Nine Dragons Saint Ancestor

”Three days later, at the Shang Family’s Medicine Pavilion!”

Having gotten his answer, Yun Xiao put half of the jade pendant into his chest pocket, then whispered into Yin Huan’s ears, finally allowing him some relief.

Yin Huan wasn’t worried about Yun Xiao pulling any tricks; the trio, being merely at the early stage of Meridian Gathering Realm, could be crushed by him with a flick of a finger. Moreover, after today’s events, the Shang Family wouldn’t likely stand up for Yun Xiao again, right?

Just as Yin Huan was about to turn and leave, Yun Xiao suddenly remembered something and asked, ”Brother Yin Huan, I heard that the Jade Pot Sect is recruiting Outer Disciples. I wonder if I’m eligible to participate?”

At these words, Yin Huan’s steps faltered, and the people of the Shang Family began to clamor, especially Shang Ying, who had been humiliated earlier, responded angrily, ”Yun Xiao, don’t even think about that spot. It’s reserved for Huixu!”

”Shang Huiyu? Him?”

Hearing this, Yun Xiao turned his head and looked at Shang Huiyu, whose face was twisted with resentment. Though Yun Xiao’s cold laugh was brief, its meaning was clear to everyone.

It should be noted that earlier, Shang Huiyu had been defeated by Yun Xiao, breaking his wrist with just one move, even his grandfather, who tried to intervene, ended up being humiliated by Yun Xiao.

So, solely in terms of talent and combat power, Yun Xiao was not inferior to Shang Huiyu. His questioning was justified, and even Yin Huan felt a spark of admiration.

”Our Jade Pot Sect’s place for an Outer Sect Disciple is reserved for the Shang Family, not for any particular individual. As long as it’s the most talented person from the Shang Family, it’s fine!” Yin Huan didn’t directly answer Yun Xiao’s question but essentially gave his answer.

”In that case, I’m in no hurry to leave the Shang Family. After all, I share half of the Shang Family’s bloodline. I should compete for that spot!” Yun Xiao said with a slight smile, and his words made everyone from the Shang Family inwardly seethe.

Earlier, after slapping Shang Ying, Yun Xiao claimed he surnamed Yun not Shang. But now, for that spot in the Jade Pot Sect, he brazenly claimed ties with the Shang Family. The thickness of his face was truly astounding.

Yin Huan wasn’t particularly concerned. He valued the method Yun Xiao previously mentioned to resolve certain matters, so after speaking, he turned to leave again.

However, just then, Yin Huan suddenly remembered something and said without turning back, ”During this period, I hope the Shang Family won’t take private revenge on Yun Xiao. Otherwise, bear the consequences!”

As his voice faded, Yin Huan’s figure had already disappeared beyond the doors of the Righteous Hall, leaving the people of the Shang Family looking at each other, speechless for a long time.

To be honest, Shang Ying did contemplate seeking revenge after Yin Huan left, thinking about settling scores from the autumn account for the humiliation Yun Xiao caused him in the Righteous Hall today. Even killing him ten times would not quench his thirst for revenge.

However, Yin Huan’s veiled threat as he left made even Shang Ying too afraid to act rashly. The Jade Pot Sect was a colossal entity that the Shang Family couldn’t provoke, despite Yin Huan being only an Inner Sect Disciple of the Jade Pot Sect.

With this matter concluded for now, Yun Xiao no longer wished to stay and watch the faces of these people from the Shang Family. He knew that after today’s events, their future in the Shang Family would be even more difficult.

His pursuit of the spot in the Jade Pot Sect was exactly for this reason. The once Long Xiao Battle God, a figure so revered that even the highest echelons of the Nine-layered Dragon Cloud wouldn’t disrespect him, now had to adapt to the new realities and start over. His past glory was nowhere to be seen.

An Inner Sect Disciple from the Jade Pot Sect could make many powerful people from the Shang Family grit their teeth and swallow their blood. Yun Xiao wondered if he were to join the Jade Pot Sect and earn a status as an Inner Sect Disciple, would these scheming individuals of the Shang Family still dare to command Shang Li and her daughter around?

”Mother, let’s go back!”

Without even glancing at Shang Ying and the others’ resentful looks, Yun Xiao helped Shang Li, and the three of them quickly left the Righteous Hall.

Until now, Shang Li and Yun Wei were still in a dreamlike state. They had never imagined that their first visit to the Righteous Hall could have turned out so triumphant, all thanks to Yun Xiao.

”Little brother, what exactly did you say to Yin Huan? How come he listened to you so obediently?”

Yun Wei was the type who couldn’t hide her curiosity. On the way back, she couldn’t help but ask. Yun Xiao had many secrets that he couldn’t easily disclose, so he barely managed to fabricate a lie to brush it off.

Seeing that Yun Wei didn’t pursue the matter further, Yun Xiao sighed in relief, took a Jade Bottle from his chest, and said, ”Sister, could you lend me your Meridian Rushing Pill for a bit? I promise I’ll return a higher quality Meridian Rushing Pill to you later!”

”You and I are siblings; why even talk about borrowing? Just take it!” Yun Wei was in a great mood and agreed without a second thought, still seemingly immersed in the joy of the moment.

”Xiao’er, you want this Meridian Rushing Pill, could it be that...” Shang Li, who was calm by nature, thought of a possibility, and upon the realization, she was both shocked and overjoyed.

The Meridian Rushing Pill is an auxiliary elixir used for breaking through to the Meridian Introduction Realm. Generally, only cultivators at the peak of Meridian Qi strength are qualified to consume it, and Shang Li, having realized this possibility, showed a look of surprise and delight.

Upon hearing this, Yun Xiao nodded and said, ”After my two battles with Shang Huiyu, I should be able to reach the peak of Meridian Qi strength soon. By then, perhaps I could use this Meridian Rushing Pill to try and break through to the Meridian Introduction Realm!”

”Really, that would be wonderful!” Upon receiving a positive response from Yun Xiao, Yun Wei beside him became even more excited, seemingly even happier than if she had made the breakthrough herself.

However, what neither mother nor daughter noticed was the strange flicker in Yun Xiao’s eyes as he spoke; his request for the Meridian Rushing Pill was not for such a simple reason.

Shang Li looked at her beloved son with affectionate eyes. Suddenly, her expression hardened as she quickly stepped forward and asked, ”Xiao’er, where is the Blood Moon Jade you wore around your neck?”

Suddenly hearing the hint of panic in her mother’s voice, Yun Xiao was taken aback, but after a brief pondering, he realized what Shang Li was referring to, and his heart stirred. He reached out, opening his palm.

”Mother, do you mean this?” Yun Xiao extended his right palm towards Shang Li, and then the blood-red crescent mark in the center of his palm was presented before Shang Li’s eyes.

”Could this... this be the transformation of the Blood Moon Jade?” Shang Li widened her eyes, exclaiming in surprise. She knew every part of her beloved son’s body like the back of her hand, but as far as she knew, Yun Xiao’s right palm had never borne such a blood-red crescent mark before.

”Eh?” Even Yun Wei, who was nearby, got curious and came closer, grabbing Yun Xiao’s right palm and examining it from left to right, her beautiful eyes filled with confusion and perplexity.

”It should be. Before I entered the Snake Nest, the Jade was on my neck, but when I came out, it had disappeared, and this mark appeared on my palm!” Yun Xiao first explained, and knowing certain memories, he also knew this must be the truth.

However, what Yun Xiao was concerned about wasn’t this mark. Seeing his mother deep in thought with lowered eyes, he couldn’t help but ask, ”Mother, you have always refused to tell me where the Blood Moon Jade really came from. Can you tell me now?”

Hearing Yun Xiao’s question, Shang Li finally raised her head, gently stroked the back of her son’s head, and then said, ”Since the Blood Moon Jade has merged into your body, it is indeed no longer right to keep you in the dark. This Blood Moon Jade was actually left by your... your father!”

”Father?”

The moment Shang Li said this, both Yun Xiao and Yun Wei were momentarily stunned. To be honest, since they could remember, they only knew they had a mother and had never known a father.

Even in the hearts of these siblings, there was no lack of resentment towards this father; had he not abandoned their mother, why would they have suffered such disdain and humiliation in the Shang Family?

”Mother, our father... who is he?” Yun Xiao, being more than an ordinary person, quickly calmed down and asked this critical question, also extremely curious about this piece of his missing memory.

”Your father... Ah, I too do not know who he really is, and moreover, you...”

It seemed Shang Li thought of something, sighed softly, but did not continue, only saying, ”Just concentrate on your cultivation. Perhaps when you reach a certain realm, you can go and find the real answer!”

Mother didn’t say more, and the Yun siblings didn’t feel it right to press further. However, after this incident, their regard for this absent father, who sired children yet was unknown even to their mother, diminished even further—what kind of father could possibly do such a thing?

The family of three chatted a bit and soon returned to the small courtyard. Yun Xiao went straight into his own room; after the day’s events, he felt more than ever that enhancing his Meridian Qi Cultivation was of utmost importance. Otherwise, even a Meridian Gathering Realm cultivator like Shang Ying would be a significant headache for him.

Night fell.

Across the entire Shang Family manor, peace seemed to return at the moment the night descended, yet in a secluded small courtyard, in one of the rooms, sat a youth in coarse clothes, cross-legged—it was Yun Xiao.

Around Yun Xiao, there lingered a faint, peculiar aura. It seemed to be the Meridian Qi produced from cultivation, yet also seemed to contain something else, presenting a somewhat mysterious aspect.

”Whew...”

At a certain moment, Yun Xiao on the bed opened his eyes, exhaled a breath of stale air, and murmured, ”This ’Ancient Dragon Taming Technique’ is truly miraculous, not only quickly replenishing the lost Meridian Qi but even advancing it further. I wonder what grade this Cultivation Technique is?”