While Yan Zhaoge and Li Jingwan were acquainted, they couldn"t be said to be very familiar with each other.

However, from his impressions, this Jade Sea City disciple was one of the more mature, steady types.

Despite her refined and gentle appearance, she was actual rather tough and unyielding inside.

Back at the Heavenly Connection Meet, during the incident of Clear Concealed Lake, having been caught by Liu Shengfeng, Li Jingwan had remained calm, not losing her cool, also not succ.u.mbing to the threats of the enemy, as Yan Zhaoge felt like he could rather admire that.

This was the first time Yan Zhaoge had seen her fl.u.s.tered and panicked like this.

Seeing Li Jingwan"s hurriedly disappearing figure, Yan Zhaoge blinked, unable to get his head around it.

Looking over in the direction from which Li Jingwan had come, Sikong Qing was standing there. It seemed like she had just sent Li Jingwan out, the two just having said their goodbyes and parted ways.

Sikong Qing also saw Yan Zhaoge as he now walked towards her, “Junior apprentice-sister Sikong.”

“Senior apprentice-brother Yan,” Sikong Qing bowed towards Yan Zhaoge.

Yan Zhaoge nodded back in greeting before asking, “I saw that Jade Sea City"s Junior Sister Li left panicked and in a hurry. Did something happen?”

Sikong Qing indeed knew the details on this as she answered, “It seems like something happened in Senior Sister Li"s family, so she was hurrying to get back.”

Yan Zhaoge looked at Jade Sea City"s inner city and then at the bustling outer city, “How come her family does not reside in Jade Sea City"s outer city?”

Sikong Qing was cold and aloof, not having many friends. Li Jingwan could be considered as one of her good friends whom she was on very good terms with.

The two had kicked it off very well at the start. Having interacted for some time now, they already resembled a pair of best friends.

“Junior Sister Li"s parents had returned to their ancestral home to visit their relatives,” Sikong Qing explained, “But something seemed to have happened, with news being sent over. Receiving this news, after informing Jade Sea City, Junior Sister Li immediately departed.

Yan Zhaoge asked, “Do you know where her old home is?”

Sikong Qing answered, “Within the territory governed by Xingling City, a small city of Jiangbei County, Yizhou.”

Xingling City was one of the Nine Cities of the Water Domain.

Of the Water Domain"s Nine Cities, six lay on the sea and three on land, located east of the mainland.

Unlike Jade Sea City and Stone Rock City which were both on the sea, Xingling City was one of the three cities of the Water Domain that was located on land.

The Nine Cities of the Water Domain, whilst being called cities, were all actually a great stretch of territory named after the city at their centre, governing over that vast stretch of territory.

Jiangbei County was one of the few counties under the jurisdiction of Xingling City, and Yizhou was one of the many small allied cities within Jiangbei County.

Hearing her words, Yan Zhaoge nodded, “News have recently spread that the situation on the East Sea seems a little abnormal. The Fire Devils may be launching a great wave of attacks soon.”

“If it is Xingling City, that"s still fine, because it is an inland region.”

Sikong Qing looked thoughtful, “The news that spread was that the Flame Devils have been very calm in recent days, winds calm and waves quiet on the Outer East Sea, but that is like the final calm before the storm, too extreme silence instead being a show of the opposite, being a sign of tough times to come?”

Yan Zhaoge said, “It is precisely so. Therefore, Turbid Wave Pavilion"s Pavilion Lord An is already preparing to leave the Lake Domain, coming over to the sea.”

Sikong Qing looked in the direction of Jade Sea City"s inner city, “City Lord Song is still in seclusion…”

Yan Zhaoge smiled, “Silently charging up a big move.”

He said this in a very light tone, such that Sikong Qing did not hear it clearly, “Senior apprentice-brother Yan, what do you say?”

Yan Zhaoge smiled, “Leaving seclusion this time, Song City Lord will be greatly remarkable.”

Sikong Qing understood, “Like how the Sacred Sun Clan"s Huang Guanglie improved in his cultivation base or having successfully forged a Sacred Artifact belonging to Jade Sea City?”

Yan Zhaoge said softly, “The possibility of the latter is a bit greater.”

Sikong Qing nodded, no longer asking.

As the two conversed, coming by their side, hearing what they were currently talking about, Ah Hu could not help but say, “We just don"t know when City Lord Song will emerge successfully, whether he will be in time to meet this upcoming huge wave of attacks by the Flame Devils.”

Yan Zhaoge similarly gazed in the direction of Jade Sea City"s inner city, “This is very hard to say. If he has not reached the final stage, he will still be able to stop when the situation so requires it. If he has also reached the final, critical stage, he would then have to complete it in a single go.”

Ah Hu scratched his huge head, “Turbid Wave Pavilion"s Pavilion Lord An is already rushing towards the sea. There shouldn"t be too much of a problem?”

“With a great invasion by the Flame Devils, the Sacred Sun Clan will also have to send over Meng Wan with the Extreme Yin Crown, and the Heavenly Thunder Hall by the north will also not be able to stay out of it,” Ah Hu said as he held his fingertips, “If this time"s attack by the Flame Devils is really too fierce and the pressure on the three Sacred Grounds closer to the sea is too great, we, Infinite Boundless Mountain and the Sacred Sun Clan will also have to send some peak experts over to reinforce them.”

Yan Zhaoge said, “So long as we can block off those Flame Devils at the dimensional entrance over at the Inner East Sea, the situation wouldn"t be too chaotic.”

……

South of Yizhou City, Jiangbei County, Xingling City.

There was a vast country estate here, belonging to the richest family of this land, the Yizhou Li Family.

The Li Family had always been the number one family of Yizhou, possessing great financial power as well as a firm, deep foundation.

More important was that the Li Family had produced Li Jingwan, a core, direct disciple of one of the current six great Sacred Grounds, Jade Sea City.

This way, the Li Family could completely preside over this land, no one able to shake its mighty rule.

Even if they were martial pract.i.tioner organisations who themselves surpa.s.sed the Li Family in strength, against the Li Family, they would also have to be polite, not getting into a conflict with them lightly.

However, in the current Li Family Ancestral Ground, nervousness hung within the air.

There were no signs of external enemies having invaded, but still, something had just cropped up.

After receiving the news, Li Jingwan rushed over without rest, finally arriving back at her old home in Yizhou.

“Mother, what"s happened to father?” Li Jingwan pulled a woman"s hand as she asked anxiously.

Her mother"s face was filled with worry, “He suddenly fell unconscious. While he looks fine from the outside, we were unable to find the reason for this, only able to send you a letter. Jade Sea City is a Sacred Ground, possessing great strength and carrying great knowledge. There should be a solution?”

Li Jingwan greeted the family"s Elders as she headed over to see her father.

She did not know that when she had entered the Li Family Ancestral Ground, someone had been watching her from outside, his figure that had been secretly watching over her finally vanishing.

Looking at Li Jingwan"s back, Lin Zhou turned to leave.

“As long as Uncle is not shifted, there will not be much of a problem. Jingwan, you have the wondrous medicine of Jade Sea City; Uncle will awaken some days later. In these days, you just remain in Jingling and accompany your family in peace,” Lin Zhou"s gaze was calm, “With you not here, my final worries are no more. Whether the rivers of Jade Sea City flow with blood and turn into burnt soil, all this is no longer important.”

Lin Zhou gazed towards the east, his gaze gradually turning cold, “Yan Zhaoge, it is really great that you"re here in Jade Sea City right now.”

“All along, I wanted to defy the heavens and change my fate, changing my own fate, changing the fate of my family, changing the fate of my lover, but this time, I will not do anything at all, waiting silently for what should happen to happen before only then making a move.”

Lin Zhou headed east, in the direction of the great sea, “Father did not perish to the Nine Underworlds Evil Devils, but was instead killed by you Broad Creed Mountain. So, all of you accompany my father in death for me.”

“Yan Zhaoge, it will begin with you!”