Nine Dragons Saint Ancestor

Jiangdan City!

This is a medium-sized city within the Southern Territory of Lingtian Empire, named after the great Dan River that flows through it, a strategic town for the intersection of the empire’s north and south.

Atop a pavilion in Jiangdan City, the water of Dan River roared below, while at the window stood a young man and woman, silent for a moment.

”This place isn’t bad, right?”

The girl in red, Xiao Lan, boasted with slight pride as she looked at the river outside. Her words prompted the boy beside her to nod.

This boy was none other than Yun Xiao. After they had killed Gong Qizhen and Qiao Lin in the outskirts of Xuri City that day, they did not delay, and under Xiao Lan’s guidance, they directly came to this Jiangdan City, thousands of miles away.

With more than half a year left until the Countries Hidden Dragon Conference, Yun Xiao was not in a hurry. Having obtained the Soul Condensing Stone and Body Tempering Golden Crystal Silk, he needed to find a quiet place to enhance his strength.

Moreover, heading to Lingyun Sect was uncertain to be a blessing or a curse. If Yu Qian really was the Great Elder of the Lingyun Sect, the annihilation incident of yesteryears, might indeed be closely linked to the Lingyun Sect, presenting untold dangers.

Even if Yun Xiao could harness the power of the Golden Snake Worm, his body was still too weak. If he could use those two divine items to elevate his Meridian Qi Cultivation to the Meridian Union Realm, perhaps his ability to protect himself would be greatly increased.

”Well, I’m off to cultivate!”

Yun Xiao glanced at the scenery of the river for a while and, without further ado, greeted Xiao Lan. He then disappeared behind the door of a room, leaving her with a somewhat wistful gaze.

Watching Yun Xiao’s departing figure, Xiao Lan remained silent for a time, seemingly pondering over something until she was disrupted by the sound of footsteps.

”Miss...”

The newcomer was a green-clad old man, with a stable gait and an aura even more formidable than the Pavilion Master Gong Qizhen of the Treasure Pavilion, revealing himself to be a Spirit Vein Realm expert.

If Yun Xiao were here, he might be astonished once again. Just what kind of status does one hold to command such reverence from a Spirit Vein Realm expert?

”Uncle Jian, why are you here? Could it be mother, she...”

Xiao Lan’s gaze sharpened upon seeing the green-clad elder. She seemed to recall something, her complexion slightly changed, and the words she spoke trembled slightly.

”Miss is right, the lady’s illness has worsened again!”

The elder referred to as Uncle Jian swept a loving glance over Xiao Lan, and though his following words were filled with melancholy, they also conveyed a sense of sorrow.

”The lady... wishes to see Miss for one last time!”

Uncle Jian spoke again, and the gravity of his words was clear—it seemed the lady might not last until Xiao Lan could return.

”Uncle Jian, I... I’ve found the Jade Liquid Vine!”

Suddenly recalling something important, Xiao Lan reached around her waist, and then a green object appeared in her hand, causing Uncle Jian’s body to tremble with shock.

”It really is the Jade Liquid Vine!”

As an expert of the Spirit Vein Realm, Uncle Jian recognized it at a glance and couldn’t contain his excitement, saying, ”We mustn’t delay, Miss please follow me back to the sect without hesitation; there might still be a chance to save the lady!”

”Yes!”

Concerned for her mother’s safety, Xiao Lan reluctantly glanced at a room door one last time, and finally nodded, then followed Uncle Jian out of the pavilion.

”I hope the day we meet again will be with my mother’s company!”

Stepping out of the pavilion, Xiao Lan silently prayed. This was a significant event in her life; without her mother’s presence, it would likely become a lifelong regret.

......

Meanwhile, Yun Xiao inside the room was unaware that Xiao Lan had already left. Presently, he held a Square Stone, appearing deep in thought.

”I wonder just how powerful the Power of Soul within this Soul Condensing Stone actually is?”

Yun Xiao muttered to himself. Although the stall owner Ding Hao had only sold it as a Spiritual Rank Advanced item, only he knew that its true value might extend far beyond that.

It’s true that a Spirit-grade Advanced Pulse Refining Master could nurture a Soul Condensing Stone, but that doesn’t mean the stone simply contained the Power of Soul equating to that level.

With Yun Xiao’s current Meridian Realm, albeit comparable to Earth Rank Low Level, if the Power of Soul within the Soul Condensing Stone was overly strong, it could also pose significant danger.

Too much of anything is not good, and many a time, human greed proves dangerous; cases of individuals trying to gain advantage but ending up bursting themselves apart instead abound. Reincarnated, Yun Xiao had undoubtedly become much more cautious.

”You’re being too timid, aren’t you? What’s there to fear when you have me?”

At the moment Yun Xiao hesitated, a voice suddenly rose from the depths of his mind. Without looking, he knew it was that Golden Snake Worm, which caught him by surprise.

”Can you even devour the Power of Soul?”

Yun Xiao’s question was not unfounded. Although the creature was bizarre, it was undoubtedly a Vein Demon, and such beings typically didn’t focus on cultivating the soul.

”Nonsense, I am a magnificent Five-Clawed Golden Dragon. How can I be compared to those lowly common Vein Demons?”

Seemingly seeing through Yun Xiao’s thoughts, a hint of anger burst from the snake eyes of the Golden Snake Worm, furious that Yun Xiao was comparing it to common Vein Demons.

”If that’s the case, then it makes things much easier!”

Yun Xiao didn’t take it to heart. Muttering to himself, he no longer hesitated and pressed the Soul Condensing Stone against his forehead. He immediately felt an invisible force rushing into his mind in an instant.

”Indeed powerful!”

The force was immensely overwhelming, but thanks to Yun Xiao’s ample experience, he didn’t panic. Instead, he operated his own Power of Soul, frantically absorbing the power from the Soul Condensing Stone.

As Yun Xiao had expected, the power within the Soul Condensing Stone could not possibly belong to a Spirit-grade Advanced Pulse Refining Master—it must have at least reached the Earth Rank Low Level.

The violent Power of Soul lashed Yun Xiao’s mind with excruciating pain, a kind of agony distinct from physical pain. Even he was unsure how long he could endure it.

However, to his relief, despite the pain, the long-stagnant Power of Soul was growing bit by bit. Perhaps before long, he would be able to break through to the Spiritual Rank Low Level and become a genuine Spiritual Rank Low Level Pulse Refining Master.

Sigh...

Meanwhile, the Golden Snake Worm dwelling inside Yun Xiao suddenly radiated a burst of golden light, and Yun Xiao felt the pressure greatly lessen. It seemed that the Golden Snake Worm had also begun to absorb the Power of Soul from the Soul Condensing Stone.

”This little fellow, so impatient!”

Seeing this, Yun Xiao couldn’t help but laugh bitterly. He had originally thought that the Golden Snake Worm would only lend a hand when he could no longer endure, but now it seemed the creature was competing with him for the Power of Soul in the Soul Condensing Stone.

Fortunately, the Soul Condensing Stone was extraordinary. Even if it was being divided between the two, they could still absorb a significant portion of it. In this struggle, three days quickly passed.

On the third day, when the sunlight poured onto the riverside pavilion, Yun Xiao finally opened his eyes for the first time in three days. The spirituality contained within them indicated that his Power of Soul had undergone tremendous change.

The evolution of the Power of Soul from Mortal Rank to Spiritual Rank is a process of nurturing spirituality. The time spirituality emerges within the soul is the mark of reaching the Spiritual Rank Low Level Soul.

Crack!

When Yun Xiao opened his eyes, the Soul Condensing Stone in his lowered palm, originally very hard, split apart, clearly depleted of its energy.

”Hm? Asleep again?”

Yun Xiao sensed his own Power of Soul and suddenly discovered a fact—that the Golden Snake Worm inside him, perhaps due to absorbing the power of the Soul Condensing Stone, had once again fallen into a deep slumber.

Yun Xiao frowned slightly. The Golden Snake Worm was his trump card. If the creature ended up sleeping for months again, things would be perilous in Lingyun Sect.

But there was nothing he could do about it; the creature would wake and sleep as it pleased, completely out of Yun Xiao’s control. Now it seemed that enhancing his own strength was of the utmost importance.

”Body Tempering Golden Crystal Silk!”

As the thought crossed his mind, Yun Xiao reached to his waist and swiped, and a strand of golden light emerged, which was the thread-like Golden Crystal Silk.

Body Tempering Golden Crystal Silk is a mysterious item for refining the physique, far more powerful than the so-called Stone Heart Marrow he had used before. Yun Xiao intended to use this wondrous item to enhance his Physical Strength and break through to the Meridian Union Realm level.

True to his nature, Yun Xiao acted immediately upon deciding. After taking out the Body Tempering Golden Crystal Silk, a wisp of Meridian Qi surged from his fingertips, and the Golden Crystal Silk suddenly lengthened, binding his entire body.

Yun Xiao was not alarmed by this scene. Having witnessed the effects of Golden Crystal Silk Body Refining during his time at the Nine-layered Dragon Cloud, he expected this.

The Golden Crystal Filament binding his body seemed to have embedded itself into Yun Xiao’s skin, causing a grimace of pain to appear on his face. However, having endured the previous suffering of the soul, this physical pain was nothing to him.

Moreover, Yun Xiao had a feeling that as he underwent refinement with the Golden Crystal Silk, his Meridian Qi Cultivation was gradually improving, and at any moment, he might reach the Meridian Union Realm level.

What Yun Xiao didn’t realize was that, while his flesh and blood were absorbing the energy of golden silk refinement, a part of it was imperceptibly entering the body of a certain creature.

It seemed that although the Golden Snake Worm had fallen into a deep slumber, like before at the Jade Pot Sect, it wouldn’t let any opportunity pass that was beneficial to itself. Perhaps this was just an instinct.

This time, the pain of Body Refining surpassed that of the Soul Condensing Stone, lasting more than twice as long. It was not until the seventh day that Yun Xiao’s aura began to undergo a substantial change, which was like a storm.

If there had been outsiders present, they would have seen Yun Xiao’s exposed face emitting a golden radiance, giving off a sense of formidable resilience and toughness.