Nine Dragons Saint Ancestor

”Only a month’s confinement? That old fellow Qian Sanyuan really cherishes his disciple!”

Returning to the newly assigned courtyard, Yun Xiao naturally overheard some discussions outside, and also learned about the punishment Qian Sanyuan imposed on his prized disciple.

But such punishment is undoubtedly trivial for Bai Wushuang, not affecting the year-end competition a month later, which naturally left Yun Xiao quite dissatisfied.

However, Yun Xiao knew that besides his and Mo Qing’s claims, there was only the seemingly mad Liu Qingchen’s words. Compared to Liu Qingchen, Qian Sanyuan probably believed Bai Wushuang more.

Despite his dissatisfaction, Yun Xiao didn’t pay much attention to it. After all, he had already resolved not to let Bai Wushuang off, allowing him to be carefree for another month, before killing him honorably when the competition arrives.

”Where did Chi Yan run off to?”

Feeling the empty space on his shoulder, Yun Xiao suddenly thought of a small fiery red shadow. Since he participated in the first round of the Refining Cloud Mountain disciple selection, Chi Yan had been acting alone, and now, nearly two months had passed without a sign of him.

Yun Xiao had always had great confidence in Chi Yan’s sense of smell and sensing abilities, knowing there was an invisible connection between them that allowed sensing each other even across vast distances.

But this time, Chi Yan had been missing for too long. Even if he was very playful, he should have made time for a meeting with him, right?

However, while Chi Yan could sense Yun Xiao, Yun Xiao could not sense Chi Yan’s whereabouts. Despite his concern, he knew there was nothing he could do, hoping to rely on the intelligence system of the Meridian Refining Master Association to make inquiries in Refining Cloud Mountain.

With the Refining Cloud Mountain’s annual event approaching, Yun Xiao chose not to search for Chi Yan now, entering a cultivation state to consolidate his newly achieved Peak of Seeking Origin Realm.

.......

Deep in Refining Cloud Mountain!

Swoosh!

While Yun Xiao worried for Chi Yan, a fiery red shadow suddenly shot out from the dense forest. If Yun Xiao were here, he would recognize it as his dear life-and-death partner Chi Yan.

However, at this moment, Chi Yan appeared somewhat chaotic due to Demon Meridian Qi and was moving extremely fast, seemingly fleeing and avoiding something. Shortly after his diminutive figure vanished, several humanoid figures emerged from the forest.

”Situ Protector, you’re truly foresighted, that beast indeed escaped in this direction!”

One person, wearing a brocade robe, swept his gaze over the vanished fiery red shadow, then turned his head speaking flatteringly, delivering an invisible flattery.

The man referred to as Situ Protector was a middle-aged man, with a slightly flat face, looking affable, though the occasional gleam in his eyes hinted at his extraordinary prowess and ruthlessness.

”Though the Vein Demon is only Eighth Rank Advanced, it’s extremely important to me. If this mission fails, you know the consequences!”

Situ Protector’s eyes carried extreme greed and fervor, and his words made those nearby tremble slightly, seemingly recalling some of the Protector’s ruthless methods.

This person, called Situ Protector, is actually named Situ Lang, whose real identity is a protector at the headquarters of Spirit Fighting Commerce; his cultivation reached Early Stage of Earth Bending Realm, surpassing the headquarters special envoy Xia Yong in status.

The person who spoke to him is the president of Spirit Fighting Commerce’s branch in a city named ”Chunxiao City” on the outskirts of Refining Cloud Mountain; his name is Shen Litong, a Peak of Seeking Origin Realm expert.

Situ Lang arrived at Chunxiao City for some reason and happened upon Chi Yan, bearing a fiery attribute aura. As a Spirit Fighting Commerce expert, he immediately recognized Chi Yan as a mutant Vein Demon.

Thus, the moment Situ Lang saw Chi Yan, he decided to capture it as his Meridian Spirit, being himself a cultivator of fire attribute; with such a rich fire-attributed Meridian Spirit, he believed his combat power would exponentially increase.

Situ Lang rallied the experts of Chunxiao City’s Spirit Fighting Commerce branch for Chi Yan’s capture; however, the small mouse-shaped Vein Demon was exceedingly slippery. Several times nearly captured, it still managed to escape.

Even during this pursuit time, the originally Eighth Rank Middle Stage mouse-shaped Vein Demon unexpectedly broke through to Eighth Rank Advanced. Should Yun Xiao know, he might have his jaw drop.

Two months ago, when Yun Xiao and Chi Yan parted at Refining Cloud Mountain, the latter was merely Eighth Rank Low Level. For a Vein Demon, a breakthrough is even tougher than for human cultivators; at Eighth Rank, ascending a small realm typically takes years or even decades.

Though the heavens bestowed the Vein Demon Clan with a long lifespan and strong body, they deprived them of aspects like cultivation speed.

Although Chi Yan was indeed a remarkably talented ancient species, Yun Xiao never imagined he could break through two small realms at the Eighth Rank level in just two months. It seems Chi Yan must have encountered some unknown mystical experiences in Lianyun Mountain.

Unfortunately, even if Chi Yan has broken through to Eighth Rank Advanced, it is impossible for him to be a match for a human cultivator in the Early Stage of the Earth Bending Realm. With the assistance of Situ Lang and Shen Litong, he feels physically and mentally exhausted from the chase and escape during this period.

What Chi Yan doesn’t know is that the direction of his escape is within the calculations of Situ Lang and others. Perhaps soon, he will face an extremely fierce ambush. Will he be able to escape with his life?

In another direction, even Situ Lang, the expert of the Earth Bending Realm, hasn’t discovered that there is another figure hidden in a very secretive place, observing every move.

...

Tenglong Continent, Northern Domain!

This place is also an endless mountain range, and this mountain range is quite renowned on Tenglong Continent. It is home to one of the two major mountains within the Thirteen Major Forces, the headquarters of Demons Mountain.

Back during the Countries Hidden Dragon Conference on Hidden Dragon Continent, Yun Xiao had seen an elder from Demons Mountain, Meng Liyang. However, given that Meng Liyang’s cultivation only reached the Early Stage of Earth Bending Realm after help from Yun Wei, his status in Demons Mountain must not be very high.

It’s understandable, generally speaking, the elders sent from these major powers on Tenglong Continent to Hidden Dragon Continent cannot be too strong.

After all, they don’t pay too much attention to Hidden Dragon Continent, like Qian Sanyuan, the Vice President of the Meridian Refining Master Association, who might only visit once in a thousand years.

”Roar!”

On a vacant lot at the headquarters of Demons Mountain, an angry, peculiar demon roar resounded, emanating from a gigantic creature crouching on the ground, clearly from the mouth of this vein demon.

Although this vein demon was lying on the ground, its eyes, large as copper bells, were filled with ferocity, glaring at a red-skirted girl not far ahead, as if it would pounce and harm her at any moment.

This vein demon, even when lying on its belly, stood over two meters tall, resembling a tall and mighty wild horse in build.

Its entire body was covered with snow-white fur, and notably enough, there was a pair of white wings on the back of this white horse, looking extremely mystical.

”Don’t be agitated, I won’t harm you!”

The red-skirted girl raised her right arm slightly, seemingly emitting a special aura, and as her words fell, the white horse visibly calmed down, the ferocity in its eyes diminishing slightly.

Seeing this scene, several elderly figures standing not far away exchanged glances. If Yun Xiao were here, he might recognize one of them as Meng Liyang, the elder from Demons Mountain he had seen before.

”Tsk, tsk, this girl Hongzhuang, could she really tame that ’Snow Stepping Flying Horse’?”

An old man with a ruddy complexion and long beard stroking his chest expressed words of wonder, causing those around to show expressions of admiration while finding it somewhat unbelievable.

”Mountain Master, that Snow Stepping Flying Horse is an ancient species, even the mount of the founding ancestor. If even you couldn’t subdue it, how could Hongzhuang…?”

A nearby pale-faced elder, who seemed to have a high status, pondered for a moment before voicing his doubts. Given his address, the ruddy long-bearded old man was clearly the Mountain Master of Demons Mountain: Hou Tianlie!

As for the red-skirted girl attempting to tame the so-called Snow Stepping Flying Horse, she was naturally Xu Hongzhuang, who had come from Hidden Dragon Continent and had an engagement with Yun Xiao.

However, due to events on Hidden Dragon Continent, Xu Hongzhuang became disheartened and eventually accepted Elder Meng Liyang’s invitation to join Demons Mountain, a first-class force on Tenglong Continent known for its Beast Vein Masters.

It’s worth mentioning that Xu Hongzhuang wasn’t originally a Meridian Refining Master, but when she broke through to the Qi Seeking Realm, she luckily activated a fire attribute Ancestor Vein, making her eligible to become a Meridian Refining Master.

Moreover, during this past year, Xu Hongzhuang had been learning Beast Vein Techniques in Demons Mountain, and now, she is a bona fide Earth Rank Low Level Beast Vein Master.

In the art of Beast Veins, the focus is on taming vein demons, and especially for some formidable vein demons, raw strength alone may not suffice to tame them; special methods are often needed.

For instance, the Snow Stepping Flying Horse that Xu Hongzhuang is taming is a long-standing challenging problem for Demons Mountain.

It is said that the Snow Stepping Flying Horse was the mount of Demons Mountain’s founding ancestor, but ever since that first Mountain Master passed away, no one has turned the Snow Stepping Flying Horse into a demon pet.