Nine Dragons Saint Ancestor

”How could it be that no one has looked for it? But Vice Chairman Qian said that he has never heard of the Absolute Spirit Stabilizing Pulse Hand, let alone know the solution, so he is powerless!”

Regarding the Empress’s strong-armed approach, Xuan Haoran had witnessed it for many years, but formerly, the Empress did not intervene much in the affairs of the Empire, so he turned a blind eye.

Xuan Haoran could also understand Nie Yi’s concern for her own son, which is why she was so out of sorts. However, upon thinking about the matter, even he couldn’t help feeling somewhat melancholic.

”How is this possible? Aren’t you an Earth-rank Advanced Meridian Refining Master at the peak? How can you not resolve a minor technique used by a kid in the Mid Stage of Meridian Union Realm? You truly are an old fellow whose reputation is unwarranted!”

In her extreme anger, Nie Yi spoke without thinking, completely forgetting that the person she was talking about could crush the Xuanyue Empire and Lingtian Empire together with a mere flick of his finger.

”Empress, please watch your words!”

Although the Empress was speaking out of extreme anger, Xuan Haoran was still clear-headed. Seeing him change his expression, he looked around and finally scolded her loudly.

One must know that Xuan Haoran had been spending time with the big shots from Tenglong Continent lately. Although people like Meng Liyang and Qian Sanyuan did not show any prowess, the terrifying aura they emitted made him too intimidated to say anything more.

Xuan Haoran was well aware that if the words of Nie Yi were to be heard by Qian Sanyuan or spread by someone else, perhaps without even needing Vice Chairman Qian to take action personally, the Xuanyue Empire would be gnawed to the bone.

It seemed that Nie Yi was just venting her frustration momentarily, and upon being shouted at by Xuan Haoran, she felt a chill in her heart. In front of Jade Pot Sect, she could be high and mighty, but in front of those big shots from Tenglong Continent, her biggest support, the Xuanyue Empire and Lingtian Empire, were nothing at all.

”Empress, didn’t you go to Jade Pot Sect? What did Yun Xiao say?”

Xuan Haoran was obviously also concerned about his son’s injury. However, as soon as he asked, it almost made Nie Yi curse again. The treatment she received at Jade Pot Sect today was something she never wanted to mention again for the rest of her life.

”What else could he say? That kid didn’t even show his face, saying he was preparing for the final battle tomorrow!”

Nie Yi sounded rather resentful, but upon hearing this, Xuan Haoran nodded, thinking that before the great battle tomorrow, it’s unlikely that Yun Xiao and Jin Wuli would be disturbed by anything.

”If only we had known there would be a day like today, we should never have allowed that kid to leave the Imperial Palace so easily. It’s like nurturing a tiger that causes trouble!”

The Empress, remembering the time Yun Xiao treated Xuan Jing, was even more upset and contained a trace of extreme regret. After all, Yun Xiao back then was a Great Thief who was decreed with the Xuan Kill Order.

”Empress, we really wronged Yun Xiao in that incident, and he cured Jing’er; we should be grateful to him. Besides, the hardship that Jiuding is going through is an act of fate; we can’t blame Yun Xiao!”

As a wise ruler, Xuan Haoran would not be unreasonable like Nie Yi. What he said was the truth. Now it seems that whether it was stealing the Xuan Heavenly Manual or Xuan Jing’s unconsciousness, probably all had something to do with Crown Prince Xuan Jiuding.

”Ha? Blame Yun Xiao? Xuan Haoran, I think you’ve become senile, haven’t you? Your own son is thrown into the abyss, yet you’re still defending Yun Xiao on all fronts?”

Nie Yi’s anger was significant, and just like any mother concerning her own son, she was totally unreasonable. The Empress was no exception.

”Xuan Haoran, if the Xuanyue Empire cannot seek justice for Jiuding, then I can only ask my brother for help. I refuse to believe that a mere disciple of Jade Pot Sect can defy the heavens!”

The more the Empress spoke, the angrier she became; especially when she mentioned the last two sentences, Xuan Haoran was finally stirred with a hint of anger.

”Do whatever you want. I have no solutions left!”

An exasperated Xuan Haoran, unable to control the Empress, left with a wave of his sleeve, leaving Nie Yi with a face of mixed green and white. Regardless, until the Hidden Dragon Conference of the Nations was over, she could not do anything to Yun Xiao regardless.

...

Time flew by overnight.

When the next day’s morning sunlight sprinkled down, the whole Baiyue City instantly became lively and extraordinary, especially at the location of the central square, which was so packed with people it was impenetrable.

The Jade Pot Sect procession, surrounded by Yun Xiao, came from afar. Everyone wore proud expressions and looked so admirable that the onlookers were envious—alas, they couldn’t help it because they earned their place there with their strength and deserved to be proud of themselves.

As for the Empress’s visit yesterday, Yu Shu must have already told Yun Xiao. He only nodded slightly in response, not saying much more. Why would he bother about such trivialities?

On the central square’s arena, a young man dressed in golden clothes was already standing, none other than the dark horse from the Wuhai Empire, Jin Wuli, whose eyes shone with a golden light as he stared unblinkingly at Yun Xiao, who was slowly making his way into the square.

Since today marked the final battle, Yun Xiao didn’t dawdle. He gestured to Yu Shu and the others beside him, then also made his way slowly up onto the stage.

This moment set the whole place ablaze!

When the crowd saw the two figures standing on the arena, amidst the cheers, many couldn’t help but feel moved, since the two who had made it to this ultimate showdown were the ones they had least expected.

At the onset of the Countries Hidden Dragon Conference, the favorites for the crown in everyone’s mind had been Shen Wannian, Ye Shimei, Nie Qianqiu, and even those like Xuan Jiuding.

After all, it was these geniuses from the major empires whose reputations preceded them. But now, those who stood on the stage were one from the remote Wuhai Empire and one from the Jade Pot Sect, whose Meridian Qi was only at the Mid Stage of the Meridian Union Realm.

Perhaps in the history of the Countries Hidden Dragon Conference, there had never been a prodigy at the Mid Stage of the Meridian Union Realm who had broken into the final championship battle, let alone the top ten.

The defeated are ultimately forgotten. No matter how big the names of Shen Wannian and Nie Qianqiu were, today’s protagonists were none other than Yun Xiao and Jin Wuli.

Which of these two dark horses will continue their streak to the end? Perhaps in a short time, the outcome will be clear, and everyone’s anticipation for this battle is unparalleled.

”The ultimate battle, officially begins!”

Meng Liyang, on the high platform, stood up and with these eight words, sent the crowd into a frenzy, for they knew that the battle was finally underway.

”This is the last battle of this Countries Hidden Dragon Conference. The victor will be awarded the title ’Hidden Dragon Emerges,’ and will also have the choice to join any power on the nine great Tenglong Continents!”

The words that followed from Meng Liyang silenced the heated crowd in an instant because no one had even considered his last statement.

Participation in the Countries Hidden Dragon Conference and winning the championship to secure the ’Hidden Dragon Emerges’ title, all these were known to the cultivators of the Hidden Dragon Continent.

But in the previous Countries Hidden Dragon Conference, even if one won the championship, wasn’t it the Tenglong Continent bigwigs who did the choosing? When did it change to the Hidden Dragon Conference champions making their own sect power selections?

You see, even with the title of Hidden Dragon Conference champion, not all top talents from the Hidden Dragon Continent were necessarily valued by the bigwigs of the Tenglong Continent.

There were even some champions from previous conferences who ended up in an embarrassing situation of not being selected by anyone. It had to be said that the insignificant scuffles of the Hidden Dragon Continent’s low-level plane, while hugely important in the eyes of its cultivators, were essentially negligible to the strong on the Tenglong Continent.

However, Meng Liyang’s words now left everyone utterly perplexed. When did the Hidden Dragon Conference champion’s treatment become this generous?

Even the other eight giants closest to Meng Liyang sneakily glanced at him, indicating that they were also unaware of this abrupt rule change.

”Tsk tsk, Elder Meng Liyang is really shrewd, huh!”

Vice Chairman Qian from the Meridian Refining Master Association, keeping his eyes on Meng Liyang, was unclear if he was praising or mocking. Regardless, even Xue Ningxiang next to him understood his implication.

”Hehe, for such a talent, it’s only right to give everyone a chance, don’t you think?”

Meng Liyang seemed unfazed, but his question was now directed towards Gu Hua, Wu Tong, and the others. This time, it did provoke nods from them all, except for Qian Sanyuan and Xue Ningxiang.

If Qian Sanyuan and Xue Ningxiang had merely regarded Yun Xiao’s contest with the Demon World as a spectacle, by now, they probably couldn’t stay aloof anymore.

During the time in the Demon Realm, apart from Qian Sanyuan and Xue Ningxiang having a slight understanding of Yun Xiao, people like Meng Liyang and Gu Hua were utterly in the dark about who Yun Xiao was?

However, in the minds of Meng Liyang and others, a genius from the Hidden Dragon Continent was simply one who happened to cure Xue Ningxiang’s Innate Pulse Cutting, and his innate talent may not have been particularly astonishing.

But after three battles over three days, no one thought this way anymore. In the fights where Yun Xiao defeated Nie Qianqiu, Shen Wannian, and Xuan Jiuding, his performance only improved with each battle, making even the bigwigs of the Tenglong Continent take notice.

Especially in the battle with Xuan Jiuding, the techniques Yun Xiao used were even unknown to Meng Liyang and the others. Even the Earth-rank Advanced Pulse Refining Master Qian Sanyuan had never heard of the so-called ”Absolute Spirit Stabilizing Pulse Hand.”

The elders of the various major powers and sects from the Tenglong Continent had left their important affairs to come to the low-level plane of the Hidden Dragon Continent, precisely to select talents for their sects.

They hadn’t been overly hopeful. Even the number one talent from the Hidden Dragon Continent would just be an average genius in the Tenglong Continent. Yet, they hadn’t anticipated such a pleasant surprise.