Nine Dragons Saint Ancestor

Sigh...

Amidst the relentless sandstorm, even though the Fourth Rank Low Level Strange Spirit struck Yun Xiao with a punch, this seemingly powerful attack felt like a gentle breeze on his face, not hurting him in the slightest.

Whoosh!

As the punch landed on Yun Xiao, his sand spirit seemed to emit an incredible aura. Then, its entire sand body visibly began to crumble rapidly to the ground, as if it had been instantly melted.

”Indeed, just as I thought!”

Looking at the sand fragments on the ground, Yun Xiao finally confirmed his suspicion; the creature was not the Fourth Rank Low Level Strange Spirit he had initially thought, but merely an illusion.

The terrifying thing about these illusions is that if you see an object and believe it’s a Vein Demon, then it will appear as a Vein Demon; if you think it’s a Strange Spirit, then that’s what it becomes.

Previously, Yun Xiao took the illusion for a Fourth Rank Low Level Strange Spirit, so, in turn, the illusion played along and became just that—a formidable Strange Spirit.

Moreover, these illusions adjust their strength freely according to the Cultivation of the person they appear in front of. Simply put, they would never be weaker than their opponent.

In this way, even with numerous techniques at his disposal, Yun Xiao could never defeat an illusion on the same level as himself. Plus, being a product of his own mind, every word and movement of his couldn’t escape it.

This was why Yun Xiao felt increasingly stifled in the battle, feeling as though the sand spirit was seeing right through him—well, it was his own thoughts after all.

Yun Xiao, in his previous life, hailed from the Nine-layered Dragon Cloud. At first, he underestimated this possibility because he believed such Illusion Arrays, requiring immense Soul Power and an intricate Array, couldn’t possibly exist in the small Hidden Dragon Continent.

However, the fact proved that Yun Xiao had underestimated the wondrous Nine Dragons Continent. Even as the Long Xiao Battle God of a previous lifetime, he wasn’t privy to everything, hence his near misstep.

But now that he recognized it as his illusion, Yun Xiao decided to test it. As he reined in his aura completely, the illusion, finding no way to combat him, naturally crumbled back to sand.

This was just a minor incident that, apart from consuming some of Yun Xiao’s Meridian Qi, didn’t really harm him. However, when such Illusion Arrays ensnare some Low-level Practitioners, it’s uncertain whether they possess such insight and courage.

Jokingly, even if you suspect that an entity of the same rank as yourself is just an illusion, you’d still be reluctant to let its convincingly realistic attack land on you—what if it’s not an illusion but real? Wouldn’t that mean a sure death?

All this was made easy only by Yun Xiao’s strong confidence. He withdrew his gaze from the sand, with no hesitation, and once more harnessed the Power of Soul toward the correct direction sensed within him.

Hiss...

As Yun Xiao continued forward for about the time it takes half an incense stick to burn, a powerful rushing wind sound once again emerged amidst the sandstorm, altering his expression to one of disdain.

”Again?”

Yun Xiao uttered a voice, although he was 80% sure it was again his own illusion, he still dodged it, not risking it without complete certainty.

”Hmm?”

As Yun Xiao moved to the left, he caught a glimpse of a swift shadow out of the corner of his eye; he halted, turned his head directly towards it.

”This shadow, this long spear...”

Yun Xiao, having turned around, fixed his gaze on the shadow that missed with its attack. This time, the shadow didn’t resemble the strange Vein Demon but a domineering human form wielding a spear.

”Emperor Canglong...”

For some reason, in this blurry shadow and the imposing spear, Yun Xiao recognized a familiar image; a murmured voice uncontrollably spat from his mouth.

In his previous life, even as the Long Xiao Battle God of the Nine-layered Dragon Cloud, he died from a spear thrust through his heart by the Controller of Nine-layered Dragon Cloud, Emperor Canglong, whom he regarded as an elder brother.

Yet, what pained the Long Xiao Battle God most was the betrayal of his wife. At this thought, his gaze suddenly shifted. Indeed, in a certain direction, a graceful yet blurry figure, familiar to the bone, had appeared within his view.

”Why? Why won’t you let me go even after I’ve fled to the Hidden Dragon Continent?”

When Yun Xiao saw that blurred graceful figure, his usually calm mind finally erupted. Even though deep down he knew it was just an illusion, a fictitious character created by the large array, he could not control himself.

In Yun Xiao’s heart, there were two things he absolutely could not let go of: the stifled fall of the Long Xiao Battle God in his previous life, and the cause of death of his mother and sister in this life.

Perhaps these two issues had always been the deepest pain in his heart, but somehow, this illusionary array had the power to forcibly tear open his gradually healing scars. How could he bear it?

”Do you want to betray me once again, to kill me once again? Then come on! Come!”

Yun Xiao seemed to have fallen into a frenzy. For a moment, there was no energy within him, feeling everything was in vain. Perhaps only through death could he find complete relief.

Yun Xiao, appearing insane, did not harbor a single thought of resistance. The Ancient Dragon Taming Technique also stopped circulating, and even his gaze seemed somewhat lifeless.

Seeing Yun Xiao in such a state, the sturdy figure holding a spear did not hesitate at all. As he moved swiftly, the tip of his spear accurately pierced Yun Xiao’s chest.

A miraculous scene unfolded; the seemingly powerful spear tip, upon piercing Yun Xiao’s chest, incredibly turned into liquid. From the tip of the spear to the hilt, to the hand holding the hilt, everything turned into scattered sand, not harming Yun Xiao in the slightest.

Simultaneously, the sturdy figure also collapsed for some reason, and the blurred figure not far away also crumbled, turning into a pile of yellow sand on the ground.

Indeed, these two figures were illusions created within the array. If Yun Xiao had resisted, he might have indeed been killed there.

But as Yun Xiao was utterly despondent and seeking death, he inadvertently saved his own life. Since he had no defensive energy around him, the sandy figure holding the spear naturally did not possess much power and collapsed instantly, just like the earlier sand spirit.

All these strange coincidences allowed Yun Xiao to escape disaster. It wasn’t until much later that he slowly gathered his wits, remembering what had just happened, yet his expression still seemed a bit grim.

In this life reborn in Yun Xiao’s body, the memories of his previous life had gradually become blurred over time. Or perhaps Yun Xiao was aware of his limitations, and despite his deep-seated hatred for the man and woman who betrayed him, he knew he was incapable of seeking vengeance based on his current capabilities.

Here, in the small Hidden Dragon Continent, far away from the Nine-layered Dragon Cloud, and those two individuals each controlling the Nine-layered Dragon Cloud with Holy Rank Third Realm cultivation, it’s unthinkable for the cultivators here.

Yet, it was precisely at this time that Yun Xiao entered this illusion array and, due to the hatred buried deep in his heart, the array conjured up the two people he detested the most, reigniting his seemingly forgotten absolute enmity.

”Emperor Canglong, Qinwan, are your evil spirits really so persistent?”

Yun Xiao took a deep breath, a low murmur escaping his lips. In the next moment, his gaze suddenly hardened, and he said hatefully, ”Just wait, one day, I, the Long Xiao Battle God, will definitely return to the Nine-layered Dragon Cloud and reclaim everything from you!”

After venting, Yun Xiao’s mindset seemed to have elevated somewhat, even his Power of Soul became a bit clearer. Seeing him stand up, he had buried all those grievances deep inside.

In the following days, Yun Xiao continued to navigate through the illusion array, dealing with the illusions it conjured up. However, after the events of that day, no illusion could affect him anymore.

Until one day, when Yun Xiao stepped across an invisible barrier and sensed something different around him, he knew he had finally walked out of the desert’s wind and sand illusion array.

Even though, in Yun Xiao’s eyes, the scenery outside looked no different from before, he just had a feeling he was no longer within the large array. Next, he should be close to the ultimate location of the Meridian Treasure.

However, upon exiting the illusion array, Yun Xiao still did not see anyone around. He wasn’t troubled by this; after all, having walked through the illusion array for so many days, it was unlikely that everyone would follow the same path, right?

”Hehe, Spiritual Rank Intermediate Meridian Treasure, here I come, Yun Xiao!”

A light chuckle emerged from Yun Xiao’s mouth, and as his figure dashed forward, several figures also appeared one after the other in various parts of the desert.

Among these figures were ”old friends” of Yun Xiao such as Bi Luo and Xuan Zhi, as well as some unfamiliar faces like the Family Heads of the Zhao Family and Cao Family.

It seemed that these people each had their methods and had not lost themselves in the illusion array. As these people arrived, this region, which had not seen human activity for many years, finally became lively. Perhaps, before long, an exciting drama would unfold.

Meanwhile, at this time when people were emerging from the illusion array, in a place quite far away, a special aura was emanating.

This aura seemed to carry an extremely obscure hint of Ice Cold Qi, causing the sky in this area to flutter with falling snowflakes due to the Ice Cold Qi, making one wonder what kind of strange situation this might foreshadow.