Nine Dragons Saint Ancestor

Chapter 31: 31 Shang Huiyu’s Ancestor Vein

Yun Xiao was none other than the reincarnation of the Long Xiao Battle God. In his previous life, during his glory days, he had witnessed countless secret techniques of the Nine-layered Dragon Cloud to enhance strength, and he was already extremely familiar with the aura of those secret techniques.

And the reason Yun Xiao was so certain that the increase in Shang Huiyu’s cultivation was not due to a secret technique was because he had sensed another familiar aura from Shang Huiyu’s current state.

”Could it be... the Ancestor Vein?!”

In the next moment, Yun Xiao no longer had any doubts. His powerful soul power clearly sensed a line on the back of Shang Huiyu’s right hand resembling a blue vein, bursting forth.

Yun Xiao himself had activated an Ancestor Vein before, and in his previous life, he had experience in activating ten Ancestor Veins. He was absolutely confident that the blue line on the back of Shang Huiyu’s right hand was indeed an Ancestor Vein.

”So that’s how it is!”

By this moment, Yun Xiao had already come to a realization, and his gaze turned toward an old man with white beard seated in the northern chairs, realizing why Shang Huiyu could successfully activate an Ancestor Vein even at the Meridian Introduction Realm rank.

From the moment he stepped onto the platform, Yun Xiao had long sensed that the bearded old man was a genuine Meridian Refining Master, and moreover, a formidable one at the Mortal Rank Advanced level.

In Yun Xiao’s memories, this white-bearded old man had never appeared. It seemed very likely that the Family Head of the Shang Family had invited him from outside specifically to ensure that Shang Huiyu could secure the Outer Disciple spot of the Jade Pot Sect.

Now it seemed that whatever price Shang Yan had paid this time was truly worth it. Not only had Shang Huiyu’s Meridian Qi Cultivation been forcibly enhanced to the Meridian Introduction Realm Late Stage, but he had even activated an Ancestor Vein that he hadn’t managed to activate when breaking through to the Meridian Introduction Realm.

However, the Ancestor Vein that Shang Huiyu activated was far too inferior compared to the one that spanned Yun Xiao’s entire right arm. Yun Xiao could clearly see that Shang Huiyu’s Ancestor Vein was merely three inches short on the arm.

And just such a short Ancestor Vein had actually caused Shang Huiyu’s Meridian Qi Cultivation to break through from the Meridian Introduction Realm Late Stage directly to the peak of Meridian Introduction Realm. Such was the power of the Ancestor Vein, and it was also the fortune that cultivators on the continent desperately sought.

Unfortunately, Ancestor Veins were hard to come by, requiring not just luck, but also powerful ancestors. The Shang Family’s lineage was not very long, and it had to be said that luck played a major part in Shang Huiyu’s fortune.

Not to mention that in the recent four to five generations of the Shang Family, besides Family Head Shang Yan, who had activated an Ancestor Vein upon breaking through to the Meridian Rushing Realm and reaching the Spiritual Rank Three Realms, no other member of the Shang Family clan had such fortune.

If Shang Huiyu truly defeats Yun Xiao with the talent of activating an Ancestor Vein in the Meridian Introduction Realm, the position of the future Family Head of the Shang Family is undoubtedly his, and his achievements might even surpass Shang Yan’s.

Setting aside the numerous thoughts running through Yun Xiao’s mind, Shang Huiyu, whose Meridian Qi had risen to the peak of Meridian Introduction Realm, had a face full of triumphant satisfaction as he laughed heartily: ”Yun Xiao, didn’t expect I would activate the Ancestor Vein, right? Oh, that’s right, with your petty experience, you probably don’t even know what an Ancestor Vein is, do you?”

First, Shang Huiyu let out a hearty laugh, and then his face showed a look of disdain. Indeed, as he said, in his memory, Yun Xiao had always stayed in a secluded courtyard, his greatest extent of activities confined to the Shang Family. Perhaps he truly had never heard of something like the Ancestor Vein.

In Shang Huiyu’s mind, the fact that Yun Xiao could stand with him on this platform today was merely due to the treasure he had acquired from the Snake Nest; how could such a parvenu possibly compare with him?

As the Shang Family’s eldest young master let out a boisterous laugh, Yun Xiao hadn’t reacted yet, but the members of the Shang Family clan below instantly erupted into an uproar. Compared to Yun Xiao, they were more like the ones who had never seen the world.

The reality was that any cultivator who started cultivating Meridian Qi would be informed about Ancestor Veins by their family or teachers because, in theory, every cultivator had the opportunity to activate an Ancestor Vein.

However, the conditions were somewhat stringent, and without a profound legacy, it was generally impossible to activate an Ancestor Vein. Even some massive families with thousands of years of inheritance might fail to activate an Ancestor Vein.

In the entire Shang Family, previously only Family Head Shang Yan had activated an Ancestor Vein. Additionally, it was during his breakthrough to the Meridian Rushing Realm and attainment of the Spiritual Rank Three Realms, which had already caused great joy among the previous generation of Shang Family warriors, thus granting him the position of this generation’s Family Head.

And now, Shang Huiyu had activated an Ancestor Vein while still at the Meridian Introduction Realm rank, which was incredibly inconceivable, perhaps signaling an imminent rise for the Shang Family.

All of the Shang Family clan members had a fiery and envious look in their eyes, especially Shang Huifeng, whose gaze had swept across Yan Cheng, the Mortal Rank Advanced Meridian Refining Master.

Shang Huifeng thought to himself that after this matter was settled, he must get his grandfather to seek out that existence. Perhaps he too could activate an Ancestor Vein. At the very least, he could achieve a small realm increase in cultivation just like Shang Huiyu had.

As for people like Shang Yan and Shang Ying seated in the northern chairs, they had already been aware of the outcome, so their hearts were filled with more anticipation, looking forward to the surprised and desperate expression that Yun Xiao, who had just had the upper hand, would soon reveal.

But the fact was that Shang Yan and the others were all disappointed. Even though Shang Huiyu had activated an Ancestor Vein and had elevated his Meridian Qi Cultivation to the Peak of Meridian Introduction Realm, Yun Xiao’s face remained as calm as before, seemingly not at all intimidated by Shang Huiyu’s state.

Such a reaction from Yun Xiao, not only surprised Shang Yan and Shang Ying, but also greatly dissatisfied Shang Huiyu on the stage. This was not the script he had in mind.

The discontented Shang Huiyu then coldly spoke up the next moment: ”Yun Xiao, I can give you another chance. Just admit defeat now, come to me and kowtow three times. Perhaps I might spare your dog life!”

With an activated Ancestor Vein and the resulting promotion to the Peak of Meridian Introduction Realm, Shang Huiyu indeed had the confidence to say such words. Moreover, in his view, any person keen on survival would make the right choice.

Sometimes, dignity really can be disregarded when compared to one’s own life. After all, when a person dies, everything is lost. To be alive at least provides a slim chance to make a comeback.

Yet how could Yun Xiao possibly accept such a condition? Even the Peak of Meridian Introduction Realm Shang Huiyu was not qualified to force him into despair and retreat because he is Long Xiao Battle God, the peerless war deity who once made countless top warriors of the Nine-layered Dragon Cloud turn pale at the mere mention of his name.

”Tsk tsk, just an insignificant three-inch Ancestor Vein, and you are so proud of it. You really haven’t seen the world!”

After Shang Huiyu finished speaking, Yun Xiao finally raised his head. The words he uttered not only instantly darkened Shang Huiyu’s face but also displeased all the Shang Family clanspeople below.

That is an Ancestor Vein. Can such a thing really be described with words like ”just” and ”insignificant”? In the entire Shang Family of more than a hundred people, only two have activated Ancestor Veins. Do you, Yun Xiao, treat Ancestor Veins like cabbages?

At this moment, most of the Shang Family clanspeople believed that Yun Xiao was just bluffing. This kind of sour grapes mentality, in fact, they also possessed – it was just not as ”obvious” as Yun Xiao’s.

With those words, Shang Huiyu’s last bit of patience was finally worn away, and he shouted coldly: ”Since you look down on the Ancestor Vein, this young master will let you witness the true power of the Ancestor Vein!”

As his voice fell, a surge of Meridian Qi suddenly burst forth from Shang Huiyu, twice as powerful as before. This was the genuine provenance of the Peak of Meridian Introduction Realm Cultivation, entirely unlike the prior Shang Huiyu.

When the Meridian Qi emerged from Shang Huiyu’s body, everyone saw clearly that the palms of the great young master of the Shang Family turned jet black at that moment. Only the blue Ancestor Vein on the back of his right hand became even more visible.

”Black Gold Palm, Gold-breaking Jade-cutting!”

A deep shout came from Shang Huiyu’s mouth, and upon hearing the name of this palm Meridian Technique, the numerous Shang Family clanspeople gasped again because they were all too familiar with this technique.

”It’s actually Black Gold Palm. I did not expect the Family Head would pass this Meridian Technique to Brother Huiyu!”

”That’s a Low Level Spiritual Rank Meridian Technique. It would be great if I could learn it!”

”Pfft, a Low Level Spiritual Rank Meridian Technique. You have to be at the Meridian Gathering Realm to start learning it. If you try to force it, I’m afraid your hand’s meridians will be instantly severed!”

”Then why can Brother Huiyu practice it?”

”Heh heh, isn’t it all thanks to that Ancestor Vein!”

”...”

Whispers of discussion rose from below the stage, filled with shock and envy in their tones, because the Meridian Technique displayed by Shang Huiyu at this point had reached the Low Level Spiritual Rank.

Generally speaking, a Low Level Spiritual Rank Meridian Technique is most suitable for practitioners at the Meridian Rushing Realm to cultivate, and only those at the Third Realm of the Spiritual Rank can achieve Great Success with a Spiritual Rank Meridian Technique.

As for Meridian Gathering Realm cultivators, they could also practice Low Level Spiritual Rank Meridian Techniques, but they could at most reach Minor Success and could not unleash the full power.

So why could Shang Huiyu, at the Peak of Meridian Introduction Realm, also practice a Low Level Spiritual Rank Meridian Technique? Just as that Shang Family member said, it was thanks to the blessing of the activated Ancestor Vein. Without this Ancestor Vein, perhaps Shang Huiyu would have ended up like those ordinary Meridian Introduction Realm cultivators, with their palm meridians completely shattered.

Regardless, Shang Huiyu, who succeeded in activating the Ancestor Vein with Yan Cheng’s help, has become the most dazzling person in the Shang Family. For such a genius who might be the future pillar of the Shang Family, Shang Yan, the Family Head would naturally not be stingy, of course skewing various resources towards him.

Thus, at this moment, when this Low Level Spiritual Rank palm Meridian Technique was exhibited by the Shang Family, it was far more powerful than the Mortal Rank Advanced Vajra Arm. Could Yun Xiao still block it as easily as before?