Nine Dragons Saint Ancestor

Chapter 524: 524 Is he a Strange Spirit?

On the arena!

In the shocked gaze of everyone, Xu Hongzhuang’s face had turned deathly pale because, judging by Jin Wuli’s aura and speed, she knew that it was impossible for her to avoid the attack no matter what.

Moreover, being so close, Xu Hongzhuang could naturally see the golden blade enveloped in light. At this moment, she didn’t have time to wonder why a living human being had suddenly turned into a golden blade.

All she knew was, perhaps under the assault of this blade, her body would be sliced into two in an instant, as a human body could never withstand such a sharp weapon.

Whoosh!

However, just as Xu Hongzhuang was in despair, believing she could not possibly escape death this time, she suddenly felt her waist tighten, followed by her entire delicate body involuntarily moving to the side by two Zhang, ultimately evading the fatal strike of the golden blade.

Xu Hongzhuang, who escaped from the jaws of death, felt an additional hand on her waist. Clearly it was a man’s hand. As a young girl, she had never been held by the waist by any man like this before.

”This aura...”

However, as Xu Hongzhuang regained her composure, she smelled a familiar scent, which not only did not upset her but, instead, raised a strong sense of anticipation.

This was the Xuanyue Empire, and besides the Sect Elder leading the group and her maid Yu Man, the only other person she knew from her long journey from the Lingtian Empire was Nie Qianqiu.

Apart from these three people, who else could possibly leap onto the stage and save her life at such a crucial moment? Even though Xu Hongzhuang had not yet turned her head to see that face, an image of a slender figure had already emerged involuntarily in her mind.

”Didn’t I tell you to watch out for his hands? How could you still be so careless?”

Just as Xu Hongzhuang’s anticipation was rising, a familiar voice had already sounded beside her ear, so close that it even made her ears itch a little.

This voice, full of rebuke, was, to Xu Hongzhuang’s ears, as comforting as celestial music, indescribably satisfying. She knew that her expectations had finally become reality.

”Wasn’t I just waiting for you to come save me?”

Unexpectedly, these words slipped from Xu Hongzhuang’s lips, causing the young man who had been holding her waist to immediately let go. However, he didn’t move his feet and his gaze had already shifted to the young man in golden clothes not far away.

Obviously, the one who leapt onto the stage at a crucial moment to save Xu Hongzhuang was none other than Yun Xiao. Despite having a grave feud with the Lingyun Sect, he still couldn’t stand idly by and watch Xu Hongzhuang die tragically.

Moreover, Yun Xiao intervened in the arena battle directly, regardless of the rules of the Countries Hidden Dragon Conference, because he had noticed certain clues. Indeed, by doing so, he was taking on a quite significant risk.

Under Yun Xiao’s peculiar gaze, the young man in golden clothes, who failed to kill Xu Hongzhuang with his vicious attack, had already reverted back to his human form. The anger in his eyes flickered with golden light, and his expression was extremely enraged.

”It’s this accursed human again!”

Jin Wuli’s angry roar did not escape his lips, as it was related to his greatest secret. However, having his plans disrupted by Yun Xiao twice in a row, he had now marked that rough-clothed youth as a person he must kill.

”Yun Xiao, this is the stage of the Countries Hidden Dragon Conference. It is a bit too disrespectful to forcibly intervene before the battle is decided, isn’t it?”

It has to be said that Jin Wuli held a special status, and his intelligence was not weak either. Occupying the moral high ground, his words were quite potent, even including the high-ranking elders on the platform.

”Yun Xiao, what are you doing? Get off the stage now!”

Meng Liyang, who had been presiding over the Countries Hidden Dragon Conference, also had an unpleasant expression. Seeing him stand up and sternly rebuke him, if it weren’t for the sake of Qian Sanyuan and Xue Ningxiang, he would have directly gone onto the stage and thrown out anyone who dared to break the rules of the conference.

”Elder Liyang, please be patient. For me to ascend to the stage, there is indeed a reason!”

Yun Xiao was not intimidated by the powerful aura of an Earth Rank Third Realm cultivator. Turning his head, he first explained to Meng Liyang, and then turned his gaze back to Jin Wuli.

”Elder Liyang, with your insight, did you not notice anything just now?”

Yun Xiao’s eyes were fixed on Jin Wuli, but the person he was speaking to was still Meng Liyang, or rather, the many elders on the high platform.

”Yun Xiao, do not spout nonsense here. The rules of the Countries Hidden Dragon Conference are not meant for you to wantonly violate!”

Hearing Yun Xiao’s words, the corner of Jin Wuli’s eyes twitched viciously, and he even shouted loudly. Indeed, it was Yun Xiao who was breaking the rules, not Jin Wuli.

”Elders, may I ask, the Countries Hidden Dragon Conference is only for humans to participate, correct? Other beings such as Vein Demons, or... Strange Spirits, are not allowed to participate, right?”

Yun Xiao turned his head again towards the high platform in the north, and as the words left his mouth, several bigwigs all stood up at once, seemingly understanding what Yun Xiao intended to imply.

”Strange Spirit? Are you saying that he is a Strange Spirit?”

Qian Sanyuan reacted faster than the others, and as he spoke, his eyes fiercely fixed on the individual in Golden Clothes—Jin Wuli, as if trying to sense some aura characteristic of a Strange Spirit from him.

In fact, compared to the Hidden Dragon Continent, the spiritual energy in the Middle Three Realms is much richer, making it easier for rocks and plants to cultivate Spiritual Wisdom. Therefore, the many forces and sects of the Middle Three Realms often battle with some formidable Strange Spirits.

Strange Spirits are ferocious, destructive to both humans and Vein Demons, seeking their annihilation. Every time a powerful Strange Spirit appears, countless lives are lost, and sometimes even Sect Elders may fall in battle.

Hence, the conflict between human Cultivators and Strange Spirits in the Middle Three Realms is far more intense than in the Lower Five Realms. After all, in the years Yun Xiao cultivated, he only encountered a few Strange Spirits, certainly not causing trouble like they do in the Middle Three Realms and the Nine-layered Dragon Cloud.

Therefore, these bigwigs from the Tenglong Continent were shocked to realize that Jin Wuli might be a Strange Spirit. If he truly was one, they would likely take matters into their own hands to slay him before he grew too powerful to deal with.

”Is Jin Wuli a Strange Spirit?”

Yun Xiao’s words were unmasked, heard clearly not just by the many authorities on the platform but also by some nearby onlookers. They were now eyeing Jin Wuli with a peculiar gaze, curious to hear his explanation.

These onlooking Cultivators weren’t too worried either; even if Jin Wuli was just a cultivator in the Late Stage of Meridian Union Realm, even twice as strong, weren’t there still those mighties from the Tenglong Continent present? They didn’t believe he could cause any wave of disturbance.

”Yun Xiao, I know you hate me for being ruthless and harming your two close female friends, but I cannot bear such a serious accusation as being a Strange Spirit,” Jin Wuli declared defiantly, addressing the hostilities of the crowd and Yun Xiao’s reproach without showing fear or panic.

”Hehe, although you’ve concealed it well, can you explain to us how in that moment, your body turned into a giant Golden Blade?”

Yun Xiao chuckled lightly, but he seemed to have forgotten that previously, Jin Wuli was shielded by a golden light. Apart from him, even Qian Sanyuan, an Earth-rank Advanced Pulse Refining Master, couldn’t see clearly enough due to the distance.

”Yun Xiao, aren’t your slandering techniques a bit too low-level? Are you referring to this low-level Earth-rank Golden Blade weapon?”

Right after Yun Xiao finished speaking, Jin Wuli was already sneering and then, reaching to his waist, withdrew a shining Golden Blade, presenting it before everyone’s eyes.

”It is indeed a low-level Earth-rank weapon!”

Sensing the aura of the Golden Blade, many nodded slowly, having previously guessed that whatever could cut through the Spiritual Rank Advanced weapon Red Silk was likely of Earth-rank level.

”This weapon...”

Observing the Golden Blade, Yun Xiao’s brows slightly furrowed because the aura of this blade was almost identical to the Golden Blade he had sensed earlier.

But Yun Xiao was certain that Jin Wuli’s earlier attack was not with this Golden Blade in hand; rather, his entire being had transformed into the shape of a blade, and it was this realization that led him to decisively make his move, convinced that the opponent was a Strange Spirit.

Considering this, with Jin Wuli now revealing a low-level Earth-rank weapon, Yun Xiao’s initial accusation seemed to lose its footing.

Swoosh!

At this moment, another figure suddenly appeared on the stage, a man with a long beard who could be none other than Vice President Qian Sanyuan of the Meridian Refining Master Association from the Tenglong Continent.

”Jin Wuli, this is a serious matter; let me inspect it!”

It seemed that even though Jin Wuli produced a low-level Earth-rank Golden Blade, Qian Sanyuan still harbored doubts, possibly out of trust in Yun Xiao or due to his experience in routinely combating Strange Spirits on the Tenglong Continent, necessitating extra caution.

”Right, how come I didn’t think of that?”

Hearing Qian Sanyuan’s words, Yun Xiao’s eyes brightened, reasoning that Strange Spirits’ physical structures are different from humans, and despite sharing classifications with humans in Cultivation Levels, Strange Spirits actually lack any meridians in their bodies.

Thus, if high-rank Cultivators were to conduct a personal inspection, the Strange Spirit’s identity would likely be instantly exposed, and having Qian Sanyuan perform the examination would be entirely appropriate.

Should Jin Wuli not be a Strange Spirit, naturally, he wouldn’t fear such scrutiny, but if he was or refused inspection, that could reveal a lot.

At this moment, the entire venue fell silent!