Nine Dragons Saint Ancestor

”Back in the day, your grandfather and that third uncle from the Shang Family had a life-and-death bond, boasting the gallant words ’Li Feng suppresses the evil hordes, sheathing his sword with a smile for Hongzhuang,’ and it is from this that your and Yun Xiao’s names derive. The marriage arrangement between our two families was intended to proceed once you and Yun Xiao came of age. Who could have predicted such an event would occur.”

Xu Lingsong’s tone was full of emotion, yet if one were to listen carefully, there wasn’t a trace of sorrow in his words. Xu Hongzhuang, still reeling from shock, of course noticed nothing.

”But this might be for the better. I’ve heard that a few months ago, Yun Xiao, in an attempt to heal someone, accidentally damaged all his meridians. Not only has he completely lost his Meridian Qi, but he also can no longer cultivate it. I certainly wouldn’t want my precious daughter to marry such a cripple!”

Xu Lingsong seemed to get carried away as he voiced some hidden thoughts, and once they were spoken out loud, Xu Hongzhuang finally became aware, her beautiful eyes staring bewilderedly at her father.

”Father, did you already know about Yun Xiao’s meridian damage?”

Xu Hongzhuang fixed her gaze on her father, posing her question. It was then that Xu Lingsong realized he had been indiscreet, but almost immediately, he heard his daughter continue, ”Over a month ago, Elder Yu Qian left Lingyun City for some time – does it have something to do with this matter?”

Xu Hongzhuang’s sudden interrogation caught Xu Lingsong off guard, but as the present Sect Master of Lingyun Sect accustomed to dealing with tempestuous events, his face remained composed despite his inner startlement.

”Hongzhuang, are you suggesting that I orchestrated the annihilation of the Shang Family? Do I really appear so contemptible in your eyes?” Xu Lingsong feigned anger, his words carrying a tint of heartfelt pain, creating the image of a misunderstood and aggrieved father.

”Father, it’s not that I want to suspect you, I just want to find out the truth of the matter. Besides, with Yun Xiao’s meridian injury, you wouldn’t be incapable of doing these things for my sake!” Xu Hongzhuang wasn’t swayed by her father’s act, remaining exceptionally rational at this moment.

Xu Lingsong, who knew his daughter through and through, was aware that she wouldn’t believe him without a solid explanation. His mind worked quickly for a solution.

”Alright, I did have such thoughts!”

Upon hearing this from Xu Lingsong, Xu Hongzhuang’s expression subtly changed, but he immediately continued, ”But Hongzhuang, you should be aware, while our Lingyun Sect ranks amongst the foremost in Lingtian Empire, the Shang Family is from the Xuanyue Empire. Even with our reach, the Lingyun Sect’s hand can’t stretch that far, can it?”

Seeing Xu Hongzhuang silently pondering, Xu Lingsong continued, ”Furthermore, during this period, not only I but also your grandfather and the old Sect Master have been staying within the sect. Do you think just Elder Yu Qian alone could travel thousands of miles to exterminate the Shang Family?”

”That does make sense!” Xu Hongzhuang finally nodded, prompting Xu Lingsong to breathe a deep sigh of relief inwardly, thanking his lucky stars this ordeal was past, for if his daughter really got to the bottom of things, it would be a painful headache.

”If it wasn’t father, then who could it be? Who could have such deep-seated hatred against the Shang Family to wipe them out entirely?” Xu Hongzhuang’s face was full of doubt, but Xu Lingsong opposite her remained silent.

”Father, our Lingyun Sect has some relations with the Shang Family, not to mention a marriage alliance. We cannot neglect to avenge this atrocity. Can you promise me to help find the culprit for the Shang Family?” Xu Hongzhuang suddenly lifted her head, looking at her father and speaking resolutely.

”That... of course!” Although Xu Lingsong uttered the word ”naturally,” his daughter failed to notice the unrest in his heart. The cause and effect of the matter might stay hidden for a lifetime.

For a while, the grand hall was enveloped in an unusual silence, until after a long time, Xu Hongzhuang sighed softly. With regards to Yun Xiao, whom she was betrothed to since childhood but had never met, her heart was filled with feelings, but at this point, it was already too late for regrets.

The half Jade Pendant that Xu Hongzhuang held in her hand seemed to sting her palm slightly. That pendant, given personally by her ancestor, when would she meet its other half again?

...

Grass and wildflowers flourished, rocks and stones as ever.

A whole year had passed since the Shang Family was exterminated. Over the past year, the corpses in the Shang Family manor had long turned to white bones, the only things unchanged were the rocks and flora.

Perhaps even these plants were not the same ones from a year ago. A year’s time is enough to dilute many memories and to change many things, such as the Shang Family manor.

Once prospering in Moon Bow City, now, after a year of decline, the Shang Family manor was overrun with weeds. If not for the two black-clad Cultivators who had to stay because of certain orders, this place would likely be a desolate haunted house.

Upon the artificial hill, unchanged throughout the years, the hidden cave surrounded by weeds seemed a bit obscure. Deep within this cave, there lay a figure that had been in slumber for a year. His right hand’s index finger seemed to twitch ever so slightly.

Naturally, this figure was none other than Yun Xiao, who had entered into the Snake Nest to fight for his life, triggering an array of mishaps. It’s unclear why, after being in a coma for an entire year, he had not died. But at this moment, the twitch of his right index finger was followed by his eyelids fluttering without purpose.

Whoosh!

The hazy and blurred scene suddenly became clear, and Yun Xiao, in some state of being, appeared to enter another perspective. In front of him stood a robust figure adorned with a Dragon Crown, and in this figure’s hand was a majestic spear held with great presence.

”Ah, it hurts!”

In the midst of the haze, Yun Xiao couldn’t help but cry out in pain as his gaze, location unknown, suddenly shifted downward, immediately realizing the source of the intense pain.

One end of the majestic spear was held in the hands of the robust figure, and its tip had already pierced through Yun Xiao’s chest, a stench of blood assaulting his nostrils, leaving him uncertain of his surroundings.

”Your... Your Majesty, why?”

A voice filled with boundless sorrow and bewilderment rang out, yet what Yun Xiao saw was a blurred face with a ferocious smile; no matter how wide he opened his eyes, he could not make out the robust figure’s appearance apart from that grimacing smile.

”Your Majesty, for a thousand years, I have battled for you, accumulating scars upon scars, finally securing the Nine-layered Dragon Cloud, why do you still deal me this poisonous hand?” The low voice continued to emit, filled with profound puzzlement.

”Heh heh, indeed, you have established great achievements for me, but now the Nine-layered Dragon Cloud, knows only of you, the Long Xiao Battle God and not me. I fear that in a few more years, you would climb atop my head!” The laugh of the robust figure came through, though his face remained indistinct.

”Your Majesty, we were once as close as brothers, back then I swore to recognize you as my elder brother for life. I refuse to believe this is your reason for wanting me dead!” It seemed as though he was shaking his head, his voice thick with disbelief.

”You are indeed still that astute Long Xiao Battle God!” The wrist of the robust figure moved slightly, causing the man opposite to gasp in pain, before he heard him say: ”Indeed, I want to kill you, not because you are too meritorious, but... for her!”

Upon these words, Yun Xiao’s unknowing gaze suddenly envisioned an equally blurred, graceful figure, feeling his own body shudder violently, and then, as if all strength had left him at that moment.

”Wan’er, you... you... you...”

His voice was trembling to the extreme, never completing his sentence, but this only further inflamed the robust figure’s anger. With one hand he yanked out the spear lodged in the Long Xiao Battle God’s body, blood spurting far and wide.

”I’m sorry, with you, I could only ever cower at home, to be a wife and mother; but with him, I could become the Dragon Empress, adored by millions!” A faint voice came from the indistinct graceful woman, calm, yet striking at the Long Xiao Battle God’s heart like a massive iron hammer.

Already weakened by the spear through his heart, the Long Xiao Battle God could take no more, spurting out a jet of crimson blood and then knew no more.

...

”Ah!”

Within the artificial hill of the Shang Family manor, a meaningless loud shout echoed, followed swiftly by Yun Xiao’s eyes snapping open, sitting bolt upright.

However, the Yun Xiao who sat up appeared somewhat confused, his lifeless eyes staring fixedly at the empty cavern, completely unaware of his whereabouts.

”What... what place is this? Wasn’t I dead?”

The outside Yun Xiao seemed dazed, but deep within his soul, a voice murmured, its tone full of dense confusion.

”Emperor Canglong... Wan’er...”

Two names flitted across his mind like nightmares but, in the next instant, the voice screamed out in agony, subsiding only after a long time.

”So it was all a dream, my soul was reborn into this Yun Xiao a year ago!” After a fierce bout of pain, the voice deep within the soul finally remembered some things, and the complexity lessened.

”I’ve been unconscious for an entire year?!” Yun Xiao unearthed his memories, recalling past events; his consciousness gradually became clear, but the next moment, he felt another peculiar sensation.

”Eh... Eh... Hey, kiddo, where do you think you’re going?”

Just as Yun Xiao was regaining his senses, he suddenly found that his body was moving on its own, standing up and walking straight towards the entrance of the cave.

A year ago, the Long Xiao Battle God had been reborn inside Yun Xiao, and he could freely control this new body, his cultivation of Meridian Qi flowing without hindrance.

But now, both Yun Xiao’s body and the Long Xiao Battle God’s soul were in an inexplicable state, causing Yun Xiao’s body to move instinctively, beyond control.

It appears that some unknown changes must have occurred within him during this past year.