Nine Dragons Saint Ancestor

Chapter 233: 233 Racing against time

Swoosh!

However, just as Yin Huan made his move, an elderly figure appeared in front of him. When he looked up, he was instantly excited because this old man was none other than the Guardian of Jade Pot Cave, one of the four Elders of the Sect: Li Shan.

Yin Huan was so thrilled because he knew that Elder Li Shan was a bona fide powerhouse in the Spirit Vein Realm. With him taking action, the fourth-rank intermediate Strange Spirit wouldn’t be able to frolic for much longer, which also served as revenge for Yin Huan’s own grievances.

”Elder Li, you’ve finally arrived. How could a Strange Spirit appear in the Jade Pot Cave?”

This genius of the Poison Vein lineage let out a sigh of relief internally, but he wasn’t polite to the Elder at all. In his view, the appearance of a Strange Spirit in the Jade Pot Cave represented a serious negligence of duty by this Elder.

What frustrated Yin Huan the most was that he had already cornered Yun Xiao into a desperate situation and was about to achieve a great feat. Yet, out of nowhere, a Strange Spirit appeared, which not only spoiled his assassination plan against Yun Xiao but also resulted in severe internal injuries for himself.

There had always been animosity between the medical and poison lineages of the Jade Pot Sect, so Yin Huan directed all his anger toward Li Shan. Had it not been for his own significant gap in power compared to Elder Li, Yin Huan might have even lashed out with verbal abuse.

”I understand, rest assured, you will be given an explanation!”

Li Shan himself was not in a good mood. He was a person of good nature, and although he was annoyed at Yin Huan’s words, he knew he had more important things to attend to. Thus, after saying so, he stepped forward.

Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh...

However, just as Li Shan took a step forward, over a dozen young prodigies, with disordered auras, came swarming out from the entrance to the fourth level of the Jade Pot Cave, startling everyone present.

Especially Tan Qi, who had only learned from the conversation between Yin Huan and Li Shan who had injured Yin Huan. But the presence of a Strange Spirit in the Jade Pot Cave was a matter of great importance.

”What’s the situation on the fourth level like?”

Seeing the several panicked prodigies rushing out, Li Shan sighed in relief, but when he scanned the crowd and didn’t see the figure he was looking for, he couldn’t help but ask out loud.

”Elder Li, that... the Strange Spirit is incredibly vicious, several of our brother cultivators... they all died by its hands!”

One of the Inner Sect prodigies seemed to have calmed down a fraction and took the initiative to speak first, though there was still a tremor in his voice. It seems like he genuinely felt that he wouldn’t have made it out during the Strange Spirit’s rampant slaughter.

”How did you manage to escape?”

Li Shan still managed to keep his composure and asked this critical question. In his view, these humans in the early stages of the Meridian Rushing Realm had no chance of surviving in front of a fourth-rank intermediate Strange Spirit.

This wasn’t something that could be compensated for by numbers, and as Li Shan suspected, if something unexpected hadn’t happened, aside from Yin Huan, no Inner Sect Disciple at the early stages of the Meridian Rushing Realm could have escaped with their lives.

”It was Yun Xiao who lured away the Strange Spirit, allowing us to escape.”

The disciples spoke the truth about this matter, but while saying this, they felt a tinge of desolation, for they knew that the youth who drew away the Strange Spirit had no chance of survival.

What these grateful Inner Sect Disciples didn’t see was the hint of satisfaction on Yin Huan’s face nearby when they finished speaking.

Although Yin Huan did not personally kill Yun Xiao, the latter undoubtedly had no way out this time. He had personally experienced the strike from the Strange Spirit, and even he, in the middle stage of the Meridian Rushing Realm, couldn’t bear it, let alone Yun Xiao at the peak of the Meridian Gathering Realm.

Thus, Yin Huan considered that he had indirectly completed the task assigned by his teacher. The young man who had been taken as a Direct Disciple by the Sect Leader would ultimately be unable to leave the Jade Pot Cave.

”Damn it!”

Hearing the unified cry from the disciples, Li Shan’s face became extremely gloomy. Now he was aware of who Yun Xiao was, and if this new Disciple of the Sect Leader truly died within the Jade Pot Cave, then his responsibility would be enormous.

If Yun Xiao had only died at the hands of these Jade Pot Sect Disciples or a Vein Demon within the Jade Pot Cave, Li Shan wouldn’t have felt too burdened.

But now that a Strange Spirit had appeared in the Jade Pot Cave, killing a few ordinary Inner Sect Disciples was one thing, but what was Yun Xiao’s identity? At that point, not only could he not remain as the Guardian of the Jade Pot Cave, but even his position as one of the four Elders might be in jeopardy.

Therefore, Li Shan did not waste any more words. Seeing that his figure had already vanished at the entrance to the fourth level of the Jade Pot Cave, everyone else was somewhat stunned.

Swoosh!

Just as the Disciples were in a daze, a gust of wind sounded next to them, and out of the corner of their eyes, they saw a green figure following Li Shan into the fourth level. Who else could it be but Yin Huan?

”Elder Li Shan has made a move; that malicious spirit shouldn’t be able to stir up any trouble now, right?”

”Shall we go take a look at the excitement?”

”Hmph, I really want to see how that strange spirit will meet its tragic end at the hands of Elder Li Shan!”

”Exactly, I just can’t swallow this grievance without seeing it with my own eyes!”

”...”

Seeing Yin Huan’s actions, all the disciples turned their attention back, as if with the protection of Elder Li Shan, a strong cultivator from the Spirit Vein Realm, their courage was bolstered once again, and they were no longer so fearful of the strange spirit.

After a period of indignant discussion, many Inner Sect Disciples at the early stage of the Meridian Rushing Realm leaped up towards the fourth floor again, leaving only the Guardian Tan Qi, itching with curiosity and unable to scratch.

Naturally, Tan Qi also wanted to join in on the excitement, but unfortunately, as the Guardian of this level, he could not abandon his post, so he could only watch helplessly as those disciples who had just come out from the fourth floor returned once again.

In fact, for these Inner Sect Disciples returning to the fourth floor, they needed to pass through Tan Qi, the Guardian, but with such a big event taking place, both the disciples and Tan Qi themselves chose to selectively forget that detail.

......

Jade Pot Cave, the fourth floor!

At a certain place, a lean figure was sitting cross-legged. Not far from him was a somewhat strange figure—it was Yun Xiao and that mudstone strange spirit.

At this time, Yun Xiao had reached a critical moment. The Six-leaf Earth Spirit Ginseng he had swallowed was unleashing an extremely violent medicinal effect, impacting his entire body’s meridians, causing his face to swell red as if blood was about to drip out.

It’s necessary to say that the Six-leaf Earth Spirit Ginseng was much more potent than the Purple Energy Flower Lotus that Yun Xiao initially swallowed. Although both were low-level spiritual rank medicinal herbs and main ingredients for refining low-level spiritual rank elixirs, there are significant differences between them.

”Ancient Dragon Taming Technique, activate!”

Yun Xiao roared in his mind, knowing that time was of the essence. The strange spirit suddenly becoming still was indeed weird, and he was aware that such a state couldn’t last for long. As soon as the strange spirit regained its senses, it could well be his time to die.

Therefore, Yun Xiao must seize this only chance to raise his Meridian Qi Cultivation to the early stage of the Meridian Rushing Realm. At the very least, he needed to completely refine the energy from the Six-leaf Earth Spirit Ginseng; otherwise, he would end up like before, without the strength even to evade.

In reality, Yun Xiao still underestimated the energy of the Six-leaf Earth Spirit Ginseng or perhaps overestimated the invincibility of the Ancient Dragon Taming Technique, because at this moment, he was only at the peak of the Meridian Gathering Realm.

The Ancient Dragon Taming Technique was indeed an unparalleled Cultivation Technique. Even if it were brought to the Nine-layered Dragon Cloud, there likely wouldn’t be any technique that could outmatch it. Unfortunately, everything has a limit, and Yun Xiao had undeniably reached one.

Limited by his Meridian Qi Cultivation, the energy Yun Xiao could muster from the Ancient Dragon Taming Technique was finite. This technique should steadily improve with his cultivation, but at least for now, it was still too low-level.

Even with Yun Xiao pushing the Ancient Dragon Taming Technique to the utmost extent he could manage, the energy from the Six-leaf Earth Spirit Ginseng continued to burst forth unabated, almost causing several of his meridians to rupture from the impact.

Yun Xiao surmised that if the situation didn’t ease soon, his meridians would inevitably rupture. At this moment, having pushed the Ancient Dragon Taming Technique to its limit, he no longer had the capacity to mitigate this violent energy.

”Hmm?”

Perhaps due to divine providence, when Yun Xiao found himself in this desperate situation, believing that he couldn’t withstand this energy assault, his body suddenly emitted a dazzling golden light.

This golden light was not unfamiliar to Yun Xiao—it was the mysterious golden snake worm he had fortuitously absorbed into his body in the Shang Family Snake Nest.

The entry of the golden snake worm into his body was a mixed blessing for Yun Xiao. When he first awoke, the snake worm contended with the Long Xiao Battle God’s soul for possession of his body, causing him to be captured by the Talisman Poison Master and taken back to the Jade Pot Sect, subjected to utter torment from myriad poisons, narrowly escaping death.

Yet it was also due to this golden snake worm that Yun Xiao survived the deadly poisons, eventually activating a special Cold Ice Attribute Ancestor Vein.

Thus, Yun Xiao’s feelings towards the golden snake worm were complex, but at this moment, the anomaly emanating from it undoubtedly became his last lifeline, because without any changes, his only fate would be the rupturing of his meridians and death.

Whoo... Whoo...

Inside Yun Xiao’s body, as if an invisible gale had arisen at that moment, and when this energy surged, Yun Xiao suddenly found that a part of the violent energy assaulting his meridians was being devoured by the golden snake worm.

Yun Xiao, who was desperately seeking an outlet for release, truly found this turn of events exceptionally delightful. To him, it was a timely rain in the snow, indeed!