HSSB648: Questioning
After the great gate had opened and that Grand Xuan Dynasty martial practitioner who cultivated in the Flowing Wind Nine Heavens Slash had been sucked within, the Myriad Dragon Palace continued following after the North Sea Sword Pavilion’s Yue Baoqi.
Yue Baoqi was taken aback as she watched the Myriad Dragon Palace shaking unceasingly, as if there were currently people clashing within.
However, the shaking did not affect the progress of the Myriad Dragon Palace as it continued leisurely following after her.
Yue Baoqi did not know where Yan Zhaoge came from. While Yan Zhaoge had acted against the Grand Xuan Dynasty as well, Yue Baoqi still viewed him with vigilance.
She tried to shake off the Myriad Dragon Palace, but Yan Zhaoge’s laughter now resounded from within it, “Wanting to acquire information, how could an Essence Spirit Martial Grandmaster captive know more than a Martial Saint?”
Hearing Yan Zhaoge’s words, Yue Baoqi hesitated slightly.
She heard Yan Zhaoge continuing, “I am surnamed Yan, Yan Zhaoge. You might find my name unfamiliar, but I wonder if you have heard of the Grand Xuan Dynasty’s Phoenix Bearing General, Yang Zhaozhen, before?”
Yue Baoqi knit her brows slightly at these words that would easily lead to misunderstandings before she head Yan Zhaoge continuing, “If you have heard the name Yang Zhaozhen before, are you aware that he was slain by someone a while back?”
Yue Baoqi’s gaze abruptly focused as she stared at the Myriad Dragon Palace, “…It was you?”
Yan Zhaoge answered nonchalantly, “That’s right.”
Yang Zhaozhen being the general of a region of the Grand Xuan Dynasty, Yue Baoqi indeed knew of his name. Also, she had just heard the news of his death not long ago.
Hearing Yan Zhaoge mention this now, she indistinctly remembered that she seemed to indeed have heard his name before. This had also precisely been in connection with Yang Zhaozhen’s death.
While Yue Baoqi did not believe Yan Zhaoge just like this, her footsteps finally slowed.
The Myriad Dragon Palace already no longer shook.
The great gate opened, Yan Zhaoge’s figure appearing with his hands behind his back as he stood leisurely by the entrance.
Yue Baoqi looked past Yan Zhaoge, appraising the interior of the Myriad Dragon Palace.
In the depths of the volatile, profound space, numerous dragons coiled, imprisoning someone.
That person was precisely that Grand Xuan Dynasty martial practitioner from earlier who cultivated in the Flowing Wind Nine Heavens Slash.
He was currently imprisoned by several true dragons manifested from the dragon qi of the Myriad Dragon Palace, his face devoid of colour.
As an early Merging Avatar Martial Saint, this person was not Yan Zhaoge’s match at all.
However, if Yan Zhaoge wanted to capture him for questioning, it would not be as simple and straightforward as when he had slain Yang Zhaozhen back then.
Slaying and capturing were on two totally different levels of difficulty. It had taken even Yan Zhaoge quite some time to succeed in it.
However, this Grand Xuan Dynasty martial practitioner had already been injured by Yue Baoqi beforehand, and Yan Zhaoge also possessed two Sacred Artifacts, the Imperious Cold Martial Armour and the Dark Feather Slaughtering Golden Spear. With that, he had still succeeded in capturing him and suppressing him in the depths of the Myriad Dragon Palace in the end.
After a moment’s hesitation, Yue Baoqi finally strode into the Myriad Dragon Palace.
The abundant qi of true dragons was mostly retracted within. However, just the tiny portion of it that was emanated caused Yue Baoqi to feel rather admiring of it.
She looked at Yan Zhaoge, who did not bother explaining anything.
He just went before the Grand Xuan Dynasty Martial Saint, smiling, “How do I address you?”
The other party looked at Yan Zhaoge with a complex expression on his face, not speaking at all.
If not for him having experienced it personally, never would he have thought that he might actually be beaten by a Martial Grandmaster so utterly easily, even having been captured alive by him.
Hearing that the other party had even slain Yang Zhaozhen, this Grand Xuan Dynasty martial practitioner sighed, completely losing all words.
Yue Baoqi who had also been appraising Yan Zhaoge with a complex expression on her face now glanced at that Grand Xuan Dynasty expert, saying, “He is called Zhang Xuan, and is known as the ‘Nine Heavens Sole Crane’. He is a guest Elder under the Grand Xuan Dynasty’s Marquis Weilin.”
Zhang Xuan swivelled his head and glanced at Yue Baoqi, continuing to smile bitterly.
She was a renowned expert of the North Sea Sword Pavilion’s senior generation, her name already having spread far and wide since the days of her youth. Thus, he knew who she was.
It was just that he had only heard of her before this, not having actually met her before. That was why he had pursued her doggedly earlier just based on his speed.
He had thought that even while he wasn’t a match for her, with the help of his companion, their combined forces should be able to secure them victory over her, or tie her down at the very least.
In the end, it was only having truly clashed that he knew that he wasn’t Yue Baoqi’s match at all.
If not for Yue Baoqi not wanting to be delayed, being unwilling to battle, the two of them might even have been slain by her sword.
Looking at Zhang Xuan, Yan Zhaoge nodded, “Mister Zhang, is it? A pleasure.”
“I believe you should already know the reason for me keeping you here. Please tell us in detail the arrangements of the Grand Xuan Dynasty here in the region of the North Sea this time.”
Zhang Xuan’s eyes were closed as he did not speak.
Yan Zhaoge said nonchalantly, “Yang Zhaozhen was a distant relative of the Grand Xuan royalty, but I just killed him as I liked. Therefore, I wouldn’t mind killing another Martial Saint of the Grand Xuan Dynasty at all.”
Hearing Yan Zhaoge’s words, Zhang Xuan opened his eyes, staring at him.
Yan Zhaoge said, “You serve the Grand Xuan Dynasty and Marquis Weilin, but it is only listening to orders. He provides you with protection as well as some resources and treasures, while you fight for him with all your martial proficiency.”
“Speaking of fighting for him, that should only be to the extent of your capabilities. You just have to do things to your utmost. You shouldn’t have to serve him to the death?”
Yan Zhaoge pointed at Yue Baoqi beside him, “In being unable to defeat her, and me as well, you indeed lack strength. Still, it wasn’t because you failed to try. Having done all this, it should already be sufficient. You should be thinking for yourself now. If you answer my questions, you would also not have let down Marquis Weilin.”
“Of course, if you are vastly indebted to Marquis Weilin or your relationship is such that you would die for him, you can pretend that I didn’t say any of what I just did.”
“It is not easy at all for one to step into the Martial Saint realm. As there is no enmity between us, I will also not humiliate you by extracting information out of you with torture.”
“If you don’t speak, I will give you a swift and clean death. After you’re dead, I’ll just have to spare some effort in capturing someone else and questioning them.”
While Yan Zhaoge’s tone was calm, Zhang Xuan’s heart turned cold at his words.
He was certain that if he stubbornly refused to speak, this youth before him would not waste any more time with him. Instead, he would kill him directly before going off to look for another target.
Zhang Xuan was silent for a moment before he slowly sighed, “You win.”
“After the Grand Xuan took down the Dim Darkness Sect’s main altar, they are now preparing to conquer the North Sea. His Majesty the King is still personally leading. Of the four Lord Protectors, Lord Protector Tang and Lord Protector Lu have accompanied him here to the North Sea as well.”
“Apart from them, there are also Marquis Weilin and many other peak experts as they seek to completely trample over the North Sea Sword Pavilion.”
Yue Baoqi glanced at him upon hearing his words, but did not speak as she let Yan Zhaoge continue directing the questioning as he wanted.
Yan Zhaoge asked, “Are the descendants of Shen Lingzi here as well this time?”
Zhang Xuan replied, “That’s right. The Shenling Nine Swords who went on conquest against the Dim Darkness Sect’s main altar have still accompanied his Majesty in coming to the North Sea this time.”
Yan Zhaoge crossed his arms, “Last time, they took the anti-Xuan coalition by surprise. This time, those of Shen Lingzi’s lineage no longer have the advantage of surprise. It should not be so easy for the Grand Xuan Dynasty to obtain victory? Do they have some special arrangements planned out?”
Zhang Xuan hesitated for a moment before nodding, “His Majesty will be personally overseeing the establishment of the Heavenly Fire Tribulation Thunder Formation in the North Sea.”
Yan Zhaoge raised his head slightly, “…That’s vicious enough.”