Firmament Sword

”What about Guo Ying being seriously injured? No matter how you look at it, she’s one of us...” Su Qianqian said, rolling her eyes, a little annoyed at Xu Luo’s evasiveness.

”We’ll definitely settle this score,” Xu Luo said firmly.

”Now that’s more like it!” Su Qianqian exclaimed in approval.

”However...”

”However what?” Su Qianqian’s eyebrows shot up. ”Xiaoluozi, why do I get the feeling you’re getting more and more timid!” she said, annoyed.

”Will you just let me finish...” Xu Luo rolled his eyes. ”This is a score my older brother should settle himself!”

”Your older brother?” Su Qianqian’s eyes widened. ”Are you kidding me, Xiaoluozi?”

”Do I look like I’m kidding?” Xu Luo retorted.

”Uh-huh!” Su Qianqian nodded forcefully. ”I don’t mean to mock your older brother, but his strength... how could he possibly be a match for Huangfu Haoyue? That guy, while no match for me, is still a Tier Eight or Nine Sword Venerable. Your older brother’s strength... uh, while not bad, is definitely not enough to take him on!”

As she spoke, Su Qianqian gave Xu Luo a strange look. ”Xiaoluozi, don’t tell me...”

”Tell you what?” Xu Luo gave Su Qianqian a baffled look.

”You’re not planning to throw your older brother to the wolves just so you can seize the entire family fortune, are you?” Su Qianqian asked with a completely straight face.

”Get lost! You’re the one who’d throw your own brother to the wolves!” Xu Luo shot back, rolling his eyes. ’Where does this girl even learn all this nonsense?’

”Am I wrong? Hmph, I’ve heard that many families out in the world are like that, with brothers turning on each other!” Su Qianqian looked at Xu Luo indignantly. ”But I never thought you’d be that kind of person too!”

Xu Luo looked at Su Qianqian, speechless. He had no idea how to explain it to her. ’Should I tell her that my older brother consumed a massive amount of Blood Pills and that he’ll be able to completely demolish Huangfu Haoyue once he comes out of seclusion?’

Just then, Master Mao’s extremely arrogant voice came from outside.

”Kid, get out here! Master Mao wants to have a word with you!”

”...” Xu Luo’s mouth twitched. ’This guy disappeared for days, who knows what he was up to. Why’s he suddenly acting so high and mighty?’

Thinking this, Xu Luo stood up and headed outside.

Su Qianqian pouted, muttering under her breath as she followed behind, clearly still fuming about their conversation.

When Xu Luo went out, he found Master Mao sitting on the high eaves of the roof, looking down on him. He couldn’t help but ask, ”Miaomiao, what are you doing up there? Enjoying the view?”

”Silence! From now on, you are forbidden to call me Miaomiao!”

Master Mao looked down on Xu Luo with a serious, incredibly haughty expression. He lifted a paw, pointing it at him. ”Listen up, kid. Master Mao’s status is different now! From now on, when you see Master Mao, you must be respectful, polite, and well-mannered! You are not to call me Miaomiao! Miaomiao is my childhood name. Is that something you can just call me as you please?”

Xu Luo rolled his eyes and, looking at Master Mao’s serious face, asked, ”Did you get rejected while courting a Mother Heaven-Swallowing Fox?”

At his side, Su Qianqian let out a snort of laughter. Although she was still upset about Xu Luo ”selling out” his own brother, his words were just too wicked.

Besides, Su Qianqian also found it strange. ’For a High-tier Spirit Beast like Master Mao, whose dignity should be above all else, how can he talk to a human boy like this?’

”Pah! Do not slander the great Master Mao! AHHHHHH!” Master Mao roared, putting on a dignified air. ”I am having a very serious conversation with you! Do you hear me? You are not to call me Miaomiao anymore! Also, you’ve been far too lazy lately. From now on, every day you must release your Star...”

Master Mao glanced at Su Qianqian and swallowed the word ”Star.” He continued, ”You must release your aura and cultivate for one hour... no, two hours! Master Mao will personally supervise your cultivation!”

Master Mao spoke with such righteousness that Su Qianqian, not knowing any better, might have thought the Spirit Beast was being incredibly kind. In reality, Xu Luo knew very well that the cat just wanted more Star Power.

’But this is no way to ask for a favor!’

Xu Luo smirked, tilted his head up, and looked at Master Mao sitting on the eaves, tail held high and swaying back and forth. ”Miaomiao, did you have a breakthrough?”

”Aha! AHHHHH! I told you not to call me Miaomiao! AHHHHH!” Master Mao roared as his aura erupted. A tremendous pressure bore down from above, pressing toward Xu Luo.

Su Qianqian, who had been enjoying the show with a relaxed expression, was startled. She narrowed her eyes at Master Mao and couldn’t help but gasp, ”To break through a minor realm in such a short time... that’s really impressive!”

It hadn’t been long since their fight with the Dubhe Sect Members in the ruins of the Ancient Emperor Tribe, so Su Qianqian was well aware of Master Mao’s strength.

Back then, Master Mao was already qualified to fight a Tier Nine Sword Venerable. In such a short time, his strength had actually reached Tier Nine Peak!

’He’s on the same level as me now!’

”That rate of improvement is truly astonishing!” Su Qianqian stared at Master Mao, not blinking, as she thought to herself, ’Could this be a Spirit Beast with the bloodline of a primordial behemoth?’

”AHHHHH! How about it, kid? Scared yet? You have to respect Master Mao from now on, got it?” Master Mao said smugly, gesturing grandly with his paw as if he ruled the world.

Xu Luo’s mouth twitched. He said, somewhat helplessly, ”Stop playing around, Miaomiao...”

”It’s Master Mao!”

BOOM!

An extremely terrifying aura suddenly erupted from Xu Luo, thundering out like a river bursting through a dam!

BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM... BOOM!

Immediately after, eight more auras of the same fierce and domineering power burst forth from Xu Luo’s body!

Instantly, the surrounding Spiritual Qi was thrown into chaos. Dark clouds began to gather in the sky above, looking utterly terrifying!

Standing beside Xu Luo, Su Qianqian took two steps back in horror. She then steadied herself, her gaze on Xu Luo filled with utter shock and disbelief.

Master Mao was frozen on the spot. Then, with blinding speed, he leaped down from the eaves, scrambling over to Xu Luo’s side. He hugged Xu Luo’s leg with both front paws and wailed, ”When did you advance to this realm?! AHHHHH!”

”So, should I still address you as Master Mao?” Xu Luo asked lightly.

Master Mao released Xu Luo’s leg and took two steps back, looking at him pitifully while cursing up a storm in his head: ’Meow-ther f... It must have been that bottle of elixirs! Such a great treasure, and this Master Mao missed it! AHHHHH, damn it all to meow-hell!’

’What do I do now? What if this cunning kid holds a grudge against Master Mao... What if he won’t let Master Mao absorb Star Power anymore?’

”Master, how about Miaomiao gives you a little smile?” Master Mao said fawningly, looking up at Xu Luo with big, watery, sapphire-blue eyes that practically screamed ”pitiful.”

PFFT!

Su Qianqian, at the side, couldn’t hold it in again and sputtered with laughter.

’A High-tier Spirit Beast this shameless... Eldest Miss Su had truly never seen anything like it in her entire life!’

Xu Luo was also thoroughly exasperated with Master Mao. ’He wasn’t like this before, was he? Could that drop of essence blood from the Thunder Beast have caused such a drastic change in his personality?’

Rolling his eyes at Master Mao, Xu Luo said, ”Go do something for me, and I’ll forgive you.”

”What is it? Your wish is my command, Master! Miaomiao is at your service!” Master Mao said, trying desperately to please him.

”Go and...” As Xu Luo spoke, Su Qianqian’s jaw gradually dropped and her eyes widened. She looked at Xu Luo, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

Master Mao’s feline face, meanwhile, first filled with astonishment as he stared at Xu Luo in disbelief. Then, a pained expression took over. Finally, he covered his eyes with his front paws and said dejectedly, ”Are you sure you want an underage High-tier... Spirit Beast... to do *that*?”

”If you’re not willing, I can just find someone else... I’m sure there are plenty who would be.” Xu Luo said nonchalantly with a shrug.

”Alright, alright! Master Mao admits defeat! You win!” Master Mao grumbled angrily before turning and stalking away.

”Xiaoluozi... are you sure you’re going to do that?” Su Qianqian asked, her mouth twitching as she watched Master Mao disappear.

Xu Luo nodded as if it were the most natural thing in the world. ”Of course!”

”Grandpa was right. People on the outside really are all very, very bad!” Su Qianqian concluded with a sigh.

As she was speaking, she suddenly remembered something. Her beautiful eyes sparkled with curiosity as she looked at Xu Luo. ”Xiaoluozi, how did your strength improve so quickly? Did you find some incredible treasure in those ruins?”

Xu Luo shrugged and spread his hands innocently. ”I’m just exceptionally talented. Can’t be helped!”

With that, he turned and walked away.

Su Qianqian watched his retreating back, stomped her foot hard, and pouted. ”Arrogant brat! What’s there to be so proud of? Is it that amazing? Hmph, if I wanted to, I could go home and become a Sword King! We’ll see if you still dare to act so smug in front of me then!”

Su Qianqian grumbled to herself, then thought of what Xu Luo had asked Miaomiao to do. An alluring blush crept across her delicate face, and she couldn’t help but mutter, ”How shameless!”

Then, her big eyes darted about before she giggled. ”So awful... but... why do I find it kind of interesting?”

If Master Mao had heard that, he would have undoubtedly flown into a rage and roared, ”You little brat! You think this kind of humiliating task is interesting? Why don’t YOU go do it, huh?! AHHHHH?”

At that moment, Xu Luo arrived at the place where his brother, Xu Su, was in seclusion. He opened a hidden passage and walked down the long flight of stairs. Behind him, he heard the sound of the passage door closing.

This was the most heavily guarded place in the National Guardian General’s Mansion, and also the most mysterious secret of the thousand-year-old Xu Family.

Xu Su had chosen this very place for his seclusion.

”So many days have passed. I wonder what level my brother will be able to break through to?” Xu Luo murmured, his eyes narrowing slightly. ”I only consumed a single elixir and already broke through to that realm. I’m just half a step away from ascending to the next one. My brother, he...”

Just then, an incredibly terrifying fluctuation of aura erupted from ahead, like a collapsing mountain of snow. The stone path beneath Xu Luo’s feet began to tremble violently.