Yan Zhaoge opened his eyes, the light of thunder flickering within his right.
The fragment of the Eye of the Thunder Emperor was revealed within his right eyeball.
The Eye of the Thunder Emperor shone as the light cast within resembled the beginning of chaos back in ancient times as a thunderbolt descended, splitting apart the heavens and the earth.
With this, the objects of the world were gradually formed as countless changes occurred within this boundless world.
The white clouds represented the vicissitudes of life, the vast sea and the boundless fields, the infinite river of time-they all roiled and surged, resembling a single instant, resembling eternity.
Yan Zhaoge’s state of mind coincided with that of the Eye of the Thunder Emperor within that instant, as he also seemed to feel that concept of infinite lives being created and extinguished within a single instant.
While the heavenly thunder was violent and ferocious, it didn’t leave behind any traces in Yan Zhaoge’s mind whatsoever.
Yan Zhaoge’s eyes closed gently before opening once more.
Just with this blinking of an eye, it actually seemed like billions of years of time had flowed by.
At this time, Yan Zhaoge clearly felt that his connection with the fragment of the Eye of the Thunder Emperor had improved a step further, to the point that he could even feel their minds resonating somewhat.
With a low cry, Yan Zhaoge’s entire body abruptly erupted with the turbulent light of thunder as an explosive boom resounded.
Outside the bamboo house, in the sky above Clear Concealed Island, as the clouds roiled, an explosion seemed to resound as a flash of lightning broke through the sky!
“Rumblerumblerumble!” The sound of thunder rumbling resounded throughout the heavens and the earth as it resembled the creation of the ancient, prehistoric wastelands!
Around Yan Zhaoge’s entire body, the scales of the numerous dragons formed of aura-qi heaved as numerous bolts of lightning flashed from amongst them.
Dense arcs of lightning leapt within the small bamboo house, congregating as they seemed to form a sea of thunder.
The thunderbolts surged, yet did not harm the small house in the slightest as the numerous dragons of aura-qi opened their eyes, a light flashing within as it was like having added eyes to the painting of a dragon, filling it with spirituality and vitality as the illusory dragon transformed into a real dragon.
Yan Zhaoge extended his arm, pushing forward with his palm.
The numerous dragons of aura-qi coiled, transforming into chaos!
Having no beginning, having no end. Nothing before, nothing after. Although it was an illusory scene formed of aura-qi, the profound concept contained within could still be vaguely felt.
This was precisely the illusory heaven and earth formed of Yan Zhaoge’s aura-qi!
The aura-qi forming an illusory heaven and earth-this was precisely the trademark of a mid Xiantian Martial Scholar!
Yan Zhaoge laughed lightly. Changing his palm technique, his palm turned completely red as the illusory scene of chaos formed of his aura-qi also changed, transforming into a world of purplish red.
Amongst the clumps of purple flames, the indistinct image of a pill furnace could vaguely be seen.
Yan Zhaoge’s stance changed once more as he lined up his index and middle fingers like a sword, substituting sword with fingers as they tapped out lightly.
The purple Tushita flames and the pill furnace vanished, his aura-qi forming the illusory night sky, within which seven stars hovered high in the sky, worshipping the north.
Retracting his palm, Yan Zhaoge hit out with his Six Spirit Demonic Fists, the illusory heaven and earth formed of his aura-qi seemingly having returned to the desolate wastelands of days long past as countless strong beasts rampaged unbridled across the lands, domineering to the extreme.
Finally, as Yan Zhaoge retracted his force, all the scenes vanished as everything returned to chaotic nihility.
Seemingly able to birth countless things, contain countless things, decimate countless things.
Yan Zhaoge let out a long breath before standing up and leaving the small bamboo house.
Playing with the giant panda, as Ah Hu saw Yan Zhaoge, he involuntarily asked, “Young Master, that heavenly thunder just now was from you activating the Eye of the Thunder Emperor?”
Yan Zhaoge smiled, “That’s right. Having stabilised my foundation and increased my accumulation with the Heavenly Broad Creed Pill, my cultivation gradually reached the bottleneck. Afterwards, in comprehending the concept within the Eye of the Thunder Emperor, I gained an understanding of it and successfully took that step forward.”
Ah Hu opened his mouth wide, “Young Master ah, you only just became an early Xiantian Martial Scholar not long ago at Cloud Portent Mountain.”
“Stepping into the mid Xiantian stage so quickly-even Family Head that year was not as fierce as you ah!”
Raising his hand to tap his right eye, Yan Zhaoge said, “Fortune and coincidence; it can be considered a pleasant surprise.”
Shooting Yan Zhaoge a thumbs-up, Ah Hu said, “Even if it was fortune, it still had to depend on you, Young Master, having the ability to acquire it ah.”
Yan Zhaoge glanced at Ah Hu, “Wa, Ah Hu, your bootlicking expressions are getting more and more real.”
Ah Hu gave a simple and honest laugh, “This is all thanks to you, Young Master; I’ve been constantly practising it in the mirror in my free time.”
He patted his own big head, “Right, Young Master, ‘Heavenly Roc’ has arrived.”
“Oh, senior apprentice-brother Xu is here?” Yan Zhaoge chuckled, “He should be over at Senior Sister Xie’s place, right?”
Ah Hu also chuckled, “After meeting Elder Fang, he came over here. Seeing that you were in seclusion, he flashed off like a streak of smoke over to Miss Xie’s.”
Exchanging glances, they both laughed sneakily, “Something’s up…”
Yan Zhaoge laughed, “Come, let’s go see.”
Xu Fei was thirty this year, much older than Lu Wen and Yan Zhaoge. Currently, he was already a Heavenly Connection Martial Scholar, just a step away from the Martial Grandmaster realm.
Generally speaking, most Heavenly Connection Martial Scholars remained in cultivation, seldom appearing in the outside world.
However, having lost their faces in recent days, in order to regain some of it in this Heavenly Connection Meet, the Sacred Sun Clan had dispatched the head of the Four Rising Sons, Tang Yonghao, here.
Tang Yonghao was also a Heavenly Connection Martial Scholar. Xu Fei was attending this time’s Heavenly Connection Meet specifically to guard against him.
Arriving at the bamboo house where Xie Youchan was residing, from far away, Yan Zhaoge’s nose twitched as he smelled the fragrance of wine.
Then he saw that outside the bamboo house, before a stone table in the small courtyard, were two people seated opposite each other. One of them was Xie Youchan, while the other was an extremely tall and burly man.
This man had thick eyebrows and big eyes, his nose was straight and his mouth square, even appearing majestic as his gaze was clear and his aura like that of a mountain.
While he was young, he emanated an air that resembled lofty mountains and deep seas.
It was only that this man’s current actions were a little strange as he smilingly clasped a wine flask within his hands, pouring its contents into a cup.
Looking closely, those were clearly tea leaves placed within the teacup before him. From the looks of it, he was actually trying to boil tea with wine.
History's Strongest Senior Brother Chapter 167: Three Young Masters congregate
HSSB167: Three Young Masters congregate
Seeing that man’s actions, Yan Zhaoge was rather speechless, “What is this new-fangled fancy of yours ah?”
That man’s actions didn’t stop as he laughed, “Right on time. When I went to look for you just now, you were in seclus
ion. I was still feeling regret at you missing out on this wine-tea of mine.”
Yan Zhaoge raised his forehead, “Making tea with wine is something that no one would do. I know that you love wine, but can you not do something so novel and unconventional?”
That man did not think much of his words, “This you do not understand. Living in this world, it is only natural that we humans find some enjoyment for ourselves.”
Yan Zhaoge held his face, “So you have to take wine like soya bean and dip breadsticks in it to eat, take wine like soup and soak rice in it, and have now come out with yet another new playstyle of using wine to make tea?”
“Can’t you just stably take wine to drink just like other drunkards do?”
Hearing his words from the side, Xie Youchan and Ah Hu could not help but laugh.
That big man did not take it to heart as he instead laughed, “I am already past that stage.”
Yan Zhaoge could not take it any longer, “Then you can try drinking wine with not your mouth, but your nose.”
The big man burst out laughing, “To a martial practitioner of my cultivation level, it would actually also not be all that hard; it’d not be able to choke me to death.”
“Senior Brother Xu, you are very steady in other matters; why are you like a child on this matter?” Xie Youchan shook her head as she couldn’t resist smiling.
This big man was the direct disciple of Broad Creed Mountain’s Iron Lion King Shi Tie, the ‘Heavenly Roc’ Xu Fei, and a Heavenly Connection martial practitioner.
He was generally accepted by the outside world as Broad Creed Mountain’s strongest Martial Scholar.
Xu Fei smiled, “Wait till you taste my handiwork.”
Yan Zhaoge felt a little helpless, “Really, I’ve no words to describe you.”
“Junior apprentice-brother Yan, your wine tolerance just can’t cut it. Now Huting’s is more like it.” Xu Fei similarly looked at Yan Zhaoge in disdain as he instead looked warmly to Ah Hu by the side.
The usually thick-skinned Ah Hu whose face was never stingy with his grins now instead took on a pale expression, “Brother Fei, I can’t drink with you. You don’t allow people to dispel wine with aura-qi; I would be drunk by you to death.”
Xu Fei also didn’t force him, just taking on a rather regretful expression, “Huting, your foundation is actually pretty good. If you just train a bit, you’d be able to work it out.”
Laughing and smiling, time passed by in a blur.
As the twilight sun tilted west, Yan Zhaoge, Xu Fei and Ah Hu bid Xie Youchan goodbye.
Just before they left, Xie Youchan said softly, “This time’s Heavenly Connection Meet will be different from usual. Are all of you clear on it?”
Yan Zhaoge looked at Xu Fei whose smile remained, though his gaze had turned grave and heavy, “From meeting second apprentice-uncle, I already know of the situation.”
The three exchanged glances, then smiled and nodded, no longer speaking.
The next few days, Yan Zhaoge was either peacefully cultivating, interacting on the martial dao with Xu Fei, Ye Zhongzhou, Xie Youchan and other familiar acquaintances, or feeding that giant panda.
On Clear Concealed Island, everything was as per normal as peace still reigned.
And as time passed, the day of the Heavenly Connection Meet officially arrived.
The Heavenly Connection Meet was not a series of bouts in a ring, as its initial premise was for the genius-level figures of the Sacred Grounds’ younger generation to get into contact with one another.
Sparring and fighting was getting into contact, and interacting on the martial dao was the same.
However, due to the current tense environment within the Eight Extremities World, the smell of gunpowder in the air of this time’s Heavenly Connection Meet felt somewhat thicker than usual.
Especially due to some special factors, this time’s Heavenly Connection Meet had quite a different hue to it.
The official venue for this time’s Heavenly Connection Meet would be in the air above Clear Concealed Island.
With Clear Concealed Island as the centre, along with some small islands surrounding it that were also situated around the centre of Clear Concealed Lake, a unique array was vaguely formed, serving as where the core of the formation guarding Clear Concealed Lake was located.
After being activated, streams of light soared into the air, merging with the all-encompassing sky of clouds to form a hovering landmass that seemed real whilst also illusory.
Those streams of light resembled a bridge as they led up to Hovering Island within the sky, which possessed formation restrictions as it formed an existence like an illusory palace.
Having ascended Hovering Island, Yan Zhaoge and the others saw that other than their Turbid Wave Pavilion hosts, there were people who had arrived before them, the people of Jade Sea City.
Ye Zhongzhou, Li Jingwan and the two other Jade Sea City disciples were currently all gathered around a green-robed youth.
That youth appeared elegant and refined just like Fang Zhun as he somewhat possessed the air of a scholar.
It was only that as he stood there, the spiritual light above his head was solidified and tangible, within which the infinite ocean tides seemed to be roaring without end as the light shot straight into the horizon, as this indicated that he was a Heavenly Connection Martial Scholar just like Xu Fei.
About thirty years of age, this youth’s gaze was as deep as the sea. On seeing Yan Zhaoge and the others, he nodded slightly.
Yan Zhaoge and Xu Fei nodded back.
They all recognised the other party; he was a core, direct disciple of Jade Sea City and a leading figure of their younger generation, the Seven Seas Young Master Song Chao.
The oldest of the Four Young Masters, and also the one with the strongest cultivation base.
The son of Broad Creed Mountain’s First Seat Elder Yan Di, the Broad Creed Young Master Yan Zhaoge.
The son of the Chief of the Sacred Sun Clan Huang Xu, the Radiant Prince Huang Jie.
The son of the Heavenly Thunder Hall’s First Seat Elder Lin Tianfeng, the Thunder Rumbling Young Master Lin Zhou.
The son of the City Lord of Jade Sea City Song Wuliang, the Seven Seas Young Master Song Chao.
These four were all elites of the Eight Extremities World’s younger generation, who also possessed extraordinary backgrounds. From the previous Heavenly Connection Meet, they had come to be known as the current era’s Four Young Masters.
Despite- or perhaps as a result of their titles, there mostly didn’t exist any friendship amongst the four. At most, Yan Zhaoge was only comparatively more acquainted with Song Chao.
However, due to the large age gap between them, the two had never interacted much before.
Song Chao looked at Yan Zhaoge, nodding, “Junior Brother Yan, it’s been three years.”
“Senior Brother Song’s cultivation has improved even more,” Yan Zhaoge smiled, and Song Chao answered, “Conscientious work, gradually seeking the way forward.”
Sikong Qing also came forward and greeted Song Chao once more.
The Heavenly Connection Meet had a dispersed and relaxed format, with no official indication to mark its beginning.
Those who had the desire to spar could just communicate their intentions and then do so.
The group of Xiantian Martial Scholars consisting of Yan Zhaoge, Xu Fei, Song Chao, Xie Youchan, Ruan Ping and Ye Zhongzhou all did not spar, only gathering together at one place and casually conversing.
However, what was casual conversation to them also brought great benefits to the younger disciples who heard them.
It was just that amongst them, Yan Zhaoge rather stood out, because of all these Xiantian Martial Scholars, he was the youngest, and not just by a bit.
The others were all around or close to thirty years of age, with only Yan Zhaoge just having passed twenty.
Calculating it, Yan Zhaoge should actually be considered as being of the same age as Li J
ingwan and the others.
However, this rather eye-provoking matter did not seem strange to anyone here in the least, as they all seemed to find it completely natural.
As they conversed, the hearts of Yan Zhaoge and the others moved in unison as they all turned to look in a certain direction.
In that direction, a few younger generation martial practitioners in white, gold-bordered robes ascended Hovering Island, in what was precisely the garb of the Sacred Sun Clan’s direct disciples.
Whether it was Yan Zhaoge and Xu Fei or Song Chao and Ye Zhongzhou, when they saw these newcomers, their eyes all momentarily narrowed into slits.
The leading person looked to be similarly aged to Xu Fei and Song Chao, with handsome features and an extraordinary air about him. As light shot out of his eyes, hearts involuntarily trembled.
Beside him was an ordinary-looking youth who looked to be only slightly older than Yan Zhaoge, silent, with a restrained presence.
Yan Zhaoge raised his brows slightly, “Tang Yonghao, Huang Jie.”
History's Strongest Senior Brother Chapter 168: The persistence that is not understood
HSSB168: The persistence that is not understood
The other two members of the Sacred Sun Clan’s Four Rising Suns aside from Xiao Shen and Chao Yuanlong were currently both before Yan Zhaoge.
Hailed as the first person of the Sacred Sun Clan’s younger generation, the ‘Shining Sword’ Tang Yonghao.
One of the Four Young Masters alongside Yan Zhaoge, the grandson of the East Rising Martial Saint Huang Guanglie and the son of the Sacred Sun Clan’s current Chief Huang Xu, the ‘World Illuminating Young Master’ Huang Jie.
Of those who had been hailed as the current era’s Four Young Masters following the previous Heavenly Connection Meet, other than the Thunder Rumbling Young Master Lin Zhou, the other three had congregated here once again.
After resting on Tang Yonghao for a moment, Yan Zhaoge’s gaze turned towards Huang Jie.
Whether it was of the Four Young Masters or the Sacred Sun Clan’s own Four Rising Sons, Huang Jie was the most low profile one.
According to Yan Zhaoge’s memories, it was even to the point that other than in the Heavenly Connection Meet that year, Huang Jie seldom appeared in the outside world.
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