Nine Dragons Saint Ancestor

Chapter 259: 259 Strange Spirit

”What’s going on?”

Just as Mo Qing turned around and couldn’t find anyone, Yun Xiao also fell into such a predicament. The three people disappeared in front of his eyes almost instantaneously. Compared to Mo Qing, he perceived it even more directly.

However, in his past life, Yun Xiao was the Long Xiao Battle God, his knowledge undoubtedly much broader than Mo Qing’s. In just a moment, he realized that this was a peculiar large array.

”Really interesting, to actually use the energy of wind and sand between heaven and earth to stimulate the array. It seems that the owner of the Meridian Treasure has quite a few tricks!”

After sensing nothing but the sound of wind and sand around him, Yun Xiao couldn’t help but reveal a trace of admiration on his face. He had seen many arrays in the Nine-layered Dragon Cloud, some reaching the high-level Saint Rank, which posed a great threat even to him at his peak.

However, setting up an array requires some time. When facing an enemy directly, who would let you calmly and leisurely set up a large array? Therefore, the path of arrays is not considered mainstream for cultivation in the Nine Dragons Continent.

Typically, large arrays are set up only at sects or familial residences for the purpose of defense and repelling external enemies. Possessing a large array might yield unexpected effects.

With Yun Xiao’s discerning eye, he saw at a glance that this wind and sand array, despite its grandeur, was only of a low-level Spiritual Rank. Compared to the formidable arrays he witnessed in the Nine-layered Dragon Cloud, it was truly minor.

Yet, feeling the aura of Meridian Qi within his body, Yun Xiao couldn’t help but show a bitter smile on his face. This array might only be of low-level Spiritual Rank, but his cultivation was only at the Meridian Rushing Realm Early Stage. With such cultivation, breaking the array would be extremely difficult for ordinary cultivators.

Fortunately, Yun Xiao’s methods were not limited only to his Meridian Qi Cultivation. He knew he couldn’t find Mo Qing and the others for now, and wandering aimlessly in this wind and sand array could possibly increase the distance between them even more.

The wind and sand raged on. Yun Xiao believed that any cultivator who entered this desert would encounter such a large array. In this way, it could serve to sift out the reckless individuals, keeping them away from the Meridian Treasure.

Regarding all this, it merely flashed through Yun Xiao’s mind. The next moment, he reached out and touched his forehead, unleashing a burst of invisible Power of Soul.

To find a way out of this large array, Yun Xiao knew he couldn’t just wander blindly. Such wind and sand arrays could potentially create illusions, making you think you’re going in the right direction, when in fact, you might be heading the opposite way.

However, for Meridian Refining Masters with strong Power of Soul, finding the direction could become much simpler. The array’s illusions might deceive one’s eyes, but definitely not their soul power.

Thus, when Yun Xiao unleashed his Power of Soul, he immediately stepped in a specific direction, where there seemed to be a strange aura guiding his path.

’Swoosh!’

After approximately thirty minutes, just as Yun Xiao’s Soul Power surged out to sense the correct direction for the next step, he heard a strange noise which made him instantly dodge to the right.

As Yun Xiao turned his head to look, his expression turned somewhat ugly, for at the spot where he had just been, there now appeared a gigantic creature entirely shrouded in yellow sand.

This huge creature had four hooves and was almost twenty meters in size. Only its head was covered in gray sand, making it impossible to discern its features. However, the powerful aura it emitted was the crucial reason for Yun Xiao’s solemnity.

”Is this a Vein Demon? No... not a Vein Demon!”

The first thought in Yun Xiao’s mind was that this was a powerful Vein Demon that had reached the Fourth Rank Low Level. But as soon as his Soul Power withdrew and he felt no trace of Demon Meridian Qi, he instantly negated his assumption.

”It’s actually a Fourth Rank Low Level Strange Spirit!”

With Yun Xiao’s keen insight, he could immediately confirm that it was not a Vein Demon, but a Strange Spirit cultivated from beneath the desert of this very region.

On the Hidden Dragon Continent, Yun Xiao had encountered Strange Spirits twice before, once with the Fire Spirit Snake in Yurong Volcano, and once with the Earth Attribute Strange Spirit in the Jade Pot Cave. Therefore, when he saw this Sand Attribute Strange Spirit, he was no longer so surprised.

Speaking of which, the Sand Attribute Strange Spirits are somehow connected to the Earth Attribute Strange Spirits, or perhaps could be considered a branch of them. Their combat methods are somewhat different and more elusive.

”I always feel something is off!”

However, when Yun Xiao sensed that it was a Fourth Rank Low Level Strange Spirit, an unusual feeling surged in his heart. The aura seemed slightly different from the Strange Spirits he had seen before, but he couldn’t exactly pinpoint what it was.

”Roar!”

That Sand Attribute Strange Spirit didn’t have as many thoughts as Yun Xiao. For humans or Vein Demons, encountering them meant a fight to the death, as these Strange Spirits harbored a deep jealousy towards such uniquely blessed beings.

A roar erupted from the Strange Spirit’s mouth, let’s call it a Sand Spirit. Seeing this Sand Spirit lunging forward caused Yun Xiao’s expression to subtly change. Between shifts of his handprints, a Meridian Qi Sword had already formed in front of him.

Having reached the Meridian Rushing Realm Early Stage, Yun Xiao’s use of externalized Meridian Qi through Meridian Techniques was undoubtedly more adept. This was far easier than when he was in the Meridian Introduction Realm and Meridian Gathering Realm.

After all, it was only after reaching the Meridian Rushing Realm that he could truly claim to be proficient in externalizing Meridian Qi. The previous Yun Xiao only managed such extraordinary feats using methods from his past life, and the power was definitely not as strong as now.

Crack!

Who would have thought that Yun Xiao’s seemingly formidable Meridian Qi Sword, when it precisely stabbed the chest of the Sand Spirit, would pass straight through from its chest and exit from the back, appearing rather eerie.

If a cultivator at the Meridian Rushing Realm Early Stage, or a Fourth Rank Low Level Vein Demon, were to be punctured through the chest by this Meridian Qi Sword, they would likely perish instantly.

However, this Sand Spirit had a special technique. Under Yun Xiao’s hopeful gaze, the large hole created by the Meridian Qi Sword merely took moments to heal.

Perhaps it wasn’t accurate to say it healed, because the body of this Sand Spirit was made of soft sand, which gradually refilled the hole much like flowing sand, making it appear no different than before.

After being startled, Yun Xiao quickly understood this principle. Compared to humans or Vein Demons, the vital points of a Strange Spirit might not be in the chest, abdomen, or skull. Their fatal spots could likely only be their Spirit Crystals.

”Roar!”

Yun Xiao’s subsequent and proactive attack clearly enraged the Sand Spirit. Although it could survive such a sword thrust, repairing the large hole still consumed its energy.

Taking advantage of Yun Xiao’s momentary daze, the Sand Spirit moved incredibly fast. The next moment, Yun Xiao saw a massive fist smashing fiercely towards him. If it truly hit him, that sandy fist wouldn’t just feel like soft yellow sand.

Humans and Strange Spirits of the same grade definitely can’t match in physical strength. Even though Yun Xiao had tempered his body with Stone Heart Marrow, the physical strength comparable to a Fourth Rank Low Level Vein Demon still drove him several steps back with that strike.

Feeling his breath become chaotic, Yun Xiao was puzzled and wondered. This Strange Spirit, although strong, was only Fourth Rank Low Level after all. If he faced a Fourth Rank Low Level Vein Demon, he would definitely manage to fight and win easily. Why then did he struggle so much against this Strange Spirit of the same level?

Thinking of this, Yun Xiao’s gaze involuntarily turned to that rather smug Strange Spirit, and his doubts only deepened.

”Hmph, I really want to see just how formidable you, a Strange Spirit of unknown origin, can be.”

Yun Xiao was not one to admit defeat easily. A mere Fourth Rank Low Level Strange Spirit did not qualify to make him retreat. After snorting coldly, he charged back into the fray, battling fiercely with the Strange Spirit.

However, as Yun Xiao fought more, he became increasingly alarmed. No matter how he summoned his Meridian Qi and physical strength, the Strange Spirit seemed capable of counteracting them.

Even at times, the directions of Yun Xiao’s punches and the timing of his dodges seemed to be under the control of the Strange Spirit, causing him to gradually fall into a disadvantage.

”Damn it, are the Strange Spirits nowadays this intelligent?”

Amidst his angry curses, Yun Xiao felt that this Strange Spirit was quite different from the other Strange Spirits he had encountered, like the Fire Spirit Snake or the Earth Attribute Strange Spirit, who were neither that smart nor capable of responding in kind.

”No, that’s not right, this... this doesn’t seem like a Strange Spirit!”

After a period of fierce battle with the Sand Spirit, and having been blasted back perfectly by another strike, Yun Xiao had a sudden revelation, and his expression changed once more.

”Tsk tsk, to think that I, the Long Xiao Battle God, was almost deceived by this beast!”

Once Yun Xiao steadied his mind, he obviously realized something. After muttering to himself, his body’s Meridian Qi instantly retracted, and even the operation of the Ancient Dragon Taming Technique halted at that moment.

As Yun Xiao took these actions, the Sand Spirit also seemed to undergo some change. However, driven by instinct, it still lunged ferociously towards Yun Xiao. With the threat of a sandstorm, it appeared very formidable.

Yet, for some reason, despite the seemingly fierce attack of the Strange Spirit, Yun Xiao’s body showed no fluctuations of Meridian Qi. Instead, his face revealed a slight smile as he allowed the Sand Spirit’s punch to hit him squarely.

If this scene were witnessed by outsiders, they might mock Yun Xiao for overestimating himself. That was a powerful strike from a Fourth Rank Low Level Strange Spirit, after all. If it really landed solidly, even cultivators at the Meridian Rushing Realm Middle Stage might suffer severe injuries from being unable to withstand it, right?