After accompanying Little Shi Jun for a while, Yan Zhaoge turned and left the room, leaving it to Xu Fei to deal with things.
He walked towards the courtyard. Currently, it was dawn, the newly rising sun today exceptionally beautiful.
Seeing the sunrise, Yan Zhaoge murmured to himself, “Sunrise is good ah, a new sun born in the morning…”
Now, Ah Hu entered the courtyard, understanding as he saw Yan Zhaoge, “Young Master, Little Shi Jun has awakened?”
Yan Zhaoge nodded, “Yeah, senior apprentice-brother Xu is taking care of him inside.”
Ah Hu gave a simple and honest laugh, “This way, Elder Shi can also be a little more comforted.”
Yan Zhaoge asked, “In coming here, is there something?”
“En, Young Master, it’s like this,” Ah Hu’s expression appeared slightly strange as he answered, “Walking in the city just now, I heard a rather strange piece of news.”
After having holed himself up within Stone Rock City for a number of days, seldom leaving their lodgings, Ah Hu had gradually refined the dragon blood that remained within his body, finally no longer appearing like a sad blue giant.
In recent days, the big guy finally dared to go out onto the streets once more. Thinking back to the earlier situation, it really was something that he wanted to cry bitterly about.
Ah Hu said, “In Stone Rock City, a seaman mentioned that travelling through the Outer North Sea earlier, he encountered Miss Sikong.”
Yan Zhaoge said casually, “Junior apprentice-sister Sikong? She decided earlier on to temper herself in the outside world, accompanying Jade Sea City’s Senior Brother Song, Junior Sister Li and the others in coming to the Water Domain. Leaving the Water Domain for an outer sea afterwards, it is not that strange.”
“While it is very dangerous, it was a path that she herself chose, and we are not in a position to say much about it.”
Ah Hu scratched his head, “Young Master, Miss Sikong heading out for tempering and someone spotting her outside would indeed not be any strange at all.”
“However, that seaman said that he saw two Miss Sikongs.”
Hearing his words, Yan Zhaoge lifted his brows slightly, “Oh, could they be twin sisters? This is indeed rather unexpected. Junior apprentice-sister Sikong is an orphan, having entered the clan at a young age; I had not heard that she had any relatives. I would not have thought that she would actually have such an encounter on the outer sea; it can also be considered something to rejoice about.”
Ah Hu pulled back the corners of his lips, “But, Young Master, from what that seaman said, Miss Sikong and the other party were fighting at that time.”
After pausing for a moment, he increased the intensity of his tone, “It was not sparring, but a true life and death battle!”
History's Strongest Senior Brother Chapter 357: A woman disguised as a man?
HSSB357: A woman disguised as a man?
“A true life or death battle?” Yan Zhaoge had on an interested expression.
Ah Hu nodded. “That’s right. According to the seaman, both parties were truly giving it their all as if they were truly risking their lives. However, he was simply passing by and wasn’t sure of any concrete details, or the outcome.”
Yan Zhaoge rubbed his chin. “From that narrative, both parties were equally matched?”
Ah Hu answered, “This visitor was an early Xiantian Martial Scholar, and was already an old, experienced hand. His discernment abilities should not be bad.”
Yan Zhaoge continued asking, “Both junior apprentice-sister Sikongs were using the exact same martial arts?”
Ah Hu immediately answered, “It wasn’t so. Though the two looked exactly the same in terms of their outer appearance, one was using Broad Creed Mountain’s martial arts, while the seaman wasn’t able to distinguish the identity of the other one’s martial arts. However, he felt that the other’s martial arts were not inferior in terms of exquisiteness or profundity.”
Yan Zhaoge rubbed his temples. “Ah Hu, ah, therein lies a problem.”
He raised his head and squinted at Ah Hu. “If that visitor said that both parties were exactly alike in terms of appearance, then that would also imply that their ages were similar.”
“But we both know that junior apprentice-sister Sikong’s cultivation base has already far surpassed that of her similarly-aged peers.”
Yan Zhaoge slowly continued. “This similarly aged person, were she part of some large clan, be it our own Broad Creed Mountain, the Sacred Sun Clan, Jade Sea City, or Turbid Wave Pavilion, even amongst core, direct disciples, she would still be a genius amongst geniuses–an elite of the elites.”
“Even on a playing field of this level, junior apprentice-sister Sikong is exceptional. Apart from a few select individuals, there are not many people in the Eight Extremities World who could go toe to toe with her.”
Yan Zhaoge clasped his hands behind his back. “After Junior Sister Sikong stepped into the Martial Scholar realm, her cultivation speed can be considered to be shocking to the entire world.”
“Now, she somehow met up with someone who looked exactly like her, who could also match her in martial arts. Is this normal?”
Hearing what was said, Ah Hu quickly pondered.
After thinking for some time, Ah Hu slowly spoke, “And also, it wasn’t one of the other five Sacred Grounds’ direct disciples.”
“When Miss Sikong was at Broad Creed Mountain, she was able to enjoy the most luxurious cultivation conditions with a near endless supply of resources. In the entire Eight Extremities World, who other than the other Sacred Grounds could match such a cultivation environment? Very few existences, I would wager.”
Yan Zhaoge nodded. “Indeed.”
Stroking his chin, the corners of his mouth pricked upwards. “I now have some interest in this matter.”
On one hand, this matter was extremely out of the ordinary and had many weird aspects.
On the other hand, the secret behind Sikong Qing’s exceptional cultivation and shocking cultivation speed could lie in this matter.
Though he wasn’t one to take the initiative and pry into other people’s secrets, having always been very curious about this manner, Yan Zhaoge paid quite a bit of attention to it.
After bidding farewell to Xu Fei, Yan Zhaoge left his residence.
Ah Hu was quite reliable. Before having left the city, Ah Hu had identified the seaman’s residence.
With Ah Hu leading the way, Yan Zhaoge once again met with that seaman.
After quickly confirming a couple of details that Ah Hu had previously told him, Yan Zhaoge followed up with another question, “Apart from our disciple, did the other person’s martial arts appear related in any way to Old Man Mo?”
Appearing by the sea, with a supreme martial inheritance and a superior cultivation base, Yan Zhaoge immediately thought of the legendary Painting Saint, Old Man Mo.
This personage was extremely old. He was older than Yuan Zhengfeng and Huang Guanglie’s generation. Rather, he was part of the same generation as Zhan Dongge, Zhan Xilou, and the Sacred Sun Clan’s Zhang Chao.
Of the martial practitioners who reigned at the peak of the Eight Extremities World, Old Man Mo had been there the longest.
However, Old Man Mo had not established a clan or claimed a territory.
But when it came to the region near the sea, no one could ignore this oldest Martial Saint.
The seaman also felt some embarrassment as he responded, “This one has never seen a legendary figure like the Painting Saint personally make a move. Based on my knowledge, that female’s techniques did not seem to resemble those of the Painting Saint’s. However, the Painting Saint is well learned, his martial arts all-encompassing, so I am not qualified to claim that they were not so.”
Yan Zhaoge lightly laughed. “No harm, it was merely a passing thought.”
Old Man Mo’s legendary prowess was quite hidden these years. Choosing to live in the sea region, he seclu
ded himself from worldly affairs and rarely made an appearance. Even when he did so, it was often only briefly and made it impossible for others to gauge his depth.
However, from the few times where he revealed his techniques, it seemed as if he possessed a multitude of martial techniques. Some seemed to be remnant martial techniques originating from before the Great Calamity while others originated from after the Great Calamity.
No one could be sure if Old Man Mo had revealed his whole hand, though.
Ah Hu looked at Yan Zhaoge, who sent him a sound transmission via aura-qi, “If it really is Old Man Mo’s descendant, we can instead rest easy. Now, though…”
Yan Zhaoge imperceptibly shook his head. After asking a few more questions, he bid the seaman farewell.
After notifying Jade Sea City’s First Seat Elder at Stone Rock City, Yan Zhaoge departed.
This time, their party had gained an additional member.
Yan Zhaoge raised his head as he dodged Pan-Pan’s enormous tongue. His mouth twitched in mirth as he chastised, “Be a little more obedient, don’t randomly come.”
Pan-Pan let a soft whimper out of his enormous mouth, then reoriented his gigantic body as he stepped forward towards the sea.
Yan Zhaoge and Ah Hu lept onto Pan-Pan’s back. As black qi flowed around Pan-Pan, his enormous paws trod on the water as if it were flat land.
Sitting on Pan-Pan’s back, Yan Zhaoge and Ah Hu moved away from the area controlled by Stone Rock City and towards the outer regions of the North Sea.
On the way, Yan Zhaoge did not loosen up in his routine cultivation sessions.
Other than Yan Zhaoge and Ah Hu, Pan-Pan beneath them also benefited greatly as he feasted on the spoils from the dragon.
As a result, Yan Zhaoge felt that his personal appearance had become even stranger.
Situated right beneath his buttocks, there was an enormous panda. What’s more, that giant panda was constantly flashing with an icy blue light…
SIkong Qing had wished to temper herself in truly dangerous situations without the backing of her master or the clan. Broad Creed Mountain had respected her wishes and allowed her to set off without any interference in her own matters.
However, in order to make sure that could communicate when they needed to communicate, the clan had made some preparations.
It was only that these preparations that the clan had made couldn’t exactly indicate Sikong QIng’s location and could only give a general idea of where she was.
After contacting the mountain, Yan Zhaoge found Sikong Qing’s general location and rode Pan-Pan out onto the sea to find her.
On the way, they also passed the location where that seaman had seen the two Sikong Qings fighting a pitched battle.
Yan Zhaoge prepared to stop for some time as he examined the site for any remaining vestiges of the battle that might have been left behind.
Arriving at the location, he found that someone had already arrived a step before him.
After seeing the other party’s facial features, his pupils involuntarily contracted.
The person in front him was indeed another “Sikong Qing.”
Garbed in an entirely male outfit, he seemed gallant and handsome.
At a glance, it seemed as if it was Sikong Qing disguising herself as a man.
However, after carefully examining the other, Yan Zhaoge was sure that this person was genuinely a man!
It was just that apart from a few minor differences related to biological differences between the sexes, the two looked almost absolutely identical!
History's Strongest Senior Brother Chapter 358: Looking for Sikong Qing
HSSB358: Looking for Sikong Qing
Seeing the person before him, Yan Zhaoge knit his brows slightly, falling into deep thought.
Beside him, Ah Hu appeared stunned as he nearly bit his own tongue, “Young Master, what exactly…”
Retracting his gaze, Yan Zhaoge surveyed their surroundings, saying casually, “We’ll know if we ask.”
Saying thus, he showed himself and walked over, coming before the youth. As the other party discovered Yan Zhaoge, some wariness vaguely appeared within his gaze.
Yan Zhaoge cut to the chase, “How do I address this friend? Excuse my impoliteness, but you look exactly the same as an acquaintance of mine, just that, she is female.”
The gaze of this man, whose gender was hard to determine through his features and appearance that were basically identical to Sikong Qing’s, flickered slightly.
Appraising Yan Zhaoge, he then asked rather than answering, “Am I before the Broad Creed Young Master Yan Zhaoge?”
Yan Zhaoge nodded calmly, “That’s right, that’s me.”
The man before him said, “I am Ouyang Qi. While I live beyond the distant sea, the name of the Broad Young Master still resounds like thunder in my ears. Seeing you today, it is the fortune of three lifetimes.”
“Ouyang Qi?” Yan Zhaoge repeated softly.
Looking at Yan Zhaoge, this youth said, “Young Master Yan has someone you are acquainted with whose appearance is similar to mine?”
“To be honest, in having come here, it was because I heard that two people whose appearance was rather similar to mine had fought here. Being curious, I came over to check it out,” Ouyang Qi said slowly, “It was a little funny to hear, as both of them were females.”
“Sadly, I came just too late. The two had already left, us not fated to meet.”
Yan Zhaoge looked silently at this face that was similar to Sikong Qing’s.
Other than his male garb and some gender-specific characteristics, the other party’s appearance was basically the same as Sikong Qing’s.
This Ouyang Qi was comparatively slimmer as compared to the average man, also being slightly shorter.
However, it was precisely because of this that even his figure was basically the same as Sikong Qing’s, the skeletal structures of the two probably also mostly similar.
However, even if their genders had been the same, just opening his mouth to speak, it could already be confirmed that he was not Sikong Qing, as the two’s manners of speech as well as conversational approach were completely different.
While the spoken voice was that of a male’s, clearly different from a female’s, some special properties of their voices were somewhat similar.
However, their tones, speed of speech, as well as manner of speaking were completely different.
Looking at Ouyang Qi, Yan Zhaoge smiled slightly, “That is indeed regretful. You being too similar in appearance to my junior apprentice-sister, I initially even thought that you might be long lost relatives.”
Ouyang Qi’s gaze flickered slightly as he smiled, “This might very well be debatable; my parents both died when I was young, and I cannot remember things from back then, really not being able to say for sure.”
Yan Zhaoge asked casually, “I wonder who your Master is; perhaps I have heard of him?”
Ouyang Qi answered, “My Master is a loose practitioner from beyond the seas. Let alone the mainland, he seldom steps onto even the inner sea. Young Master Yan would probably not have heard of him before.”
Yan Zhaoge asked no further as he nodded, “Since that is so, if you do so have the time, you are welcome to my Broad Creed Mountain as a guest.”
Ouyang Qi cupped his hands in greeting, “It would be my honour.”
“I still have matters I need to handle. If there is nothing else, I will take my leave here. May Young Master Yan not hold it on me if I was impolite in any way.”
Seeing Ouyang Qi’s retreating back, Yan Zhaoge said mildly, “Ah Hu, follow him. Not only were there untruths in this person’s words, he is definitely problematic.”
“Yes, Young Master,” Ah Hu patted Pan-Pan, acknowledging as he left.
Yan Zhaoge remained on the small island, his gaze sweeping over the area as he observed the environment here.
Sikong Qing had already reached the peak of the outer aura Martial Scholar realm,
able to externalise her aura, producing shocking power. In a life and death battle with someone on the island, many traces of the battle would naturally be left behind.
Meanwhile, her opponent had similarly not been simple. True sparks had flown between the two as the two, rather evenly matched, had almost levelled this island into a flat land.
The marks of the two’s battle here had been preserved completely.
In coming here just now, Ouyang Qi seemed also to have been observing the surrounding environment.
With the cultivation bases of Yan Zhaoge and Ah Hu much higher than his, as he had been observing the traces left behind from the earlier battle, Yan Zhaoge had also been covertly observing him.
Based on Yan Zhaoge’s strong discernment, it had not been hard for him to discover that most of Ouyang Qi’s attention had been placed on the traces of battle left behind by Sikong Qing.
Was it just because Sikong Qing hailed from the Sacred Ground-level power that was Broad Creed Mountain that she had been especially taken note of?
Yan Zhaoge shook his head slowly, coming before a deep crater.
A massive crater that resembled a mini basin had been struck out here, the stones and soil here all burnt black, as though they had been struck directly by a powerful explosive force of flames.
Yan Zhaoge reached out, grabbing some of the burnt soil within the crater with his aura-qi.
The burnt soil landing within his hands, Yan Zhaoge pinched it gently, his aura-qi surging as it gradually dissipated into ash, disappearing with the wind.
“The Fire Evil Spirit of the Fire Elements Spirits Palms, or perhaps a martial art recorded in the Sun Incinerating Evil Scripture, or perhaps Burnt Soil Battle Qi?” Thoughts quickly flashed by within Yan Zhaoge’s mind, “A very outstanding fire-type martial art, a resolved concept of perishing alongside the enemy in a great blazing burst of flames contained within. It should be the Fire Evil Spirit of the Five Elements Evil Spirits Palms.”
Yan Zhaoge nodded, “From the looks of it, junior apprentice-sister Sikong eventually still gained the upper hand, forcing her opponent to put her life on the line, executing this kind of killer trump card.”
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