Nine Dragons Saint Ancestor

”Your Majesty, you are unaware of something!”

Under Yun Xiao’s seemingly amused gaze and Xuan Haoran’s thoughtful expression, Xuan Jiuding took a deep breath. The first sentence he spoke set the tone, leaving one to wonder about the details that the King of Xuanyue Country didn’t know.

However, this was precisely the answer that Xuan Haoran wanted. He could not accept that his most valued eldest son, the future King of Xuanyue Country, would do such a sordid deed. He needed a reasonable explanation, even if that explanation might not necessarily be the truth.

”Your Majesty, the Xuanyue Heavenly Mirror was indeed stolen by Yun Xiao that night. However, after I set up a Heaven and Earth Net, although I did not find the little thief, I did recover the Xuanyue Heavenly Mirror. It seems that Yun Xiao, the little thief, didn’t have time to transfer it and didn’t dare to carry it on his person, allowing me to find it!”

Xuan Jiuding had regained the aura of the Crown Prince as he spoke confidently and convincingly. If Yun Xiao did not know the full story, he might have been deceived too.

”Son had intended to inform Your Majesty at the first opportunity, but in these past few days, Your Majesty has been worried about my younger brother’s injury. I dared not disturb you, and I ask for your forgiveness!”

After his explanation, Xuan Jiuding knew that Xuan Haoran had not fully believed him. So once again, he appealed to filial affection, knowing that his father valued it most. This way, he was certain to dispel any further doubts.

”So that was it, you had me worried!”

Indeed, as soon as Xuan Jiuding finished speaking, Xuan Haoran visibly relaxed, then spoke earnestly, ”Jiuding, our Royal Family has been establishing the country for nearly a thousand years, acting with integrity and decency. The reason the Kings before me led Xuanyue Country to decline was due to their unfair dealings. You must not follow in their footsteps.”

The reality was indeed as Xuan Haoran had stated. The Xuan family had prospered for a thousand years, and any power, sect, or empire would experience a rise and decline. The kings before him had only been content with pleasure and had led to the country’s decline, almost causing its destruction by neighboring countries.

It was not until Xuan Haoran launched a royal coup that, for the past several decades, the Xuanyue Empire began to see a revival. Xuan Haoran took great pride in this achievement.

Moreover, since Xuan Haoran hailed from a branch of the Xuan family, he did not hold the previous inept kings in reverence. His philosophy in teaching his children was to act with openness and integrity, and never to engage in acts that harmed others for personal gain.

On the night of his birthday celebration, Xuan Haoran was furious and even issued a Xuan Kill Order to pursue a sixteen or seventeen-year-old boy. If this incident were merely a scheme by Xuan Jiuding, it would strike a significant blow to his reputation as a wise ruler.

Now, after hearing Xuan Jiuding’s explanation, even if Xuan Haoran still had a hint of doubt, he subconsciously chose to believe. As long as Yun Xiao was indeed the Treasure Thief, the reputation of the Xuanyue Imperial Family could be preserved, and he could be at ease.

Seeing that his father had believed his fabricated story, Xuan Jiuding’s gaze shifted to Yun Xiao, and he suddenly said, ”What I find curious is that after I retrieved the Xuanyue Heavenly Mirror, aside from Elder Ran, no third person knew about it. I wonder, Mr. Bo Ku, how did you come to know of this?”

Upon hearing Xuan Jiuding’s words, Yun Xiao couldn’t help but admire the Crown Prince of the current Royal Family. In such a situation, he could still turn the tables, and his mind was impressively quick – truly a formidable opponent.

At this moment, Yun Xiao finally understood what it meant to accuse before one is accused, to carry out a preemptive strike. He had exposed Xuan Jiuding’s schemes, but to his surprise, after a few words from the latter, the suspicion had unexpectedly turned onto himself.

If Yun Xiao could not provide a reasonable explanation, even Xuan Haoran’s impression of him would greatly diminish. It was indeed odd that he had come straight here and without hesitation had found the hidden compartment under the bed.

”Bo Ku, could it be that you and that little Treasure Thief Yun Xiao are in cahoots, harboring ill intentions and secretly inquiring to use such methods to once again take the imperial lineage’s Supreme Treasure for yourself?”

As Yun Xiao was deep in thought, Ran Xing nearby joined in the conversation, dropping a heavy accusation. He seemed intent on nailing Bo Ku right there and then.

Ran Xing didn’t realize that Bo Ku and Yun Xiao were not just related; they were the same person, and their relationship couldn’t be any closer.

”Mr. Bo Ku, if you cannot provide a reasonable explanation, we have reason to believe your treatment of my younger brother was insincere, and you had ulterior motives!”

Seeing that the timing was ripe, Xuan Jiuding added fuel to the fire. This move was to dispel Xuan Haoran’s previous gratitude towards Yun Xiao for treating Xuan Jing, killing two birds with one stone.

Even Xuan Haoran was now focusing his gaze on Yun Xiao, eager to hear his explanation. If things were as Xuan Jiuding and Ran Xing had described, then he would have to reassess this previously unknown Bo Ku.

Under the disparate stares of the three, Yun Xiao however showed no change in his expression. If anything, he revealed a strange smile, as he reached out to take the black box into his hands.

”What are you doing?”

When this scene unfolded, Xuan Jiuding became furious, his anger rising from within. That black box was even more important to him than the Xuantian Treasure Mirror; unopenable it might be, it must never fall into the hands of outsiders.

This black box was naturally the Supreme Treasure of the Jade Pot Sect, which Xuan Jiuding had schemed over a decade to steal, by sending Yan Chun to infiltrate the Sect and finally, with the collaboration of Xuan Zhi, making off with it.

However, after acquiring this treasure, Xuan Jiuding realized that no matter what, he could not open the black box. Even after conspiring to get his hands on the Black Key from Yun Xiao, that Black Lock remained steadfast and unyielding, as if cast from bronze and iron.

”Hehe, you all have misunderstood. My purpose here isn’t the Xuantian Treasure Mirror but... this!”

Yun Xiao held the worn black wooden box in his right hand while pointing at it with his left, clarifying the odd behaviors he had displayed earlier.

”What exactly is inside this box?”

A look of bewilderment crossed Xuan Haoran’s face. The black box was unremarkable, appearing somewhat shabby; compared to the Xuantian Treasure Mirror nearby, or even any casual box from the Royal Family, it seemed far less exquisite and luxurious.

But as the ruler of a country, Xuan Haoran knew the capabilities of his precious son. Since the object was so carefully concealed and placed together with treasures like the Xuantian Treasure Mirror, it was certainly no ordinary piece.

Upon hearing Xuan Haoran’s query, both Xuan Jiuding and Ran Xing fixated their gazes on Yun Xiao instantly. The truth was, although they had possessed the black wooden box for several months, they were clueless about its contents.

Especially for Ran Xing, the plan’s whole intention was orchestrated by his order to Xuan Jiuding. However, he only heard some rumors in the Middle Three Realms, aware of a Supreme Treasure within the Jade Pot Sect that even the formidable leaders of those realms coveted, leading him to descend to the Lower Realm during an opportune moment and set his sights on the Jade Pot Sect’s treasure.

What Ran Xing did not expect was that a heritage treasure of a Sect from the Hidden Dragon Continent would come encased in a box and locked with a material so extraordinary that neither he nor Xuan Jiuding could manage to open it.

Now, seeing the way Yun Xiao behaved, it seemed like he knew exactly what the box contained. With this thought, both Ran Xing and Xuan Jiuding shared a glance, each detecting a hint of joy in the other’s eyes.

However, the next moment they saw Mr. Bo Ku lightly shake his head, saying: ”The contents of this box cannot yet be disclosed to you all. You just need to know that it is crucial for the recovery of the Second Prince!”

”Mr. Bo Ku, by saying so, are you planning to claim what belongs to this Crown Prince for yourself?”

Such a response could hardly satisfy Xuan Jiuding. His eyes darting, he spoke in a deep tone, clearly reluctant to have the black wooden box taken by Bo Ku.

Yun Xiao didn’t even deign to acknowledge Xuan Jiuding. Instead, he turned to King Xuan Haoran and asked meaningfully, ”Did Your Majesty the King not say earlier that everything within the Royal Family could be at my disposal? Surely you’re not going back on your word now?”

At this point, Yun Xiao paused slightly before adding, ”I would have liked to take the Xuantian Treasure Mirror, but firstly, you all may not be willing to part with it, and secondly, as I have already mentioned, only the item in my hand is beneficial for the recovery of the Second Prince. Please think it over!”

The consecutive remarks made both Xuan Jiuding and Ran Xing’s expressions go dark, as if water was about to drip from their faces. In contrast, King Xuan Haoran couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief.

Just as Yun Xiao had stated, compared to the national treasure that was the Xuantian Treasure Mirror, the shabby wooden box of unknown contents was, to Xuan Haoran, simply incomparable.

Initially worried that the Royal Family would incur a significant loss, Xuan Haoran made his decision without hesitation to comply with Yun Xiao’s request, as it presented no real sacrifice.

”Alright, the item is yours, but you must promise to restore Jing’er’s cultivation abilities!”

King Xuan Haoran, glancing at the displeased expression on Xuan Jiuding, added a condition afterward, implying that if Yun Xiao failed to enable Xuan Jing to regain his cultivation talent, the treasure would have to be returned.

Despite the additional stipulation, Xuan Jiuding’s expression did not improve. In King Xuan Haoran’s heart, the Xuantian Treasure Mirror was undeniably more important, but in the eyes of this Crown Prince, that old black wooden box was likely the true priceless treasure.