Jun Luo chuckled, “Mainly because I heard you, Brother Yan, tell me many such stories in the past…”
Yan Zhaoge was somewhat amused by this slightly tomboyish girl, “Ah, so it’s my fault then?”
Jun Luo hurriedly waved her hands, laughing, “I don’t dare, I don’t dare. When we return, I still need Brother Yan to put in some good words for me…”
Yan Zhaoge smiled, “In coming this time, I passed by the Howling Wind Sword Sect. I wanted to meet Uncle Jun, but he was out adventuring. If you can rush back to your sect before he returns…”
Jun Luo’s eyes lit up, “Definitely, definitely, Brother Yan, remember to hide it for me a little then…”
Her words not having finished, Yan Zhaoge continued, “…afterwards, I would still mention it to Uncle Jun.”
Jun Luo was instantly stunned, her body deflating greatly.
Feng Yunsheng and Ah Hu watched on rather interestedly at this. Meanwhile, as Lian Cheng and Lian Ying watched Jun Luo behave like a child in front of Yan Zhaoge, envy that could not be concealed appeared in both their eyes.
Afterwards, they set up a supply point. With some specially made spirit talismans and supporting treasures, they set up a formation that could hold out for a set period of time, keeping the wind and sand of the outside world at bay.
A few experienced Broad Creed Mountain martial practitioners stayed behind on Elder Li’s orders, remaining there with Jun Luo and the two Lians.
Yan Zhaoge and the others continued on their journey.
A path to their destination had already been opened up by Broad Creed Mountain martial practitioners before this. It was just that with the fierceness of the previous Black Nightmare Storms, the path had gradually been buried and concealed. However, with marks of it left behind, it was much easier for their group.
After a long, difficult trek, that damaged stone pillar erect in the desert finally appeared before everyone’s eyes.
Yan Zhaoge stared at the patterns on the stone pillar, not speaking for a long time.
Elder Li waved his hands, dispersing along with his subordinates, setting up a barrier formation once more, keeping away the wind and the sand.
While they had arrived at their destination, Yan Zhaoge’s work here could not be completed within a short period of time.
At the same time, even an Acting Elder like Elder Li did not possess the authority to get up close with these precious remains, let alone the martial practitioners below him.
Elder Li was extremely by the book, performing his duties well. Other than having acted as a guide for Yan Zhaoge, having arrived here, he helped him to set up watch over the surrounding area.
“Old Li, I really had not thought that Young Master Yan is actually so knowledgeable about ancient remains,” Following by Elder Li’s side, a middle-aged martial practitioner followed him behind another sand dune, praising, “Even less so that he actually can have authority at the level of a First Seat Elder.”
Elder Li said, “Don’t look down on him; he is someone with true abilities. Able to get to where he is today, it was not completely through Elder Yan’s backing…”
As he was speaking, Elder Li suddenly felt a stabbing pain in his back!
“I know ah…otherwise, we would also not have to be so roundabout,” The middle-aged martial practitioner beside him said as he smiled.
Elder Li could only feel his life force rapidly fading away, opening his mouth but unable to let out a sound.
He spun his head in shock to look at this middle-aged man who should originally have been one of his most trusted subordinates, instead seeing a scene that left him stunned.
As the other party smiled, his features and appearance were actually changing slowly, becoming more and more like that of Elder Li!
History's Strongest Senior Brother Chapter 218: Pillar of the Divine Palace!
HSSB218: Pillar of the Divine Palace
Elder Li felt his thoughts rigidifying, but looking at that middle-aged man whose appearance was gradually changing, a single thought still abruptly surfaced within his mind, “Imitation Killing Jade!”
The unique treasure Imitation Killing Jade, a one-time use item, extremely rare, not having appeared in this world for many years, usually thought of as extinct.
Within a set period of time after killing a target, the user would be able to imitate the killed target in terms of flesh and blood as well as aura-qi.
The middle-aged man was not of Broad Creed Mountain’s direct lineage, instead being a talent that Elder Li had found from outside, having already followed him for many years, having been very loyal to him, even having saved his life before.
However, today, he bared his fangs, assassinating Elder Li.
What caused Elder Li more shock was that the other party’s words clearly spoke of a greater scheme.
This person having killed him with an Imitation Killing Jade, he would be able to pose as him for a short period of time. Even the circulation of his inner qi, if a fight did not start, was something that the other Broad Creed Mountain martial practitioners would be hard pressed to distinguish.
“Yao Shan!” Elder Li wanted to shout loudly, but discovered that he could not even utter the slightest sound.
In terms of cultivation, the person before him far surpassed his past impression of him.
He could only look at the other party transforming little by little, perfectly taking on his appearance.
The Yao Shan who had already taken on Elder Li’s appearance smiled slightly, “Please do not worry. Having followed you for so long, your habits, style of handling things, actions and tone of speaking-I can reproduce them to about ninety percent. The others won’t be able to see through me.”
“As for why I disappeared,” As Yao Shan spoke, he took out a Shadow Shrinking Pouch.
The Shadow Shrinking Pouch opened, a figure leaping out. Elder Li stared as another Yao Shan appeared before him.
Yao Shan smiled, “This is not from an Imitating Killing Jade. It is my companion, having changed his appearance to that of mine. He is also very familiar with my habits, and won’t reveal any flaws.”
“Moreover, as compared to you, I am much less conspicuous. As long as I do not disappear without any reason or intentionally attract attention, no one would pay any attention to me.”
“I killed you very silently; although there were fluctuations of aura-qi, this is still very normal. Repelling beasts in the desert, we often have to make a move.”
Elder Li’s eyes were still staring wide, but life had already left his body.
Yao Shan smiled slightly, “It was nice knowing you; rest in peace.”
Saying thus, he sorted out the things on Elder Li’s body, moving them to his own, before storing Elder Li’s corpse within the Shadow Shrinking Pouch.
Having kept the Shadow Shrinking Pouch, Yao Shan flicked his sleeves, exchanging smiles with his companion who had taken on his appearance.
One at the front, one at the back, continuing to stride on like the real Elder Li and Yao Shan earlier, as though none of these earlier events had transpired.
Before the stone pillar, Yan Zhaoge stood with his hands behind his back, looking earnestly at the patterns on its surface, “I didn’t see wrong; it is indeed a pillar of the past Divine Palace, having fallen here after it broke off.
Seeing the broken, damaged stone pillar, Yan Zhaoge fell into deep thought, “These marks of damage are not simple. I fear that it wasn’t simply a natural calamity, but…”
Yan Zhaoge raised his head slightly, “If that is true, who exactly was it that caused all of this?”
“Even the powerful Divine Palace was destroyed, the entire world suffering a great tribulation, virtually changing the heavens and switching the earth. Someone who could do all this…”
Although it didn’t really feel real, being so extremely far off from him as he was now, Yan Zhaoge still felt a shadow hanging over his heart, like there was a great mountain weighing down upo
n it.
Perhaps this pressure was not all that direct, but it was much greater than that from the Sacred Sun Clan and Huang Guanglie.
The global situation of the Eight Extremities could still see balance, could still be fought over, could still see pursuit, could still see resistance, could still see victory.
However, that Armageddon-like power that seemed able to decimate the very heavens and earth-if it were to descend again, how could they tide past it?
Perhaps such a massive tribulation wouldn’t descend in Yan Zhaoge’s lifetime. But, after…
Yan Zhaoge closed his eyes for a long time. When they reopened, his gaze had already regained its calm.
“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step,” Yan Zhaoge muttered, extending his palm, pressing it down on that broken, damaged pillar of the Divine Palace.
As Yan Zhaoge’s aura-qi was infused within the stone pillar, numerous patterns of light lit up on its surface, extending down the path the patterns followed.
However, having reached a crack, the light patterns broke off, beginning to dissipate, turning into specks of light that drifted away in the air.
Still, even so, numerous formless waves emanated outwards from the stone pillar, repelling a large amount of wind and sand.
Looking at where the stone pillar was damaged, Yan Zhaoge involuntarily knit his brows slightly.
After pondering for a moment, he infused his aura-qi within once again, the light patterns on the stone pillar lighting up once more.
As the light patterns reached the area with cracks, their glows suddenly became brighter and more dazzling, and also more condensed and real.
Formless, intangible radiance seemed to turn tangible at this moment, with a slow yet stable speed, no longer relying on the stone pillar, actually continuing to extend in mid-air.
Just like this, the light patterns that contained infinite profundities seemed to twine around a complete stone pillar within the air, continuing to intertwine and coil.
The light patterns circulated, coiling around the non-existent, formless stone pillar, becoming more and more complete, the spiritual qi spilling out from within becoming more and more majestic, unceasingly shocking the surrounding air.
The profound concept of that stone pillar which had originally been damaged gradually became complete once more, being very hard to fathom, yet shaking one’s very soul.
A focused expression on his face, Yan Zhaoge instead shut his eyes.
Within his brain, it gradually reappeared, that existence buried deep within his memories, that towering Divine Palace standing above the nine heavens.
The stone pillar buried within the desert suddenly began to shake.
As the stone pillar shook, with it as the centre, numerous spirit patterns began extending far off into the distance within the desert, spreading their claws with a fierce momentum.
The nearby sand dunes all began heaving intensely as the desert seemed to have turned into an ocean at this very moment, wild winds rampaging, strong tides surging.
Standing by the side, Ah Hu and Feng Yunsheng both looked at this scene with serious expressions on their faces, as they barely managed to keep themselves stable.
Yan Zhaoge’s expression was as per usual as after a while, he let out a long breath, ceasing his infusion of aura-qi into the stone pillar.
The shaken desert finally returned to its original state, but on the ground, numerous light patterns that resembled cracks still extended outwards in all directions.
The light patterns on the stone pillar lit up, those patterns of light condensed in mid-air that seemed to cause the broken, damaged stone pillar to regain its original, complete form still present, not yet having dispersed.
Looking at the stone pillar, Yan Zhaoge’s mind drifted slightly as he pondered, “Indeed having become one with the geography of the Great Western Desert.”
“Under such circumstances, wanting to pull out the stone pillar and take it away, I will probably have to achieve an initial refinement of it on the spot first.”
Standing guard by the side, Ah Hu’s mind suddenly moved slightly. Swivelling his head over, he saw Elder Li and a few of the martial practitioners under him returning, seemingly having something to report to Yan Zhaoge.
History's Strongest Senior Brother Chapter 219: Natural disasters and human-induced occurrences
HSSB219: Natural disasters and human-induced occurrences
Seeing Elder Li return, Ah Hu asked, “What’s wrong?”
Elder Li’s expression was rather grave, “It seems like there’s going to be a change in the weather. A Black Dragon Dread may erupt here soon.”
Hearing his words, Ah Hu could not help but draw back the corners of his mouth.
Entering the Great Western Desert this time, he had studied up on it along with Yan Zhaoge beforehand, thus having heard of the infamy of Black Dragon Dreads before.
The so-called Black Dragon Dreads were Black Nightmare Storms suddenly increasing in power within a small area, forming terrifying storms that far exceeded how they were usually.
Generally speaking, Black Dragon Dreads left as quickly as they came, but their destructive power was extremely shocking.
Imitating Yan Zhaoge, Ah Hu stroked his lower chin, “The barrier formation that we have now won’t be able to withstand it?”
Elder Li nodded, “It will be hard. Looking at the portents of it visible in the heavens, this Black Dragon Dread will be extremely fierce, and our current methods would be hard pressed to withstand it.”
Ah Hu smacked his lips, “I will seek instruction from Young Master.”
Hearing Ah Hu’s report, after concentrating in deep thought for a moment, Yan Zhaoge said, “No matter. Get everyone to congregate close to the stone pillar. If a Black Dragon Dread really assaults, I will handle it.”
“I am currently finding a means to achieve an initial refinement of this stone pillar. If we withdraw just like this, let’s not even speak of previous efforts having been wasted, it could even lead to an opposite effect, with the stone pillar being sucked beneath the desert instead, completely being buried within it. At that time, it would be hard if we wanted to get it out again.”
After hearing his words, Ah Hu nodded, “I understand; I will communicate it to them now.”
The big man turned and left, returning before Elder Li whereupon he relayed Yan Zhaoge’s decision of temporarily not leaving.
Elder Li glanced somewhat worriedly at Yan Zhaoge, but then finally still nodded, “Okay then, this old man will go inform the others.”
Those dispersed in the outskirts congregated in the area where the stone pillar was once more. However, by Elder Li’s arrangements, they still didn’t get close to the pillar and Yan Zhaoge.
Everyone stood with their backs towards the centre, remaining vigilant. However, the stone pillar behind them that flickered with a profound radiance, with strong fluctuations in its aura, still attracted the attention of everyone here.
Although they were not really clear why, just looking at those light patterns on the stone pillar, it felt to them like there were infinite profundities contained within.
And they also felt that the Yan Zhaoge standing by the bottom of the pillar seemed to be gradually becoming one with it.
The real Yao Shan, the ‘Elder Li’ of now, casually turned back and glanced at Yan Zhaoge and the stone pillar, murmuring within his heart, “Indeed having some abilities; his reputation is not undeserved.”
The martial practitioner in Yao Shan’s form, standing beside him, sent over a sound transmission with his aura-qi, “Wasn’t it that he only came here to survey these remains? What is he thinking of doing now? Could it be that he wants to take away that stone pillar from the desert with his own power?”
“When the elite Martial Grandmasters of Broad Creed Mountain came here before, even they weren’t able to pull the stone pillar out ah.”
‘Elder Li’ pondered as he spoke, “From the looks
of it, he indeed has this intention. However, whether or not he can succeed is another matter altogether.”
‘Yao Shan’ laughed lightly, “Even if he really has a way, the Black Dragon Dread will be arriving very soon. There’s not much time left for him.”
‘Elder Li’ momentarily narrowed his eyes into slits, his gaze deep and distant, “Broad Creed Mountain looks rather highly on these remains. While only an Acting Elder like Old Li accompanied Yan Zhaoge in, in the outskirts, there may very possibly be Martial Grandmaster experts on guard, creating a zone of safety.”
“Therefore, our clan’s Martial Grandmaster experts cannot draw near. They can only move from far away, causing a Black Dragon Dread in this region. At that time, it will still fall to us to make a move.”
His companion nodded slightly upon hearing his words, “With the assault of the Black Dragon Dread, the situation will surely be chaotic. At that time, you will hopefully have a chance to make a move.”
‘Elder Li’ said, “For the Black Dragon Dread, other than creating chaos, the most important is still depleting the power of his Sacred Artifact fragment as much as possible. Otherwise, even if we move, it would be hard for us to succeed.”
“Other than that, he also has a retainer who never leaves his side, who seems to be a Heavenly Connection Martial Scholar. We must also draw his attention away in order to be free to act.”
He sucked in a deep breath, “I will leave this to you at that time. Do not do push yourself beyond what is possible-being able to draw him away would already be a success.”
‘Yao Shan’ nodded, “Rest easy, I understand.”
A cold light flickered in ‘Elder Li’s’ pupils, “Zhan Dongge, you ended my Black Nightmare’s lineage that year-vengeance shall fall upon your descendants! My clan has still not yet perished-we will fight to the end with your Broad Creed Mountain!”
The two remnants of Black Night Mountain looked at Yan Zhaoge and that stone pillar with respectful expressions on their faces which were actually cold underneath.
Standing by the bottom of the stone pillar, Yan Zhaoge extended his palm once more, pressing on its surface.
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