Nine Dragons Saint Ancestor

”Roar!”

The roar of a tiger came from not far from the entrance of Medicine Valley, causing many young geniuses who had entered the valley to feel a chill in their hearts, and they all kept their distance.

This Red-tailed Tiger Crocodile was a low-level Third Rank Vein Demon. Neither Zhao Ningshu nor Cao Luo could handle it alone, let alone these Meridian Introduction Realm cultivators.

Perhaps only Xuan Zhi, the Third Prince of the Empire in the Meridian Gathering Realm Middle Stage, could stealthily bypass the Red-tailed Tiger Crocodile and enter Medicine Valley, right?

The Third Prince Xuan Zhi of the Empire had naturally witnessed the fight. Especially when he saw Zhao and Cao being held up by the Red-tailed Tiger Crocodile and the skinny figure of the young man in coarse clothing disappearing at the mouth of the valley, he felt like his lungs were about to explode with rage.

”Damn beast, you also want to stand in my way?”

Seeing that it was impossible to catch up with Yun Xiao, Xuan Zhi, overcome with extreme rage, had now displaced his anger onto the Red-tailed Tiger Crocodile.

Bang!

Barely catching up to this area, an enraged Xuan Zhi sent a powerful palm strike directly at the Red-tailed Tiger Crocodile’s vulnerable underbelly, flipping the massive creature over and momentarily preventing it from getting up.

Xuan Zhi, seizing the opportunity, didn’t let up on the tiger crocodile after flipping it over. The crescent blade he had been clenching in his right hand shot out, transforming into a bright white streak of light.

Snap!

A crisp sound was heard. Whatever material Xuan Zhi’s weapon was made of, it sliced through and severed the tiger-shaped head of the Red-tailed Tiger Crocodile after the flash of white light, producing that crisp noise.

Seeing the fountain-like spurt of crimson blood from where the neck had been cut, Zhao Ningshu and Cao Luo were both shocked to their cores. They had just fought with this Third Rank low-level Vein Demon, and despite their combined efforts, they could not subdue it. Yet, Xuan Zhi had decapitated it within two moves.

Zhao Ningshu and Cao Luo were genuinely afraid that if they had failed just now to complete the task given by Xuan Zhi, the Third Prince might treat them like he did the Red-tailed Tiger Crocodile, which was not an impossibility.

These two might be overthinking it. Xuan Zhi could easily kill a Vein Demon, but he dared not slaughter these young geniuses from various major families of the Empire without reason, as it could undermine the foundation of the Empire. If the Emperor found out, he would be in big trouble.

Having killed the Third Rank low-level Red-tailed Tiger Crocodile, Xuan Zhi’s boiling anger seemed to have found some release. Perhaps this was his true strength. Previously, the thought of letting a late-stage Meridian Introduction Realm ant slip away had never even crossed his mind.

After calming his anger, a smile actually found its way onto Xuan Zhi’s face. He clasped his fist to the two beside him and said, ”Thank you both for your assistance. To show my gratitude, I will not take any herbs from inside Medicine Valley!”

Once Xuan Zhi spoke these words, Zhao Ningshu and Cao Luo were pleasantly surprised. Originally feeling uneasy, they could not help but want to befriend the Third Prince even more.

However, Xuan Zhi did not seem interested in further conversation. After a flash of cold light in his eyes, he turned and left the valley, making Zhao Ningshu and Cao Luo’s faces rather embarrassed.

But when they thought of the Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures inside Medicine Valley, Zhao and Cao couldn’t help but be excited again. With Xuan Zhi gone, wouldn’t these two early-stage Meridian Gathering Realm geniuses be without rivals?

Oh no, it wasn’t without rivals!

After considering a possibility, Zhao Ningshu and Cao Luo, as if in tacit understanding, stepped back three steps from each other and then exchanged a glance before heading silently towards the depths of Medicine Valley.

Although the most precious Purple Energy Flower Lotus had been taken by Yun Xiao, this was, after all, Medicine Valley, a place guarded by a Third Rank low-level Vein Demon where few would dare to tread. They should be able to gather the necessary herbs for the trial within this valley.

It is worth mentioning that because Zhao and Cao families were overwhelmed by their greed, they had no intention of dealing with Tan Yun and the others, which could mean some considerable harvest for them.

...

Swoosh!

In the depths of the dense forest in Yulin Mountain Range, a whooshing sound suddenly broke the silence, and soon after, a young man in coarse cloth emerged, looking somewhat ragged.

This coarsely dressed young man was, of course, Yun Xiao, who had fled in panic from Medicine Valley. Half a day had passed since that battle, and he told himself that after changing directions several times, Xuan Zhi should be unable to catch up with him.

Night had fallen, and Yun Xiao dared not light a fire to roast food, so he could only pick some wild fruits to appease his hunger. After wrapping his stomach, he climbed up a large tree, and under the cover of the dense forest, slightly furrowed his brows.

”Purple Energy Flower Lotus!”

Yun Xiao reached into his bosom and took out the lotus flower that emitted a faint purple glow even in the dark night, murmuring to himself as if struggling with a decision.

The Purple Energy Flower Lotus is a low-level Spiritual Rank herb. Its greatest effect is to refine the Purple Beauty Pill, an elixir that allows cultivators at the Meridian Rushing Realm to advance a minor realm. It is indeed coveted by many families on the continent.

But at this moment, Yun Xiao encountered a problem because the news that he had obtained the Purple Energy Flower Lotus had undoubtedly spread. With such a treasure in possession, not only would Xuan Zhi trouble him, but any cultivator who lusted for the Purple Energy Flower Lotus might attack him.

”It seems I need to find time to acquire a Waist Storage!”

This was the greatest anxiety in Yun Xiao’s heart, for without a Waist Storage, he could only keep the Purple Energy Flower Lotus in his bosom, and the aura of such heavenly materials and earthly treasures was constantly released, especially obvious to some Meridian Refining Masters.

Despite its commonality, how could Yun Xiao, with his former status in the Shang Family, afford a Waist Storage? Hadn’t Xue Qi been overjoyed to receive one as a gift from Shang Huiyu?

Later, after Yun Xiao had been in a deep slumber for years and was tortured by the Talisman Poison Master and disciple, taken back to Jade Pot Sect, he came close to death and never had the chance to obtain a Waist Storage. It was only now that he realized the importance of storing treasures in a Waist Storage.

”Since I can’t completely mask the aura of this Purple Energy Flower Lotus, I have no choice but to give it a try!”

Yun Xiao stared at the lotus flower emanating purple light. After a moment, a change flickered in his eyes, and his expression became resolute. The murmuring from his mouth indicated that he had made a decision.

The next instant, Yun Xiao reached out his right hand, plucked a petal from the Purple Energy Flower Lotus, and directly placed it into his mouth. After lightly chewing it a few times, he swallowed.

Yun Xiao’s actions were swift; within just a few breaths, he had ingested the entire Purple Energy Flower Lotus as if it was a meal. This act, akin to a cow eating peonies, would surely provoke a slap from any Spiritual Rank Meridian Refining Master who saw it, potentially slapping this wasteful and ignorant lad to death.

A genuine low-level Spiritual Rank herb, the Purple Energy Flower Lotus was capable of refining into a Purple Beauty Pill that could enhance a cultivator in the Meridian Rushing Realm by an entire minor realm.

Even though the Purple Energy Flower Lotus was just one of the main ingredients, the energy contained within was not something a cultivator at the late stage of the Meridian Introduction Realm could withstand.

If an ordinary cultivator at the late stage of the Meridian Introduction Realm dared to consume the Purple Energy Flower Lotus as Yun Xiao did, the most likely outcome would be bleeding from all orifices to death, which is what is meant by ’the emptiness cannot be replenished’.

The reason for calling it a waste was that if Yun Xiao were to die from the violent energy of the Purple Energy Flower Lotus, this low-level Spiritual Rank herb would also be squandered, a rarity that’s stumbled upon but cannot be sought after.

Didn’t Yun Xiao know all this? No, he knew, but he still resolutely consumed the entire Purple Energy Flower Lotus because he had confidence in himself, or rather, confidence in the miraculous Ancient Dragon Taming Technique.

The Ancient Dragon Taming Technique, evolved from the Blood Moon Jade, even baffled Yun Xiao with his previous life’s knowledge as the Long Xiao Battle God, to understand its true rank.

If you say it’s a Holy Rank Cultivation Technique, its speed at cultivating Meridian Qi is too slow, even slower compared to average Mortal Rank Techniques.

But if you say the Ancient Dragon Taming Technique is Mortal Rank, Yun Xiao absolutely refuses to admit it because aside from the extremely slow Meridian Qi cultivation, the other effects of the technique are quite astonishing to him.

For example, during his time with the Shang Family, his completely destroyed meridians were restored in just three days, and like some enemy energies that invaded his body and wreaked havoc, could be quickly neutralized while this technique was running.

These were experiences that Yun Xiao never had in his past life, so he decided to take the risk, as carrying the Purple Energy Flower Lotus was too conspicuous. He didn’t want to attract endless troubles beyond Xuan Zhi, or even unpredictable issues.

”Ah!”

After Yun Xiao chewed and swallowed the stem of the Purple Energy Flower Lotus, a recklessly violent energy suddenly rose from his lower abdomen to his throat, causing him to involuntarily let out a loud scream.

Immediately after, Yun Xiao felt as though a coal had suddenly appeared in his body, and this unnatural heat spread from beneath his chest and abdomen, eventually occupying all his meridians.

Indeed, the medicinal effect of a low-level Spiritual Rank herb was extraordinary, especially one as precious as the Purple Energy Flower Lotus. Even a cultivator at the early stage of the Meridian Rushing Realm would dare not consume it directly like Yun Xiao did.

The so-called Purple Beauty Pill, with Purple Energy Flower Lotus as the main ingredient and mixed with many other herbs to neutralize the medicinal properties, could be taken by those at the Meridian Rushing Realm without any side effects. Yun Xiao’s behavior was simply courting death.

Thus, Yun Xiao felt as if he were being roasted inside a Medicine Tripod; he knew that it was the medicinal effect of the Purple Energy Flower Lotus exploding. If he could not control it, he might indeed die from the violent assault, bleeding from all orifices.