Nine Dragons Saint Ancestor

”I’ve finally found you!”

Yun Xiao’s face lit up with joy. It was clear that the steamy hot spring before him was the place he was searching for, and the so-called Firestone Heart, generally speaking, was only to be found at the bottom of such springs.

The Firestone Heart is formed by volcanic magma over many years. Although it seems to possess the violent power of the magma, it becomes exceedingly gentle in energy due to the tempering of the volcanic hot springs, making it an excellent auxiliary for neutralizing the energy of the Stone Heart Marrow.

Of course, Yun Xiao couldn’t guarantee that the first hot spring he found would contain a Firestone Heart. Such items were always a matter of chance, not of search. Sometimes, even after searching all the hot springs on a volcano, one might not find a Firestone Heart the size of a thumb.

Plop!

The area within the volcano was intensely hot, and with no one else around, Yun Xiao didn’t dawdle. He stripped off his outer clothes, leaving only his underwear, and then plunged headfirst into the hot spring.

To be honest, if an ordinary person dared to enter this hot spring, they might even scald their skin. Fortunately, Yun Xiao was already a cultivator in the early stages of the Meridian Gathering Realm with the protection of Meridian Qi, so the searing heat of the water couldn’t harm him.

However, Yun Xiao wasn’t a fish, and those of the Meridian Gathering Realm’s rank couldn’t possibly go without breathing, so he couldn’t stay submerged for too long. After a while, he would inevitably feel short of breath.

Yet Yun Xiao’s luck seemed to have run out, when he surfaced from the spring after searching for about the time it takes half an incense stick to burn, his complexion was somewhat unsightly.

”There’s none!”

Yun Xiao, who had just swum ashore, felt somewhat melancholic because the Firestone Heart’s energy was unique; one could sense it simply by diving to the bottom of the spring. But despite his searching, he had not even caught a glimpse of the Firestone Heart.

Despite a fleeting gloominess, Yun Xiao did not get discouraged. He also understood that in hot springs at the bottom of volcanoes, the chances of finding a Firestone Heart were never too high. It seemed he would have to continue moving toward the direction of the volcano’s mouth.

Over the following days, Yun Xiao searched the hot springs within this massive volcano. Although he found many springs, the elusive Firestone Heart still remained out of sight, which made him quite frustrated.

As time went on, Yun Xiao had reached halfway up Yurong Mountain, and the number of hot springs here increased, with some even being interconnected.

Splash!

The sound of water broke, Yun Xiao had no idea how many hot springs he had entered by this point—his current task seemed endless as he continued to shuttle between them.

The hot spring Yun Xiao entered this time was not very large, and the water temperature was quite suitable for bathing. Of course, Yun Xiao was in no mood for leisurely baths, besides, hadn’t he bathed in the springs countless times over the past few days?

Worth mentioning is that these days of searching for the Firestone Heart in the hot springs had improved Yun Xiao’s breath-holding capability. He could now stay underwater for the time it takes three incense sticks to burn without any issues.

However, it seemed like the heavens were playing a joke on Yun Xiao. In this small hot spring, there was still no sign of the Firestone Heart he desired. But just as he was about to leave the spring, his gaze suddenly sharpened.

”Hm?”

It turned out that just as Yun Xiao turned his head, he discovered a cave at the bottom of the spring that was just large enough for a person. Feeling that there was still plenty of air in his lungs, he didn’t hesitate and dived into the underwater cave.

During this time of searching for the Firestone Heart, Yun Xiao had gained some experience. He knew that these underwater caves at the bottom of the springs were likely passages to other hot springs, which saved him a bit of travel trouble.

Swimming through the underwater cave passage, after about the time it takes two incense sticks to burn, Yun Xiao saw the light ahead brighten, indicating that he had reached the exit of this tunnel.

Upon emerging from the exit, Yun Xiao did not immediately search for the Firestone Heart, as he felt somewhat suffocated and needed to breathe urgently, lest he be smothered inside the hot spring.

Yun Xiao’s guess was correct; the cave he had just passed through was indeed a passage connecting two hot springs on Yurong Mountain. But he could never have imagined what was waiting for him above this spring.

Splash!

”Ah!”

Feeling pressure in his chest, Yun Xiao swam upward, and in just a moment, he broke the surface. However, as soon as he took a breath of fresh, pleasant air, he heard a voice filled with alarm and a hint of anger.

Almost subconsciously, Yun Xiao’s head turned in the direction of the sound, and when he saw the figure with a face full of terror, as if petrified, he too seemed to be frozen in shock at that moment.

It was an extremely graceful young girl, her wet hair draped loosely, creating an enchanting aura. However, what truly stunned the reincarnated soul of the Long Xiao Battle God was not the girl’s stunning appearance, but her completely naked, beautiful body.

At this moment, the girl appearing before Yun Xiao was unclothed, her body fully exposed to his view. This provocative scene was something not even Yun Xiao in his previous life had ever seen, and so he was instantly struck dumb.

A girl emanating moist vapor all over her body and a young man with his upper body bare were facing each other in a pool of hot spring water, their eyes locked. For a while, it felt as if even the rising mist had solidified, making the atmosphere exceedingly strange and awkward.

However, Yun Xiao, having weathered many storms, had much stronger composure than the young geniuses of the Hidden Dragon Continent, and he quickly regained his senses. Upon recovering, he felt that the fair-skinned girl before him looked somewhat familiar.

”Mo Qing Senior Sister?”

Yun Xiao uttered an incredulous voice because the girl before him, without a thread on her, was none other than Mo Qing, the talented young girl from the Medical Pulse line of the Jade Pot Sect.

This utterance finally snapped Mo Qing out of her trance, her face turning from dumbstruck to flushed and then to a deep shade of humiliation and annoyance.

”Yun Xiao!”

Mo Qing also had a deeply ingrained memory of the young man before her, for Yun Xiao’s performance before and after joining the Jade Pot Sect was exceptionally dazzling, making him unforgettable to her.

But Mo Qing had never considered that she would encounter this newly admitted Inner Sect disciple under such circumstances. Momentarily, she even forgot to cover her wondrous body.

In all honesty, Mo Qing was quite familiar with this hot spring. Due to a special Meridian Qi Technique she cultivated, the unique Fire Attribute Energy within the Yurong Mountain hot spring was highly beneficial for enhancing her practice.

As such, Mo Qing would visit this hot spring on Yurong Mountain every month for a soak. After much searching, she had found this secluded spot, and for the last few months, not even a Vein Demon had intruded upon her privacy.

To maximize the refinement of her body by the unusual energy in the hot spring, Mo Qing specifically sought out this extremely hidden place, stripping off all her garments to immerse her body.

However, what Mo Qing hadn’t accounted for was an obscure passage hidden at the bottom of the hot spring, connecting to other springs, thus leading to the current embarrassment.

Normally, no one would have thought of this possibility, let alone the aggravated Mo Qing at the moment. In her view, Yun Xiao must have figured out her movements in advance and entered the hot spring before her with the intent of committing lewd acts.

Without thinking too deeply for the moment, knowing Yun Xiao had only joined the Jade Pot Sect less than a month ago, how could he possibly know the whereabouts of an Inner Sect genius girl like herself?

Thus, in Mo Qing’s mind, she assumed Yun Xiao was a rakish scoundrel. Previously, she had been curious and somewhat fond of this young man, but now, her esteem for him dissipated in an instant.

”Uh, that... Sorry for the intrusion, Senior Sister Mo Qing, I’ll leave immediately!”

Seeing the extremely awkward atmosphere, even someone as thick-skinned as Yun Xiao couldn’t handle it. He touched his nose, and after speaking, was about to stand up and leave the spring.

However, as Yun Xiao slightly turned to leave, he couldn’t help but cast another glance at Mo Qing’s flawless jade-like body. That one look ignited an uncontrollable surge of murderous intent in Mo Qing.

”Shameless rogue, stop right there!”

A fierce scolding burst from Mo Qing’s mouth. At that moment, she seemingly forgot her nudity, and the palm she struck out contained an immensely powerful Meridian Qi, making the water in the hot spring seem to boil.

As an outstanding Inner Sect Disciple within the Medical Pulse line of the Jade Pot Sect, Mo Qing’s strength was much greater than Guan Tong, whom Yun Xiao had encountered before, and she was even beyond Yin Huan at the Early Stage of Meridian Rushing Realm.

Feeling the formidable power behind her palm, Yun Xiao’s expression turned extremely grave. If he were hit by that Meridian Qi Palm Seal, he would either die or be gravely wounded.

Yun Xiao never expected that, in such a situation, Mo Qing would strike without warning, giving him no chance to explain. Fortunately, he reacted quickly, and seeing that he couldn’t take the blow head-on, he instantly shrank down and submerged into the hot spring.

Mo Qing was confident that her powerful palm strike would have surely stopped the shameless rogue Yun Xiao in his tracks, ensuring her chastity was protected.

But she never expected Yun Xiao to dive into the hot spring, and caught off guard, her strong Meridian Qi Palm Seal swept past where he had just been, not harming Yun Xiao in the least.