Nine Dragons Saint Ancestor

”Hmph, so what if you have recovered to the late stage of Meridian Qi strength?”

As Shang Huiyu’s heart heated up, Xue Qi, seemingly touched by a streak of jealousy deep within her, sharply scolded and struck towards Yun Xiao’s eyes with the fingers of her right hand, displaying extreme ruthlessness.

”Eye-Enlightening Jade Hand? When... when did she learn this Mortal Rank Middle Level Meridian Technique?”

Seeing Xue Qi’s entire right hand turn crystal clear like jade from afar, Yun Wei’s face drastically changed. She had seen this powerful Meridian Technique performed by the geniuses of the Shang Family during their annual competition, but where did Xue Qi learn it from?

”Alas, Shang Huiyu holds her in such high regard, what does a mere Mortal Rank Middle Level Meridian Technique count for?” Shang Li seemed to understand the situation better than her daughter; after briefly pondering, she understood the reason, and her tone carried a hint of faint melancholy.

Due to her status and position, Shang Li, though bearing the Shang surname, received no favor in the Shang Family, resulting in the Meridian Techniques and Cultivation Techniques available to the siblings Yun Xiao and Yun Wei being only of low Mortal Rank, too shameful to even mention.

And now that Xue Qi had escaped their maternal binds, she had acquired a Mortal Rank Middle Level Meridian Technique, the disparity was simply too great; if one were to consider solely this aspect, Xue Qi’s betrayal seemed extremely wise.

”Eye-Enlightening Jade Hand? Daring to show off such a Mortal Rank Middle Level Meridian Technique in shame?”

Unknown to Shang Li and her daughters’ fraught worries, the party involved, Yun Xiao, sneered. Possessing the memories of Yun Xiao himself, he naturally had seen Eye-Enlightening Jade Hand before, and with the soul of the reborn Long Xiao Battle God, he regarded this Mortal Rank Middle Level Meridian Technique with disdain.

”Hmph, even if it is a Mortal Rank Middle Level Meridian Technique, it’s not something a waste at the late stage of Meridian Qi strength like you can handle!” Upon hearing Yun Xiao’s words, Shang Huiyu, not far away, immediately objected.

The Eye-Enlightening Jade Hand was a technique Shang Huiyu had taught to Xue Qi. Yun Xiao’s disdain for the Eye-Enlightening Jade Hand was indirectly belittling him, the esteemed young master of the Shang Family, naturally, he felt infuriated—an insult in his eyes.

Her fingers, now clear as jade, pointed rapidly towards Yun Xiao’s eyes, and with the peak Meridian Qi strength of Xue Qi, if he were merely a regular cultivator at the late stage of Meridian Qi strength, his eyes would probably be doomed—illustrating just how ruthless the transformed Xue Qi had become.

”The technique is quite good, but sadly you haven’t mastered it yet!”

Yun Xiao’s insights had long surpassed what they once were. Seeing him extend his right hand swiftly from below, as quick and ghostly as he was preemptive, touching Xue Qi’s wrist first.

This move was not a mere gesture—Yun Xiao, with the perspective of the Long Xiao Battle God, recognized that Xue Qi hadn’t even practiced Eye-Enlightening Jade Hand for half a month. As he said, she indeed hadn’t mastered it.

It was like effortlessly redirecting a powerful force; Xue Qi’s wrist, touched by Yun Xiao’s finger from below, instantly felt like it was electrocuted, rendering her right hand numb in that moment, causing her to hurriedly retreat several steps, her face full of shock and suspicion.

Yun Xiao’s move was as quick as lightning, and even Shang Huiyu, although a bystander, couldn’t see clearly how it was done. Nonetheless, Xue Qi’s withdrawal spoke volumes.

Shang Huiyu could clearly sense that Yun Xiao’s Cultivation was only at the late stage of Meridian Qi, not only far below Xue Qi, but also far from his own level. Thus, he concluded that this interaction was merely coincidental.

”It seems this lad has acquired something extraordinary in the Snake Nest!” Shang Huiyu thought heatedly, imagining if he could obtain that treasure, perhaps even a cultivator at the late stage of the Meridian Introduction Realm would hesitate to confront him.

”Xue Qi, don’t compete in techniques with this lad, crush him with Meridian Qi!” Shang Huiyu’s insight, as a cultivator of the Meridian Introduction Realm, was indeed unique, pinpointing the crux of the issue immediately.

Yun Xiao’s move did not involve much Meridian Qi, relying entirely on the vision and experience of his former life as the Long Xiao Battle God. Shang Huiyu believed that as long as Xue Qi exerted her full Meridian Qi, she would definitely emerge victorious.

Initially taking the upper hand, Xue Qi was frustrated and embarrassed to be forced into retreating by a single move from Yun Xiao. Now aligned with a higher power, if she still couldn’t surpass Yun Xiao, whom she deemed worthless, wouldn’t it mean she lacked discernment and foresight?

With Shang Huiyu’s guidance, Xue Qi quickly understood. Witnessing her Meridian Qi surge violently, an overwhelming aura affected even Yun Wei, changing her complexion nearby.

Yun Wei now understood that whether it was the day she broke Shang Xi’s arm at the gate of Snake Nest, or just now using a trick to force Xue Qi back, her little brother’s techniques were full of surprises. If it came to a direct comparison of Meridian Qi Cultivation, likely he would not match Xue Qi.

However, the next moment not only shocked and delighted Yun Wei and Shang Li but nearly made Shang Huiyu’s eyes pop out of his head, as the outcome seemed somewhat different than what he had anticipated.

Xue Qi’s peak Cultivation in Meridian Qi strength was indeed much higher than Yun Xiao’s, but this battle was not merely about Meridian Qi Cultivation—it was about cunning and insight.

By the reincarnated soul of Long Xiao Battle God, Yun Xiao’s combat experience was not something these Cultivators from Hidden Dragon Continent could compare to. At least for him, this was merely a slight gap in minor realms, not even worth his attention.

So, in the next instant, when Xue Qi expended all her Meridian Qi in a ferocious attack, Yun Xiao’s right hand fluttered like a nimble butterfly, dazzlingly moving up and down. After a confusing flurry, Xue Qi felt numbness in her hands, unable to muster even a shred of Meridian Qi.

This swift and sudden turn of events was so fast that even Huixu of the Channel Introduction Realm Middle Stage couldn’t see clearly. He only knew Xue Qi went forth with ferocity, only to end up hanging her arms limply, as if struck by some hex.

Slap!

Just as Huixu and Yun Wei mother and daughter were dumbfounded, a crisp slap rang out, followed by the clear sight of Xue Qi’s pale cheek swelling at a visible rate. Clearly, the sound came from her face.

”You... You dare to hit me?”

Having suffered alongside Shang Li since a young age, Xue Qi had never faced such humiliation. At that moment, her complexion twisted grotesquely, her sharp scream as if trying to pierce through the sky.

”This slap is for my mother, to return the favor of her thirteen years of nurturing you!” Yun Xiao’s face was expressionless, and his words turned Xue Qi’s half-swollen cheek an iron shade of blue.

While Yun Xiao spoke coldly, his hand moved like a ghost, ready to slap the other cheek. At that moment, Xue Qi’s hands and even her body seemed bound by some force, making her unable to move an inch.

In fact, it was only Xue Qi’s arms that couldn’t move; she was simply stunned into immobility by Yun Xiao’s unexpected action and words, seeming lost.

”Yun Xiao, stop!” At that moment, Huixu finally snapped back to reality, a trace of gloom crossing his face, and his harsh shout carried a hint of unusual anger.

Xue Qi, having chosen to leave Shang Li and his mother, first sought refuge with Huixu, thus he had already considered her one of his own. Her opportunistic nature brought him much comfort.

Huixu had initially thought that with Xue Qi’s Peak strength in Meridian Qi, subduing Yun Xiao would be a breeze. With the bet on Yun Xiao, evicting Shang Li and his family from the Shang Family would be completely justified.

However, little did he expect Yun Xiao to be so unpredictably formidable. With his Late Stage strength in Meridian Qi, he suppressed Peak level Xue Qi effortlessly, far beyond Huixu’s expectations.

But what angered Huixu even more, as the eldest young master of the Shang Family, he believed that his command would make Yun Xiao, who used to be utterly insignificant and always submissive, stop immediately.

But where did Huixu know, the previous Yun Xiao was indeed somewhat weak, but the soul of Long Xiao Battle God now inhabited his body, how could he back down just by Huixu’s word?

Slap!

Another crisp sound echoed, followed by the other side of Xue Qi’s pale cheek swelling up, just like the previous one, inflating rapidly.

”This slap is for the previous Yun Xiao, he was blind to have trusted such an ungrateful woman like you!” The meaning behind Yun Xiao’s words was perhaps only clear to him, others like Yun Wei and Shang Li only grasped the surface.

But seeing Xue Qi, who climbed through exploitation, have her cheeks swell up in an instant, Yun Wei felt a refreshing coolness in her heart as if ice water was poured down on a scorching day.

To be honest, even with Xue Qi’s forceful betrayal, Yun Wei never thought about seeking revenge, firstly because her own cultivation wasn’t higher than Xue Qi’s, and secondly, with Huixu’s support, acting rashly would only bring humiliation upon herself.

But ever since her brother emerged from the Snake Nest, first chastising Huixu’s lackey Shang Xi, and now having slapped Xue Qi until she was disoriented, Yun Wei felt an indescribable satisfaction as the stifled frustration in her heart was relieved.

Compared to Yun Wei’s simple thoughts, Shang Li’s eyes beside her held a trace of worry, especially sensing the formidable Meridian Qi emerging from Huixu, her heart sank even deeper.

Shang Li’s thoughts were much more complex than Yun Wei’s. Knowing that Huixu followed Xue Qi here, he certainly wouldn’t allow Yun Xiao to humiliate her this much. Probably, what’s next might be the raging fury of the Shang Family’s eldest young master.

”Ah!”

Following Yun Xiao’s two slaps, the intensely painful Xue Qi finally came to her senses, immediately letting out a piercing scream. At that moment, the pain on her face was the least of her concerns; it was her dignity that was utterly trampled under Yun Xiao’s feet.

”Huixu, my cousin, kill him!”