how it is…” Zhang Yao had a moment of understanding. Slightly hesitating, she then said, “I just hope that senior apprentice-brother Ruan can appreciate your efforts…”
Xie Youchan let out a sigh, “I hope so too.”
As the group approached the small island, Yan Zhaoge was engrossed in observing their surroundings.
Covered in a bamboo forest, this island’s climate was similar to that of Clear Concealed Island, though it was slightly smaller in size. It was rather close to the edge of Clear Concealed Lake.
Regarding the creature known as the Pixiu, Yan Zhaoge had actually never personally seen one before.
Though there were depictions of the Pixiu, Yan Zhaoge had actually never seen one of them either. After all, the world was filled with multitudes of strange and wondrous beasts, and Yan Zhaoge could only claim to be familiar with some of them.
Yan Zhaoge had most definitely heard of the Pixiu’s reputation, though.
“Body enormous like an elephant, likes to stay still, has a gentle temperament, is relatively lazy, but possessing enormous and inexhaustible innate strength. It can swallow metal, and is gifted with the ability to control black water and white fire.”
This time, the reports from Clear Concealed Lake noted that the Pixiu was still an adolescent. Even so, its strength was not something that an ordinary Martial Scholar would be able to contend with.
Despite the Pixiu’s gentle temperament, they had the nasty habit of being gluttonous eaters. Given its enormous size, it could eat a huge amount of food without any semblance of self-control.
If the matter wasn’t tended to, a Pixiu could render an area entirely barren as though a swarm of locusts had passed through.
On Clear Concealed Lake, everything from the spiritual qi flow to every single tree and patch of grass was closely related to the formation there.
Of course, a single Pixiu eating through a small island would not destroy the large formation, but the consequences of leaving it unattended would not be pretty.
As a result, the young disciples who discovered the Pixiu reported it back to those of Turbid Wave Pavilion placed in charge here. Upon receiving the news at Cloud Concealed Island, they contacted Xie Youchan to deal with the issue.
The disciple that delivered the news was momentar
ily stunned after seeing Xie Youchan with Yan Zhaoge and Ah Hu, but quickly explained the situation.
As a result, Yan Zhaoge, Xie Youchan, and the others were currently deep within the bamboo forest on the island.
Traveling through the forest, Yan Zhaoge found his vision constantly obscured by the dense sea of bamboo. Suddenly, he vaguely sensed a huge lifeform before them.
Yan Zhaoge and the others exchanged a look, “That should be the Pixiu…”
Before he had finished speaking, Yan Zhaoge, Ah Hu, and Xie Youchan all showed a slight change in their expression, “What trick is this big fella trying to pull?”
From deep within the bamboo forest, there suddenly was a huge fluctuation of spiritual qi. It was as if an enormous vortex had appeared which was drawing all of the spiritual qi on the island towards its centre.
Yan Zhaoge lifted his head and looked to see that the permanent cloud cover above them was slightly trembling. This happening on the island was affecting the entire formation at large.
Ah Hu scratched the back of his head, “This feeling-it seems like this Pixiu is about to make an advancement?”
Yan Zhaoge nodded, “There’s a good chance that this is the case.”
Xie Youchan stepped forwards, “Let’s go scout out what is going on. If the circumstances allow it, it would be best to not interrupt its advancement.”
The group cut through the bamboo sea, only to abruptly reach a large clearing. Without needing to ask, it was obvious that this bare piece of land had been created by the Pixiu’s appetite.
Yan Zhaoge strained his eyes to see what looked like a giant clump of light in the middle of the clearing.
That giant clump of light was formed of intermingling black and white. Looking closely, it was possible to see that the black was a jet-black flow of water while the white was a brilliant white flame. Together, the two elements mixed together as they spun around quickly and formed a large sphere around the Pixiu.
The two glows of black and white shone unceasingly. Clashing, the opposing forces of fire and water actually seemed abnormally compliant and harmonized.
As Yan Zhaoge witnessed this scene, he repeatedly nodded his head, “Mmm, not bad, not bad, yin and yang coexisting and mixing within the heavens and the earth, possessing the natural laws of this world. It is indeed extraordinary.”
“Though this world contains innumerable special beasts, this Pixiu can already be counted as a rare one that is hard to come by.”
The undulations of spiritual qi were gradually stabilising, but actually getting stronger and stronger. It seemed that the Pixiu was very close to completing its advancement.
That light ball of rapidly spinning black water and white fire was gradually thinning out, as the true form of the rare beast within was revealed.
However, Yan Zhaoge’s expression gradually became dazed.
“What’s that…Senior Sister Xie?” Yan Zhaoge stretched his somewhat stiff neck as he asked Xie Youchan by his side, “…This is the legendary Pixiu?”
Xie Youchan nodded her head matter-of-factly, “That’s right. This beast is very rare; it is only found in the border area between my Lake Domain and the Fire Domain, with none in your Heaven Domain. If you’ve never seen a picture of one before, it’s fine-there’s a live specimen in front of you right now.”
“Does Junior Brother Yan have the intention of trying to tame and rear this beast?” Xie Youchan asked, “This is also not out of the question…”
Yan Zhaoge was still a little dazed.
Even though its body was much larger than from his impression of those, already the size of a small elephant whilst only in its adolescence, no matter how he looked at it, the animal in front of him was clearly a panda that had been magnified by quite a bit.
Amongst their group of four, the one with the lowest cultivation was Zhang Yao. She carefully examined the gigantic beast in front of them, “Even though this one is still young, it still has such high strength. No wonder some villages in the mountains worship Pixiu as totems.”
“Totems?” Yan Zhaoge opened his mouth, while Ah Hu solemnly responded from beside him, “Young Master, this beast truly is very strong. If it were to use its full strength, it could probably rival an early Xiantian Martial Scholar, or even more.”
Yan Zhaoge looked as though he didn’t know whether to laugh or to cry for quite a while before he finally nodded, “Yes, I can also see that, just that…I’ve never thought that it would be like this.”
Looking at the giant panda in front of him, the Yan Zhaoge who had regained his wits also felt a slight fervor.
Towards giant pandas….er, Pixiu, he quite liked them even though there were some differences between this Pixiu and the giant pandas from his memory.
Raising this kind of big fellow would be rather nice for him. The only question was—how would he use it? This question made Yan Zhaoge scratch his head a little.
Keeping it as a pet would be kind of a waste while controlling it for battle also painted a rather strange picture within his mind…
As for using it as a steed….
The corners of Yan Zhaoge’s mouth twitched as a scene appeared within his mind—
“I made the Internal Crystal Furnace reappear in this world!”
“Your steed is a panda.”
“I brought the Golden Needle Liberating Pill technique back into this world!”
“Your steed is a panda.”
“I restored Infinite Boundless Mountain’s Giant Spirit Magnetite Vein!”
“Your steed is a panda.”
“All martial practitioners at the same cultivation level lower their heads before me in subservience, with none my match!”
“Your steed is a panda.”
“…”
History's Strongest Senior Brother Chapter 158: Monetary Black Hole
HSSB158: Monetary Black Hole
“Your steed is a panda…”
“Steed is a panda…”
“Is a panda…”
“Panda…”
As voices reverberated unceasingly in Yan Zhaoge’s head, he could not help but roll his eyes, “…Actually, it is also rather individualistic?”
“Definitely first class in attracting gazes, flashy to the extreme, not walking the normal route.”
“It’s just that-where does this refreshing yet also embarrassed mentality stem from?”
Rubbing his temple, Yan Zhaoge smiled bitterly as he looked at the giant panda before him, “Whatever, even if I just keep him as a pet, although his appetite is rather great, he is also pleasing to the eye. If I have him specifically in charge of selling fluff, that would also be quite good.”
“Aye, if I use him to chase chicks, I guess it would also be a really potent weapon?” The corners of Yan Zhaoge’s mouth curled upwards as he thought somewhat rascally.
He swivelled his head to look at Xie Youchan beside him, “Senior Sister Xie, in all honesty, this beast indeed rather catches my eye. I don’t know if your clan would be willing?”
At the end of the day, the Clear Concealed Lake was Turbid Wave Pavilion’s territory. Meeting this giant panda this time had also only come about from following Xie Youchan.
Hearing his words, Xie Youchan laughed, “Other than rearing Fire Geese as well as a few other types of rare beasts for sending messages and travelling, we seldom rear any other rare beasts. If you didn’t say anything, I was also only going to send this Pixiu out of the vicinity of the Clear Concealed Lake, lest he influence the formation.”
“If junior apprentice-brother Yan wants him, you can naturally try to capture him, and if you want my assistance, you need only ask. However, I do not think that it will be hard for you and the brother beside you to succeed in doing so; you can just directly make a move.”
The other party not bringing up a trade, allowing him to capture the rare beast as he would like, Yan Zhaoge smiled at her words, “I must first thank Senior Sister Xie for her kindness; I will definitely repay it
in the future.”
With Xie Youchan’s generosity, Yan Zhaoge naturally wouldn’t mistreat her. Calculating within his heart, he already had some plans for to repay her.
However, such could still wait. For now, he should first capture this giant panda before him.
Yan Zhaoge waved his hands towards Ah Hu. Giving a simple and honest laugh, Ah Hu instantly grinded his fists and rubbed his palms, preparing to walk towards the middle of the clearing along with him.
“Eh?” But just at this time, Yan Zhaoge’s gaze suddenly hardened, as he vaguely felt the aura-qi of a martial practitioner surging in the distance.
His ears even seemed to resound with the indistinct sound of a bowstring twanging.
The other party’s target was not their own group. From another direction, an arrow suddenly shot towards the panda in the middle of the clearing!
Gazing over, Yan Zhaoge saw that where the arrow had shot from, a middle-aged man stood within the bamboo forest, staring at the giant panda with a greedy expression on his face.
“It is not someone of Turbid Wave Pavilion.”
“It is also a Xiantian Martial Scholar.”
“A martial practitioner of the Lake Domain, having acquired Turbid Wave Pavilion’s permission, entering this Clear Concealed Lake to look for a fortuitous encounter…”
“Not having discovered us, he instead set his sights on that big fella, greed welling within his heart.”
“He should only be at the early Xiantian stage, and, being afraid that his power alone would be insufficient in capturing this panda alive, took advantage of it levelling to launch a sneak attack.”
Many thoughts flashed through Yan Zhaoge’s mind in an instant, before he soared into the air.
With a flick of the right sleeve of his robe, a green light shot out from within, roaring like a dragon as it traversed a thousand feet in an instant.
His sword shooting through the air, released later but arriving earlier, it blocked that arrow in mid-air!
“Cough, Exploding Spirit Arrow. He was willing to invest quite a lot on this,” As Yan Zhaoge cut down the arrow with his sword, he immediately found that something was wrong.
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