HSSB62: Repelling them head-on
As the two Martial Grandmaster experts clashed, the natural phenomena in the sky and the ambient temperature changed for a distance of a hundred li in all directions.
Luckily, Jingyang City’s grand formation kept the resulting tempest contained within a limited, restricted area.
Within that area, however, it was already like the world had been turned upside down.
“Broad Creed Mountain is intent on opposing my Sacred Sun Clan?”
Now, an imposing voice resounded in the air above Jingyang City.
The next instant, a massive golden sun that was even larger than that of the golden-robed Elder appeared within the air.
As this massive sun appeared, the sun which the golden-robed man had transformed into instantly dimmed.
And as for the purple flames of Yan Xu’s Tushita palm, in that same instant, they dimmed even more so and were almost extinguished!
Yan Xu let out a muffled groan as the pill furnace formed of the purple Tushita flames immediately filled with cracks before it finally collapsed and broke apart.
Despite leaping around in mid-air for a bit, even the flames that were left over from the collapsed pill furnace seemed like they were going to die at any moment.
That second sun hung high in the sky, actually contending with the real sun itself in terms of radiance. It actually seemed at that moment that there were two suns present in the sky, illuminating the Eastern Tang capital of Jingyang City together.
At this moment, Jingyang City’s grand formation no longer appeared as undisturbed as it had been against Yan Xu and the golden-robed Elder.
In the air, line after line of spirit patterns lit up, distorting over and over again.
Within the mansion, the eyebrows of the seated Elder Qin lifted slowly. “If you want to show off your power, you’ve come to the wrong place.”
From within the mansion, a majestic sword-qi suddenly shot out and surged into the skies.
Where the sword-qi passed, the unbearable heat brought about by the two suns decreased instantly, as the entire land turned cool.
After the coolness, though, actually came a gloomy coldness!
Elder Qin’s form now also appeared above the mansion as he stared enraged at that massive golden sun.
With his low shout, the winds gusted and the clouds surged as though a gigantic, formless blade had appeared, piercing open a fissure in the very air itself.
The fissure spread in the direction of the second sun, desiring to split it apart along with everything else!
“Eight Extreme Arts—Chaotic Elements Uniting Blade?” An imposing voice resounded from the massive golden sun.
The next instant, instead of retreating, the massive golden sun actually advanced, smashing straight down toward Elder Qin!
It was as though the sun had tilted westward—an incomparably bright radiance illuminated the ground below, looking like it was going to incinerate the entire mortal realm!
It was precisely the Sacred Sun Clan’s West-tilting Heaven Incinerating Blade!
On the golden sword-light that portrayed the setting sun tilting towards the west, a huge divine talisman suddenly lit up. Vast and intricate, it appeared as if it was going to engulf the entire Jingyang City.
Elder Qin activated the Chaotic Elements Uniting Blade—the formless blade that slashed the heavens and split the earth wherever it passed also lit up with a huge divine talisman.
The power of the two sides having increased by yet another level, when they clashed, it was as though Jingyang City was about to be shattered.
Now, the voice of the King of the Eastern Tang Kingdom resounded within Jingyang City, “If the two of you want to fight, please go somewhere else; do you want to tear down my Eastern Tang Capital?”
Jingyang City’s grand formation abruptly brightened, as the intertwining spirit patterns grew clearer and more densely packed.
The grand formation began operating at its maximum power, its power rising steadily.
Elder Qin stopped his sword-qi, as he snorted, “If someone wants to create trouble out of nothing, this old man will accompany him to the very end; does he think that my Broad Creed Mountain is so good to bully?”
From that massive golden sun suspended in the sky, a voice resounded, “Zhao Shicheng, you want to interfere in the matter between Broad Creed Mountain and my Sacred Sun Clan?”
The calm voice of Zhao Shicheng, the King of the Eastern Tang Kingdom, now resounded from Jingyang City’s grand formation itself, “The East Rising Lord speaks too heavily. My Eastern Tang is naturally unable to interfere in a matter between two Sacred Grounds.”
“However, with the two of you fighting it out in my Jingyang City, this King is unable to sit back and do nothing.”
From within the mansion, Yan Zhaoge stoked his lower jaw, “Ah, so it’s the East Rising Lord, one of the Seven Reigning Suns. However, according to my memories, the East Rising Lord should have changed just a few years ago.”
After the Sacred Sun Clan had risen to prominence, it had possessed seven outstanding experts, who had been known by the world as the Seven Reigning Suns.
Their titles corresponded with the Seven Great Sun Arts: Dawn, East Rising, Heaven Striking, World Illuminating, West Tilting, Sunset as well as Twilight.
Afterwards, the Seven Reigning Suns became a fixed title. After any one of these experts fell or retreated into seclusion, there would be a replacement who would inherit the title.
Swivelling his head, Yan Zhaoge saw that Feng Yunsheng had a rather strange expression on her face.
Seeing Yan Zhaoge looking at her, Feng Yunsheng just shook her head. “My Grand Master was the previous East Rising Lord before him. After Grand Master fell, the title was naturally passed down, and the one who inherited it was that guy out there.”
“He is the youngest among the Seven Reigning Suns and also has had the least experience. However, his cultivation and skill in martial arts are fairly astounding.”
The massive sun within the sky gradually vanished, as a middle-aged, golden-robed man now materialised. He was precisely the current East Rising Lord.
The East Rising Lord stared at Elder Qin before his gaze swept down across the Jingyang City beneath him, as he slowly said, “Someone has been harbouring a disciple who betrayed my Sacred Sun Clan; naturally, I’d have to get myself involved.”
“Hand the person over and apologize to redeem your sins.”
“Otherwise, we fight.”
Elder Qin’s burly frame stood steadfast and tall in mid-air, his expression not changing whatsoever, “This old man has already said that we do not have the one you seek here.”
“If you want to fight, then we’ll fight. This old man has nothing else, but he has a sword and a pair of fists to accompany you as you’d like.”
The golden-robed Elder beside the East Rising Lord said angrily, “My Sacred Sun Clan disciples saw with their own eyes how your Broad Creed Mountain’s Yan Zhaoge took away that rebel disciple. How is this something that you can completely absolve yourself of with just a few words?”
Standing beside Elder Qin, Yan Xu’s face was expressionless. “It is true because you say it is?”
“This old man still says that your Sacred Sun Clan stole my Broad Creed Mountain’s treasures. Return them swiftly.”
A golden light flickered within the East Rising Lord’s eyes, piercing till Yan Xu’s entire body hurt. “What words! You’re courting death!”
Elder Qin strode forward, “If you want to show off your power, please return to your Sacred Sun Clan’s World Illuminating Peak to do so.”
Suddenly, Yan Zhaoge’s voice resounded from within the mansion.
“Before the East Rising Lord, Broad Creed Mountain’s Yan Zhaoge pays his greetings.”
“In the Luliao Mountains, I indeed clashed with your Sacred Sun Clan’s Xiao Shen and Chao Yuanlong, and I also encountered the Feng Muge that your Sacred Sun Clan is currently looking for.”
“However, after that, I no longer had any interactions with that Feng Muge,” Yan Zhaoge said mildly. “It’s just that, after talking with her a bit before this, I actually came to know about some interesting things.”
“For example, a certain Sacred Ground whose fame resounds throughout the entire Eight Extremities World actually shelters evil people and accepts wrongdoing, allowing the grandson of a certain Grand Elder to try to forcibly taint a fellow female disciple without doing anything about it.”
“Him having failed in his attempt, they actually shielded the culprit and oppressed that female disciple instead.”
“The most interesting part was that, a certain person whose lust consumed his life actually received Heaven’s retribution in having his descendants’ root broken…”
Yan Zhaoge said leisurely, “Well, at least there is no fear of such a thing ever happening again in the future.”
“A load of utter nonsense!” The East Rising Lord spoke coldly, “Just from you smearing my Sacred Sun Clan’s good name alone, I could kill you right here on the spot, and no one would be able to say anything about it!”
“If your father Yan Di is unhappy about it, ask him to come to the World Illuminating Peak. I wonder if he’ll live to reach the summit alive?”
Saying thus, he clapped down with his palm.
Elder Qin laughed heroically, “Not being fair in dealing with matters, not knowing how to educate your own disciples. Rather than caring about that fugitive of yours, you should spend the effort on examining yourself more closely instead!”
“This is still not a place where you can run amok and do whatever you like!”
As the two sides began clashing once more, the King of the Eastern Tang Kingdom remained silent throughout, just suppressing the combatants simultaneously with Jingyang City’s grand formation.
Without doubt, he was naturally skewing towards Yan Zhaoge’s side.
Although he could not afford to offend the Sacred Sun Clan, and, as much as possible, tried to remain neutral whenever the two Sacred Grounds clashed, this matter involved his old friend Yan Di’s only son. Zhao Shicheng chose his side without any hesitation whatsoever, running the massive risk of offending the Sacred Sun Clan as he threw all thoughts of sitting on the fence to the back of his mind.
The East Rising Lord’s gaze was cold. If things were as usual, Jingyang City’s grand formation would be unable to do much to him at all.
However, with him being in an intense fight with Elder Qin at the same time and having to deal with two threats at once, the power of Jingyang City’s grand formation gradually shone through.
With Elder Qin fighting him as if he had the home advantage, the East Rising Lord, who had originally been evenly matched with him, was slowly being put at a disadvantage as time passed.
“Good… Very good!” The East Rising Lord retreated from the battlefield, turning his head to glance one final time at Jingyang City before he transformed into a massive sun once more, disappearing beyond the distant horizon without saying anything else.