HSSB55: Zhao Hao, a good person
Zhao Sheng didn’t understand the technique at all; all of his nine needles had been useless, only serving to add nine small holes on the surface of the pill.
Zhao Hao, however, whilst stabbing his needle in, had also tried to shock the pill with his inner qi, in an attempt to achieve the desired effect.
Sadly for him, while he had performed better in this aspect than Zhao Sheng had, he still hadn’t been able to succeed in the Golden Needle Liberating Pill technique.
Zhao Hao just stood there silently, neither moving backwards to avoid the smoke and dust nor waving his hands to blow it away.
This resulted in the all-pervading smoke and dust falling onto his entire body, as his head turned completely white and his face was also covered by a layer of soot, making for a very comical sight.
Seeing him like this, the martial practitioners under Zhao Yuan and Zhao Sheng who had not been able to stand his earlier unbridled arrogance all couldn’t help but laugh out loud.
While Zhao Hao’s face was full of soot, his eyes currently resembled a wolf’s as he stared at Yan Zhaoge.
At this moment, his gaze was no longer filled with contempt and disdain as he now viewed Yan Zhaoge with resentment and hostility.
It was no longer a resentment and hostility directed towards Broad Creed Mountain; rather, it was completely directed at Yan Zhaoge himself.
Directed at the youth before him, whom he had never put in his eyes before.
Yan Zhaoge, however, maintained his usual expression, as, not looking at Zhao Hao at all, he instead saluted Zhao Shilie, “All thanks to His Highness Jin’s suggestion, this has been a splendid contest indeed.”
Seeing Yan Zhaoge completely disregard his own existence, Zhao Hao’s pupils contracted slightly.
Sometimes, disregard was even worse than contempt.
Zhao Hao had all along been a person who became more unbridled the more unbridled others were. Now, how could he bear being totally disregarded by Yan Zhaoge?
His gaze instantly turned even deeper than before.
“Does Sixteenth Brother want to try a few more times?” Zhao Yuan’s voice, seemingly holding kind intentions, now sounded by his ear.
Zhao Hao shut his eyes, his hands secretly clenching tightly into fists as his fingernails dug into the flesh of his palm.
From that single attempt just now, he had already discovered that the Golden Needle Liberating Pill technique was not something that could be learnt through mere observation alone.
Even while his level of skill in alchemy presided over the vast majority of people in this world, this was not something that could be learnt from a mere few experiments alone.
Zhao Yuan looked at Zhao Hao, saying mildly, “Looks like Sixteenth Brother doesn’t intend to continue making any further attempts? Then, the results of this competition of ours; what do you say?”
Zhao Hao’s body shook.
Opening his eyes, he didn’t even look at Zhao Yuan at all as he just stared straight at Yan Zhaoge, “I’ve always been hunting sparrows, yet today had my eye pecked out by my own bird…”
Sucking in a deep breath, he opened his mouth, “It’s my loss this time.”
Zhao Hao looked at Zhao Yuan a little coldly, not bothering to say anything more.
He was completely sure that he would have won if he had asked Zhao Yuan to concoct a Treatment Pill himself. Let alone being able to compete with him, Zhao Yuan’s final product wouldn’t even have been worthy of carrying the proverbial shoes for his own Treatment Pill.
However, he had already declared earlier that what Zhao Yuan could do, he, Zhao Hao, could do even better; if the former could prove otherwise, it would count as his loss.
The result now, however, was that what Zhao Yuan had been able to do, he had failed in doing.
Although, it was definitely impossible that that had been the real ability of that Zhao Yuan. He had definitely been guided by Yan Zhaoge, sending over sound transmissions via his aura-qi.
Zhao Hao snorted coldly, directly saying, “That person who was killed by me earlier didn’t have much useful information to speak of.”
“There was only one thing: the scope of their organisation is extremely large. It does not only encompass the Eastern Tang, nor does it only cover the East Heaven Region.”
“At the very least, there is also a gathering point for them in the North Heaven Region, just that he didn’t possess any more concrete information regarding it.”
Standing by the side, Yan Zhaoge heard all this and committed it to memory. However, his line of vision still fell on Zhao Shilie.
Waving his hand, he kept the Radiant Sun Wheel. As the spiritual glow faded, the light within Zhao Shilie’s gaze also visibly dimmed somewhat.
“When we’ve returned to the Eastern Tang capital, I’ll still have to disturb Your Highness Jin.” Yan Zhaoge said with a very peaceful smile on his face.
Zhao Shilie looked first at Zhao Hao, next at Zhao Yuan, then at Yan Zhaoge, the expression on his face consecutively changing a few times before he forced himself to laugh, “Zhaoge coming to visit; this Prince naturally welcomes it.”
He looked towards Zhao Yuan, saying in a heavy tone, “Royal Nephew Yuan has actually become familiar with an ancient alchemical technique originating from before the Great Calamity; this is a cause for celebration indeed.”
“However, when do you intend to widen its use? Such a technique would be sufficient in allowing the quality of the pills and medicines produced in my Eastern Tang to rise to a whole new level ah.”
Zhao Yuan cupped his hands in a respectful gesture, “What Royal Uncle Jin says is true. Still, your nephew is barely proficient in the technique, and is currently still in the process of analysing and working it out. I intended to at least gain a small level of attainment in it first before reporting the matter to Royal Father.”
“On returning to the capital this time, I naturally will report it to Royal Father.”
“Perhaps the Pill Pavilion will first experiment on widening its use? Regardless, I’ll just leave it for Royal Father to decide.”
Hearing his words, Zhao Shilie’s eyebrows instantly twitched, as he was almost unable to suppress the flames of fury burning within his heart.
The Pill Pavilion’s momentum had originally already been rising due to the Smoke Cloud Powder, and now, it seemed like it was going to rise by yet another level.
With that rate of development, it could be foreseen that it would soon surpass its competitors to become one of the supporting pillars of the Eastern Tang Kingdom.
But, it would soon no longer have any relation to him…
Zhao Shilie sighed. He had still unconsciously underestimated Yan Zhaoge after all.
He was a Martial Grandmaster; even his own son was older than Yan Zhaoge.
Although in recent days, Yan Zhaoge had performed many feats which had become widely known, allowing others to see his enormous strength as well as potential in the martial dao, never would Zhao Shilie have thought that he would also be able to suppress Zhao Hao in the area of alchemy.
As old Mr Wang had said, Zhao Hao’s skill in alchemy could already be considered superb within the entire Eight Extremities World.
While the difference between martial practitioners’ skill in alchemy was also related to the level of their cultivation, the relation in question was still not as strict as with the forging of artifacts.
To a certain extent, it was a completely different field of study. To be proficient in it, not only talent but also a lot of time and effort was required.
As Zhao Shilie saw it, for Yan Zhaoge to have achieved such high attainments in the martial dao, he must naturally have focused on it single-mindedly to the utmost degree, in this way using up the bulk of his time and effort.
Even if his talent in alchemy was unordinary, where would he have the time to concentrate on it?
If it was only that he had just happened to obtain and understand that ancient secret technique by chance, it would still be acceptable. However, if Yan Zhaoge really had a profound knowledge of all the aspects of alchemy, it would really be terrifying to the extent of being beyond belief.
Zhao Shilie could be considered a person who had encountered many huge winds and waves in his lifetime, but currently, he could still feel his common sense collapsing completely.
His expression continuously changed, before finally warping into a bitter smile.
Zhao Yuan also silently sent over a sound transmission at this time, “I really have to thank you, Zhaoge, this time. Before this, I had never considered that my Sixteenth Brother might be concealing himself so deeply.”
“Today’s debt; I will definitely repay it generously.”
“Afterwards, when Royal Father asks about the Golden Needle Liberating Pill technique, I will still require you to be there.”
Yan Zhaoge replied, “At that time, I will naturally discuss it with Royal Uncle. You can rest easy; under the condition that the number of people in the know are kept to a limited few, the Pill Pavilion can use this technique.”
“I understand,” Zhao Yuan understood his meaning completely, “You can rest easy; we will definitely not let Broad Creed Mountain lose out.”
Standing beside Yan Zhaoge, Feng Yunsheng asked, “It was you who helped that Eastern Tang’s Eldest Prince, right?”
Restraining his facial expression, Yan Zhaoge just said, “Hehe, low-key, low-key.”
“Good, good, good. Low-key, low-key, you’re the most low-key,” Feng Yunsheng couldn’t help but laugh as she shook her head.
Then, curious, she asked, “However, such a secret technique; your Broad Creed Mountain won’t be keeping it for yourself? Just giving it to the Eastern Tang Kingdom like that. Although, I’ve heard that your father and the King of the Eastern Tang Kingdom are extremely close friends.”
Yan Zhaoge glanced at her, “You should be saying ‘Our Broad Creed Mountain’ instead.”
Actually, Feng Yunsheng had not been officially accepted into the clan. It was only that Yan Zhaoge had agreed to speak for her; in truth, she wasn’t even sure about what Broad Creed Mountain’s attitude towards her actually was.
However, on hearing his words, Feng Yunsheng beamed as she laughed, “You’re right. It’s my fault; it’s our Broad Creed Mountain.”
“Mmm, that’s much more pleasing to the ear, ” Yan Zhaoge nodded in satisfaction, before saying, “Relax, I already prepared for the matter of the Golden Needle Liberating Pill technique beforehand with my father; the clan knows as well.”
“If we want to jostle out the Sacred Sun Clan as well as as the Infinite Boundless Mountain out of the Eastern Tang, we will naturally have to pour in some resources.”
“Today’s incident notwithstanding, this had also been considered and arranged for.”
“It was because of that that I wanted to swallow Zhao Shilie’s share of the Pill Pavilion.”
Yan Zhaoge snapped his fingers, “Only that before this, I had never thought that it would go as easily and smoothly as this.”
Finally giving Zhao Hao a glance, Yan Zhaoge smiled very wickedly, “What a good person; thanks a lot yo.”