HSSB49: The Phoenix Awaiting Nirvana
Yan Zhaoge looked at Feng Yunsheng, smiling lightly, “Have you ever thought that if not for her very existence itself, even having lost your Extreme Yin Physique that year, the Sun Saint Clan would also not have given up on you that easily, rather spending much more time and effort on helping you to recover?”
Feng Yunsheng laughed, “It’s not something that even requires thinking about; rather, it’s a totally obvious fact laid right out there for all to see. Still, it’s got nothing to do with Little Wan herself.”
Yan Zhaoge asked somewhat interestedly, “You being older than Meng Wan, you should have joined the clan earlier than her; I suppose your cultivation must also have been higher than hers?”
“You were the actual prime representative whom the Sacred Sun Clan had actually wanted to send to participate in the Extreme Yin Bout that year?”
Feng Yunsheng nodded her head candidly, “That’s right. When I left the clan, I was already in the Martial Scholar Realm. At that time, Little Wan was still only at the peak of the Body Refinement Realm.”
“She should only have managed to succeed in breaking through to the Martial Scholar realm just right before the first Extreme Yin Bout was held.”
She glanced at Yan Zhaoge, saying impatiently, “I know what you’re thinking, but me accidentally trespassing into Hell, that danger zone, and losing my Extreme Yin Physique as a result-Little Wan had nothing to do with it at all.”
Yan Zhaoge smiled, “Perhaps the relationship between you does indeed run deep, but, her luring me to rescue you this time; isn’t it possible that it stemmed from her sense of guilt as a well as a desire to make it up to you?”
“Or perhaps having benefited so much from the whole thing, she just wanted to show off how virtuous she is, helping you regarding this matter in order to evoke a sense of satisfaction in herself?”
Feng Yunsheng laughed, “I’m just not used to looking at people as though all their actions stem from a desire to do me harm. Still, I cannot deny that the possibilities you mentioned do indeed exist.”
“It’s only; I believe in Little Wan.” Saying this last sentence, Feng Yunsheng’s expression was calm, but her tone was as though it could hack through nails and cut through metal.
Yan Zhaoge smiled, before changing the topic, “Still, she’s so certain that you will never be able to regain your Extreme Yin Physique?”
“She’s so certain that she’s not actually gifting my Broad Creed Mountain with a Maiden of Extreme Yin, who’ll compete with her for the Extreme Yin Crown in the future?”
“That would be equivalent to consorting with the enemy, and why would she do such a thing.”
Feng Yunsheng replied calmly, “Because she has the confidence.”
“Regardless of whether or not the other Sacred Grounds dispatch a few more Maidens of Extreme Yin.”
“Little Wan also has the confidence to win the Extreme Yin Crown back for the Sacred Sun Clan.”
“As such, even if I do manage to recover, she will only feel happy for me, for the me whose position in Broad Creed Mountain will surely rise as a result.”
“However, the Extreme Yin Crown belongs only to her, to her and the Sacred Sun Clan.”
“That is her confidence.”
Hearing her words, within Yan Zhaoge’s mind surfaced the image of that young girl, her features bright and alluring while also delicate, her moving pair of eyes inducing a sense of tenderness within those who saw her.
The one who had secured the eventual victory during the very first Extreme Yin Bout, the very first official owner of the Extreme Yin Crown ever since it had surfaced within this world, was exactly the Sacred Sun Clan’s, Meng Wan!
According to Feng Yunsheng, she should only have barely stepped into the Martial Scholar realm then.
Feng Yunsheng had a faraway look on her face, “Don’t be fooled by that child’s soft and weak outer appearance; in truth, she’s actually also very clever, as well as resilient.”
“Whether it is the power of Extreme Yin she carries or her cultivating potential, she’s definitely a super-genius.”
“Back then, it was only because I had entered the clan earlier and therefore cultivated for longer that I was the prime candidate for representing the clan.”
“Actually, if we had started from the same point, at the same time, I can’t say for sure that I would definitely be able to hold the advantage over her in a fight.”
Yan Zhaoge laughed out loud, “Flipping this sentence around, wouldn’t you also be saying that Meng Wan would actually also not be able to defeat you for certain?”
Feng Yunsheng raised her brows, “While I will not have an excessively high opinion of myself, I will not speak of myself excessively lowly either.”
Yan Zhaoge said simply, “A pity, though, that she failed the second time around.”
During the second Extreme Yin Bout, Meng Wan had still lost eventually, the Extreme Yin Crown falling into the hands of a disciple of the Water Domain’s Sacred Ground, the Jade Sea City.
Feng Yunsheng said without a change in her expression, “I have also heard about this matter. That was because not long before the Bout, Little Wan had just utilised the Extreme Yin Crown while fighting directly against a Flame Devil King in the Eastern Sea.”
“During the second Bout, she was participating while injured.”
“When the time comes for the third Extreme Yin Bout, she will let the entire world know that as long as nothing is wrong with her, the Extreme Yin Crown will fall to no one else.”
“Also, the Phoenix which has experienced Nirvana, will only be more dazzling.”
Feng Yunsheng’s tone was totally natural, as though she was only laying out a perfectly simple fact which could not be any more obvious.
As he looked at her, a hint of a smile was revealed on Yan Zhaoge’s face, “This saying can be used for Meng Wan; but, doesn’t it apply to you yourself as well?”
Feng Yunsheng said candidly, “Even if Senior Brother Yan really does have a way to let me regain my Extreme Yin Physique, my starting point would now, conversely, be lagging behind Little Wan’s by far too much.”
“I do not dare to say that I would definitely be able to catch up with Little Wan. However, I would definitely grab hold of such a precious opportunity with all my might.”
“Broad Creed Mountain accepting me in my darkest hour; regardless of their reason for doing so, this debt of gratitude, I will repay with my very life.”
“Words are needless; only death will seal the debt.”
Whatever the reason he had done it, when she had been placed under threat by the Sacred Sun Clan disciples, Yan Zhaoge, in beating Xiao Shen as well as Chao Yuanlong till their faces were all sooty and muddied, had undoubtedly already expressed his stance on this matter.
As for whether or not Yan Zhaoge could personally stand for Broad Creed Mountain, Feng Yunsheng had no need to think about it now. She simply needed to follow Yan Zhaoge’s instructions.
Yan Zhaoge, on the other hand, was in a pretty good mood. Regarding Feng Yunsheng’s Extreme Yin Physique, while more planning still had to be done, he had already had some thoughts on how to recover it.
Although they would have offended the Sacred Sun Clan a step further, to Broad Creed Mountain, the addition of a Maiden of Extreme Yin would undoubtedly be a huge gain.
If it all worked out as planned, having rendered a huge service to the clan, it would be a great help to Yan Zhaoge as well as his father, Yan Di.
Yan Zhaoge looked at the sky, “Let’s go.”
They all set off, as Yan Zhaoge continuously began passing down orders, a few black-clothed Martial Scholars nodding their heads as, by his command, they dispersed for the delivering of some letters.
While he had already decided on things for himself, there were some people that Yan Zhaoge still had to inform about this matter as soon as possible, such as his own father, as well as the one currently in charge of the East Heaven Region, Broad Creed Mountain’s one and only East Elder.
With this matter not a minor one, far from being able to compare with his previous beating of Chao Yuanlong and the others in the Sealing Dragon Abyss, the Sacred Sun Clan’s reaction to it would undoubtedly be a much more intense one.
Xiao Shen and the others having escaped, there would definitely be more things following. The faster Broad Creed Mountain received the news, the more advantageous it would be for their handling of this matter.
Other than that, Yan Zhaoge had also intentionally only touched on the reason for Feng Yunsheng having lost her Extreme Yin Physique briefly, while getting his subordinates to find some way to inform the other Sacred Ground, Jade Sea City, about this matter.
Amongst the Sacred Grounds, Jade Sea City’s relationship with the Sacred Sun Clan was exceptionally terrible.
Based on the principle of the enemy of an enemy being a friend, they had instead formed a rather harmonious relationship with Broad Creed Mountain; the two were almost as close as allies.
Jade Sea City’s Maiden of Extreme Yin was the victor of the second Extreme Yin Bout, and also Meng Wan’s greatest competitor in the third and upcoming Bout.
The methods with which the various Sacred Grounds had used to covertly deal with one another’s Maidens of Extreme Yin had never stopped all these years.
Having never trusted in the Sacred Sun Clan’s moral calibre, Yan Zhaoge naturally had to send Jade Sea City a gentle reminder, lest they were unknowingly cheated.
As they traversed though the mountain range, Yan Zhaoge suddenly looked towards the distance as he seemed to have detected something.
While the heavy, torrential sound of the nearby waterfall could be heard, it still couldn’t drown out the conversing voices of a group of people.
Looking over from far, Yan Zhaoge saw a crowd of people standing by the waterfall. They were divided into two small groups standing on opposing sides, as if currently having a confrontation.
“Is it Zhao Yuan’s group?”
Zhao Yuan was the oldest son of the King of the Eastern Tang Kingdom, and was also very familiar with Yan Zhaoge.
Along with him was the Third Prince Zhao Sheng. This person, however, was somewhat closer to the Eastern Tang’s Principal Elder Yan Xu.
Still, whether it was Zhao Yuan or Zhao Sheng, they were both currently staring at a youth with unfriendly expressions on their faces.
That youth seemed to be around sixteen or seventeen years of age, looking somewhat similar to the two Zhao brothers as he too was adorned in the garb of royalty, though appearing much plainer in comparison.