Nine Dragons Saint Ancestor

Sigh...

A whoosh of wind sounded, and the talented individual carrying the Dragon Flag finally reached the summit of Demon Suppressing Mountain. However, as he approached, he sensed numerous unusual gazes. It seemed that something had occurred of which he was unaware.

”It’s Xiao Baiyu from the Yulan Empire!”

Many recognized the person’s appearance and background, especially after the keywords ”Yulan Empire” and ”Xiao Baiyu” were mentioned. This gave the crowd some speculation about his origins.

The Yulan Empire, a mid-to-high tier empire comparable to the Thunderwind Empire and the Youlong Empire, was renowned for producing Warm Jade – a resource valued not only for decoration but also for enhancing Meridian Qi cultivation.

And this Xiao Baiyu, the sole heir of the Xiao Family that controlled the lifeblood of the empire, was rumored to be wealthy enough to rival the nation itself, thanks to their dealings in Warm Jade. With their formidable strength, even the Yulan Imperial Family had to act in accordance with their preferences.

Like Du Ruofeng, if it weren’t for some bad luck, Xiao Baiyu might have been one of the sixteen finalists already. But in his own view, it wasn’t too late yet.

Xiao Baiyu had gone through great difficulties and finally obtained one of the Dragon Flags. In theory, there should be no problem for him to advance to the last round, yet he was unaware of what had just transpired.

”Elders, this is my Dragon Flag!”

Without paying too much mind to the onlooker’s peculiar stares, which Xiao Baiyu assumed were out of envy, he confidently strode forward, Dragon Flag in hand, intending to join the sixteen entrants shielded by the Light Screen.

It wasn’t until this moment that Xiao Baiyu had not noticed there were already sixteen people in place; he only knew that obtaining one of the Dragon Flags meant he was qualified for the final round.

”I’m sorry, the spots for the final round have been determined, and you have been eliminated!”

Meng Liyang couldn’t help but feel sympathetic towards this unfortunate talent, but he spoke up immediately. Upon hearing this, Xiao Baiyu’s face became a mixture of incredulity and disbelief.

”Why... why? I found the Dragon Flag and brought it here. Why can’t I enter the third round?”

Unlike the indifferent bystanders, Xiao Baiyu, his figure trembling slightly with resentment, still asked. This question was on the minds of the audience and even those other leaders as well.

It was clearly stated before that obtaining one of the sixteen Dragon Flags would secure a spot in the third round. So why now, those who had captured a Dragon Flag couldn’t advance, while those without one had? Such abrupt changes would leave anyone feeling unjustly treated.

”Who is that person without a Dragon Flag in front of him? I object!”

The indignation and rage bubbling inside Xiao Baiyu finally erupted when he saw a youth in plain clothes at the edge of the sixteen finalists without a Dragon Flag.

That youth was naturally Yun Xiao, who himself was a bit befuddled. Wasn’t Elder Meng Liyang just drawing animosity toward him? If he had known this would happen, it would have been better to wait for Xiao Baiyu and snatch the Dragon Flag directly from him.

”You misunderstood. I merely said at the foot of the mountain that obtaining one of the sixteen Dragon Flags qualified one for the last round. I never said that getting a Dragon Flag guaranteed entry into the third round!”

In the face of Xiao Baiyu’s impertinence, Meng Liyang was unbothered. However, his words left everyone else exchanging glances, racking their brains trying to recall exactly what Meng Liyang had said at the base of Demon Suppressing Mountain.

”It seems that’s true!”

These talents from the Meridian Union Realm naturally had impressive memory, and upon recalling Meng Liyang’s words, their expressions grew quite odd.

Was this a play on words? Does the so-called sixteen Dragon Flags only serve as a token to enter the last round, and it was ultimately up to this Elder to decide who advances?

”Of course, if nothing had happened, obtaining the Dragon Flag would have meant a straightforward advancement to the last round. But now, I can only offer my apologies!”

Seeing Xiao Baiyu looking somewhat forlorn, Meng Liyang spoke again, and this piqued everyone’s curiosity once more. They were all eager to know what special circumstances had arisen.

”It seems you are all wondering why Yun Xiao, without a Dragon Flag, could advance to the final round, right?”

Meng Liyang sensed the crowd’s confusion and knew he had to clarify the situation to appease the discontented Xiao Baiyu. Pointing directly at Yun Xiao, he solemnly announced, ”Because... he has slain a low-level Sixth Rank Strange Spirit!”

”What? He killed a Strange Spirit? And it was... a low-level Sixth Rank?!”

Meng Liyang’s words rendered the whole arena silent as a crypt; everyone’s eyes widened as they stared at the boy dressed in coarse clothes. At this moment, Yun Xiao seemed far more terrifying than when he had defeated Du Ruofeng and his two companions combined.

”There’s actually a sixth rank Strange Spirit in Demons Mountain!”

People like Shen Wannian and Nie Qianqiu had faces full of shock and doubt because even for them, coming across such a formidable Strange Spirit would likely mean a grim fate.

After their initial shock subsided, everyone became curious about how Yun Xiao managed to kill a low-level sixth rank Strange Spirit. They didn’t doubt Meng Liyang’s words; after all, this Elder from the Tenglong Continent’s Demons Mountain had no need to lie to these young elites from the Hidden Dragon Continent.

”You all should know that Strange Spirits have always been the sworn enemies of mankind. Although it was just a treant Strange Spirit that had not yet developed full Spiritual Wisdom, its ability to cause disaster was significant. Yun Xiao took it upon himself to eliminate it; naturally, he qualifies for special privileges and advances automatically to the final round!”

Meng Liyang spoke confidently, and even the giants beside him understood and finally got the gist of the suspense he had been selling previously.

Indeed, as Meng Liyang said, Strange Spirits are savage and have always been the greatest enemy of humans and spirit demons. Anyone who encounters a Strange Spirit will feel compelled to eliminate it promptly.

Especially considering that it was a low-level sixth rank Strange Spirit. There were even those who secretly felt lucky that they hadn’t encountered that Strange Spirit themselves; otherwise, they might not have had a life left to stand here.

”A sixth rank low level Strange Spirit... A sixth rank low-level Strange Spirit...”

After Meng Liyang finished speaking, Xiao Baiyu’s face was completely drained of color because he knew that his accomplishments were nothing compared to that of the individual who had killed a sixth rank low-level Strange Spirit.

Even when he had struggled to seize the Dragon Flag from a nearly sixth rank Vein Demon, it was only a half-step into the sixth rank. That was still significantly inferior to a true sixth rank Vein Demon.

Furthermore, the combat power of Strange Spirits has always been stronger than that of Vein Demons of the same rank. If Xiao Baiyu had encountered such a Strange Spirit, he knew he wouldn’t have had the slightest chance of survival.

Everyone wondered how Yun Xiao managed to kill a low-level sixth rank Strange Spirit. This was especially true for the likes of Shen Wannian and Nie Qianqiu, who were very likely to face Yun Xiao in the final round and were extremely curious about his most significant trump card.

But Meng Liyang only spoke about the cause and effect of the incident and said nothing about the battle’s details, leaving everyone itching with curiosity.

Without a word from Meng Liyang or Yun Xiao himself, no one, including Liu Hanyi and Mo Qingling Pill among them, could guess the means Yun Xiao had employed at that time.

Such means may only be revealed in the final decisive battle. By then, nobody considered Yun Xiao an ordinary Mid Stage of Meridian Union Realm cultivator anymore; he was someone fierce enough to kill a low-level sixth rank Strange Spirit.

In the past within the Lingtian Empire, in Moon Cool City, at the Xuanyue Imperial Family, individuals like Xuan Jiuding, Nie Qianqiu, and Shen Wannian didn’t take Yun Xiao seriously.

Particularly Shen Wannian and Ye Shimei, who had not actually engaged with Yun Xiao at that time, thought he was arrogant merely because he relied on some external forces from Vein Demons.

But now, this speculation seemed utterly misguided. Not only could the boy in coarse clothes tame some mighty Vein Demons, but his strength is also definitely not to be ignored.

Originally, the geniuses who saw each other as rivals, from this moment on, had gained a formidable opponent: the rising star Yun Xiao, a genius from the Xuanyue Empire.

Yet, what the crowd did not see was a fleeting sneer from someone clad in Golden Clothes among the sixteen, as if disparaging the one who had killed the low-level sixth rank Strange Spirit.

”If there are no objections, then you may step down!”

Meng Liyang waved his hand, and the Sixteen Dragon Flags suddenly vanished, including the one in Xiao Baiyu’s hands. Seeing this genius withdrawing with a pale face, Meng Liyang felt somewhat moved.

”With two rounds over, the trials of this Countries Hidden Dragon Conference within the Demon Realm have come to an end. The third round will involve drawing lots to fight, until the champion is determined!”

Meng Liyang spoke with ease; the geniuses who did not advance to the third round naturally felt regret. However, the final sixteen brimmed with boundless fighting spirit, with several gazes even landing on Yun Xiao.

Although Yun Xiao had friends like Liu Hanyi and Mo Qingling Pill, among those who entered the last round, many still had little regard for him, such as Nie Qianqiu and Xuan Jiuding.

Even after Yun Xiao demonstrated his might in a one vs. three battle, defeating Du Ruofeng and others, and even after learning from Meng Liyang that he had killed a low-level sixth rank Vein Demon, these top competitors from the Hidden Dragon Continent were not so easily intimidated.

After all, Yun Xiao’s strength was only at the Mid Stage of Meridian Union Realm; even if he had some ways to enhance his strength, he could at most reach the Late Stage of Meridian Union Realm, which was the same level as theirs.

In battles against cultivators of the same realm, the likes of Shen Wannian and Ye Shimei had never lost. Moreover, if they could defeat Yun Xiao in the final showdown, perhaps they could even earn recognition from the Elders.

Indeed, Yun Xiao’s reputation had grown too significant today. Hadn’t the big shots from the Tenglong Continent been sweepingly glancing at Yun Xiao, knowingly or otherwise?