HSSB1103: Roving Jade Heavens
Sun Zhongda had a slick, adaptable personality. Despite being proud too, he was much more genial than most sword cultivators.
Most of the time, he was the one in charge as he and his fellow disciples went adventuring outside.
It was not merely because of seniority that he was feeling so awkward in front of Yan Zhaoge now.
He had conveniently impersonated Yan Zhaoge in traversing the World beyond Worlds in the past.
Who would have thought that his luck would be so terrible that after just a few days, he ended up running into the actual Yan Zhaoge.
He had been captured by Yan Zhaoge, really suffering quite a bit at his hands.
Yet, Yan Zhaoge had actually become his elder now. However smooth Sun Zhongda was at talking, he felt greatly awkward as he met Yan Zhaoge again now, wishing that a hole could open up in the ground and swallow him up.
After a while, he finally managed to compose himself as he answered Yan Zhaoge respectfully, “In reply to senior apprentice-uncle Yan’s words, this place is indeed very close to the Roving Jade Heavens. We have come to extradimensional space to gather some rare treasures. Having accumulated a sufficient amount of the resources now, we were just about to return.”
“If you have time, senior apprentice-uncle Yan, why not come along with us? Our elders often think about how you and your father, senior apprentice-granduncle Yan, are doing.”
Yan Zhaoge smiled, “It seems this Yan has been making them worry.”
“I am sorry to say that I did not know about our relationship previously. Only during our opening ceremony this time did my father and I learn about my grandfather.”
“While we live in the World beyond Worlds, we father and son have always hoped to be able to visit the Roving Jade Heavens one day, seeing the Dragon Spring Emperor and his family. It is just that we had no way of doing so before as we could only wait till a right opportunity presented itself.”
“Who would have thought that such a chance would arrive so quickly? This is great news for this Yan as I hope to pay a visit if the elders of the Roving Jade Heavens do not mind.”
Sun Zhongda said, “That would be great. Please come with me, senior apprentice-uncle Yan.”
He looked at Meng Wan, “Is this your fellow disciple, senior apprentice-uncle Yan?”
Yan Zhaoge answered, “This is the daughter of one of the World beyond Worlds’ Five Emperors, the Brocade Emperor. She is travelling together with me. I wonder if it is convenient for her to enter the Roving Jade Heavens?”
“The daughter of the Brocade Emperor?” Sun Zhongda glanced rather puzzledly at Meng Wan.
Fu Ting was one of the elites of the World beyond Worlds’ younger generation as Sun Zhongda naturally knew how she looked like.
Still, he left it at that as he nodded, saying, “Since she is senior apprentice-uncle Yan’s companion, of course.”
While Yan Zhaoge was inwardly concerned about the conflict between the black and white Brocade Emperors, since their whereabouts were currently unknown, he could only set the matter out of his mind for now.
He could only try to gather news regarding this in the upcoming days and simply adjust accordingly.
Yan Zhaoge had long since wished that he could pay the Roving Jade Heavens a visit. Now that such a chance had finally come, he would definitely do so.
Led by Sun Zhongda and co, he and Meng Wan entered a whole different dimension.
There, spiritual qi was abundant beneath the clear skies. Despite being similar to the World beyond Worlds in this aspect, it had a profound flair of its own too.
Yan Zhaoge could clearly sense a sharp aura emanating there.
It was as if he was standing on the tip of a sword.
Such an equilibrium of spiritual qi was surely rather unusual for a world like this.
Yan Zhaoge fell into deep thought as he was silent for a time.
“In coming to the Roving Jade Heavens for the first time, martial practitioners with lower cultivation bases may be rather unacclimated to it,” Sun Zhongda said, “While it is naturally fine for you, senior apprentice-uncle Yan, it will be tough on this Miss Fu.”
Meng Wan smiled, “It is fine. This truly broadens my horizons.”
Soon, Yan Zhaoge ran into another old acquaintance.
The former head disciple of the World beyond Worlds’ southeastern Yang Heaven Territory’s Golden Court Mountain, the ‘Shadow Mountain Sword King’ Lin Hanhua. Now, he was Long Hanhua, a sword cultivator of the Prime Clear lineage.
“Long time no see, senior apprentice-brother Long. How have you been? Yan Zhaoge cheerily greeted him.
Before this, he had already known that Lin Hanhua was an alias as the man’s real name was Long Hanhua. He was the son of the ‘Little Sword God’ Long Xueji whom he had run into once before as well as the grandson of the Dragon Spring Emperor and the Profound Sovereign.
In terms of seniority, he was of the same generation as Yan Zhaoge.
While his name was different, he was still that same person, resembling a sharp, unsheathed sword as he stood there as it was difficult for people to look straight at him.
Almost ten years had passed since the two of them had last seen each other.
The current Long Hanhua was already at the ninth level of the Martial Saint realm, the late Immortal Bridge stage.
He had not changed much in terms of appearance as he now smiled upon seeing Yan Zhaoge, “What a surprise to see you here in the Roving Jade Heavens! This is wonderful indeed. Our elders were still thinking that some more time should still be needed for you and senior apprentice-uncle Yan to seek a way here.”
It was not a good thing for people in the World beyond Worlds to have apparent connections to the Roving Jade Heavens.
Both sides presently did not have a very harmonious relationship at all.
Still, Yan Zhaoge and Yan Di were a much more special case. It was just that they had to do this in a covert manner as they could not be too obvious and blatant about it.
Yan Zhaoge smiled, “Of course I came as soon as I could. Still, it was rather by coincidence and luck that I could arrive here today.”
“Luck it may not be,” Long Hanhua joked, “Since he estimated that you and senior apprentice-uncle Yan should not be arriving so quickly, grandfather entered secluded cultivation just a couple of days ago. You may not be able to see him this time.”
Sun Zhongda and the others were feeling rather astonished inwardly.
While this senior apprentice-uncle Long did not have as severe a personality as his father, he was a man of few words who possessed a tough, unwavering temperament.
Ever since Long Hanhua had returned to stay at the Roving Jade Heavens, Gao Qing aside, the other disciples of the junior generation had never seen him conversing so happily with anyone else before.
“Senior apprentice-granduncle Long is in secluded cultivation?” Yan Zhaoge put a hand on his head, smiling wryly, “What an untimely coincidence. I wonder if the other elders are around?”
He and Long Hanhua had been on pretty good terms in the World beyond Worlds back than as he was also extremely happy upon seeing him again, hence speaking in a very relaxed, open manner.
“My father is presently not in seclusion. My eldest uncle should be here too,” Long Hanhua smiled, “They will all be very happy to hear that you have arrived. Come, follow me.”
……
Even as Yan Zhaoge spent many days in leaving the Nine Underworlds, traversing the land of tranquil stream and drifting amidst extradimensional space to arrive at the Roving Jade Heavens, there was a certain person who broke free of the Nine Underworlds as well.
World beyond Worlds’ Kunlun Mountain’s Qianhua(Heavenly Splendour) Peak.
This dao arena shared the same name as its owner.
It should be said that it had been renamed after its current owner had occupied it.
This was also a famed sacred ground of the World beyond Worlds.
Its owner was naturally the strongest of the Ten Exalts, the Upper Exalt Chen Qianhua.
Still, Chen Qianhua did not reside there most of the time.
Instead, it was his brother, the Earthly Young Master Chen Kunhua, who spent more than half of the time in a year residing and cultivating there.
One day, as Chen Kunhua was in that cave manor, a streak of radiance suddenly descended from the skies.
The glow faded to reveal none other than the Upper Exalt, Chen Qianhua.
This number one Martial Saint of the World beyond Worlds had a rare look of despondence on his usually lazy face at this moment.
“Big brother, you…” Chen Kunhua was rather taken aback as he stared at his elder brother.
Chen Qianhua waved a hand dismissively, saying rather vexedly, “Don’t mention it. An extremely interesting thing, and I barely missed out on it! There really is nothing more vexing in this world.”