Nine Dragons Saint Ancestor

Swoosh!

Deep in Yulei Mountain, half a day later, a gaunt figure in coarse clothes approached from afar. Upon closer inspection, wasn’t it Yun Xiao, who was currently being pursued by someone?

”This old guy, just refuses to let go!”

Yun Xiao, somewhat out of breath, turned his head and saw the old man a few dozen yards away cursing under his breath. The half-day chase had nearly depleted the Meridian Qi he had just broken through to the middle stage of Qi Seeking Realm.

Xia Yong guessed correctly. The remarkable speed that Yun Xiao could display was indeed due to the use of a powerful Meridian Technique. This middle level Earth Rank movement technique had originated from the Nine-layered Dragon Cloud, and it was only after breaking through to the middle stage of the Qi Seeking Realm that Yun Xiao could barely execute it.

Unfortunately, employing this Body Meridian Technique beyond his level extracted a terrifying toll on his Meridian Qi. In just half a day, over half of Yun Xiao’s Meridian Qi had been drained.

Even if Yun Xiao’s movement technique was extremely formidable, the gap between him and Xia Yong spanned an entire Great Rank, making it virtually impossible to shake off the pursuer.

Perhaps aware of this fact, Xia Yong didn’t chase with full force but instead followed Yun Xiao at a steady pace, seemingly wanting to toy with the young man after he was exhausted.

”This can’t go on!”

As Yun Xiao ran forward, he began to feel uneasy, knowing that if the chase continued, he would eventually run out of Meridian Qi and be caught by Xia Yong.

Yun Xiao was acutely aware that despite Xia Yong’s seemingly kind words earlier, falling into his hands would mean a fate worse than death. Even if his Meridian Spirit was taken away, survival would be impossible.

This might be the first life-threatening crisis for Yun Xiao since his arrival to Tenglong Continent, and his enemy at the Peak of the Seeking Origin Realm was simply someone he couldn’t contend with at his current level.

It must be said, when bad luck strikes, it pours. Just as Yun Xiao was weighing different thoughts, his path forward came to an abrupt end.

Before him, only a short distance away, was a vast gorge spanning dozens of yards across, its depths hidden by a shroud of white fog, effectively isolating the two sides of Yulei Mountain.

Whether Yun Xiao chose left or right, he would soon be caught by Xia Yong, turning his expression extremely ugly. Had he inadvertently reached a dead end?

Approaching the edge, Yun Xiao saw the mist-enshrouded chasm below and knew that if he took one step forward, he would likely fall to his death—a far cry from the city walls of Baiyue City.

Swoosh!

As Yun Xiao’s face turned very grim, the sound of rushing wind followed closely, signaling that Xia Yong had caught up. Yun Xiao found himself with no escape and a powerful enemy at his back, seemingly left with no other option but a desperate fight.

”Run, keep running, why not run?”

The half-day chase had eroded Xia Yong’s patience. When he, too, saw the grand gorge behind Yun Xiao, he couldn’t help but feel as if ”Heaven was on my side.”

In truth, Xia Yong wasn’t sure how much longer Yun Xiao could last. If they encountered strangers, Xia Yong would have had to restrain his desire to kill for loot, lest it be seen as brazen.

After all, as a Special Envoy of the headquarters, Xia Yong had the image of Spirit Fighting Commerce to consider. If his actions were witnessed by others, he would have had no choice but to flee or silence them.

But now, with nowhere to run and not another Cultivator in sight, Xia Yong let go of all worries. Except for Yun Xiao somehow growing wings and flying across the great chasm, he would have no choice but to accept his fate.

Below the Heavenly Rank Third Realm, human Cultivators could not fly. Xia Yong knew Yun Xiao possessed a bird-shaped Meridian Spirit, but its size was far too small to carry the weight of a person. So that path, too, was effectively blocked.

”It seems... I have to fight with everything I’ve got!”

In such a dire situation, even Yun Xiao, with his Seven-Orifice Exquisite Heart, found himself at a loss. Absolute power dictated the outcome—no amount of scheming could counteract a genuine power disparity.

Even if Yun Xiao used every trick up his sleeve, he believed his chance of survival under a Peak of the Seeking Origin Realm cultivator would not exceed ten percent. It was an unprecedented predicament.

”Since you are so unappreciative, Xia here will have to take it by force!”

An irritated Xia Yong, not wanting the night to bring more dreams, launched his attack. A tremendous force surged from the ground beneath Yun Xiao’s feet, immediately making him feel as if he were trapped in quicksand.

”It’s the Earth Element!”

With Yun Xiao’s knowledge, he instantly sensed the strength of that Earth Essence, something he would not have cared about in his past life, but now, he felt somewhat bound by it.

Especially since he had personally experienced that stage, he knew all too well that the Earth Essence was much more powerful than what a cultivator at the rank of Qi Seeking Realm could call upon. There was simply no comparison.

It was like comparing a piece of ordinary iron to a piece of fine steel that had been repeatedly hammered and refined. At this moment, Yun Xiao was clearly constrained by the Earth Element, even trying to move his feet had become extremely difficult.

”Break for me!”

Fortunately, Yun Xiao was no ordinary practitioner at the middle stage of the Qi Seeking Realm. When his physical strength burst forth, it was perhaps no less formidable than that of a Seventh Rank Intermediate Vein Demon.

Consequently, after a roar erupted from Yun Xiao’s throat, his previously immobile feet forcibly shifted several inches backward, causing even Xia Yong’s eyes to reveal a look of extreme surprise.

As a powerhouse of the Seeking Origin Realm, Xia Yong had often found success using this move against cultivators of the Qi Seeking Realm. Those low-level practitioners bound by the Earth Element could only allow themselves to be slaughtered.

But now, the Earth Element, which could even bind cultivators at the peak of the Qi Seeking Realm, was forcibly broken open by a youth in the middle stage of the Qi Seeking Realm. How could this not be shocking?

”This brat, I absolutely cannot let him live!”

Xia Yong, who had initially harbored different thoughts, now had an uncontrollable killing intent rising in his heart, thinking that if Yun Xiao were to break through to the Seeking Origin Realm, even just to its early stage, it would no longer be as easy to deal with him as it was now.

Thump!

As expected, Xia Yong, a peak practitioner of the Seeking Origin Realm, reacted with extreme speed. Although Yun Xiao had forcibly moved several inches backward by relying on his immense physical strength and some techniques, the latter’s right fist still struck first, hitting Yun Xiao’s right shoulder.

This heavy blow caused Yun Xiao excruciating pain, and as he retreated, a red shadow suddenly leapt out from his shoulder and swelled rapidly in the wind.

”Chi Yan, no!”

Seeing this, Yun Xiao knew what was happening. It was undoubtedly the Fire Cloud Rat Chi Yan, which had been lying on his right shoulder. Seeing Yun Xiao in danger, it tried to stop Xia Yong’s attack at that moment.

However, Yun Xiao clearly knew that Chi Yan had been severely injured in the waterfall cave earlier, and after half a day’s recovery, it had perhaps not even regained half of its strength.

Even in Chi Yan’s prime, with its strength as a Seventh Rank Low-Level Vein Demon, it was no match for Xia Yong, a powerhouse at the peak of the Seeking Origin Realm. This act was simply akin to committing suicide.

”Where did this beast come from, get lost!”

Indeed, Xia Yong didn’t even consider a Seventh Rank Low-Level Vein Demon with weak energy worth noticing. Hearing his cold shout, he waved his right hand lightly, and Chi Yan’s body was sent flying backward at high speed.

Behind Yun Xiao and Chi Yan was a large canyon spanning dozens of yards. Xia Yong’s strength was overwhelming as he sent Chi Yan’s body flying out tens of yards like a red comet, crashing to the other side of the canyon.

”Chi Yan!”

Seeing this, Yun Xiao’s eyes split with rage. Chi Yan had been his life-and-death companion since they were on the Hidden Dragon Continent. Now, it was smacked away by Xia Yong, its fate unknown. At this moment, an ultimate hatred arose from his heart.

”Xiao Wu, I need your strength!”

In this critical moment, Yun Xiao calmed down instead, speaking lightly in his mind with a low shout, then emphasized again: ”I need all of your strength!”

It seemed Yun Xiao hadn’t lost his senses over Chi Yan’s unknown fate. He knew what his strongest power was, and he hadn’t used this power for a long time.

”Have you thought it through? If you borrow all of my power, you might directly explode and die!”

At this moment, the Golden Snake Worm didn’t argue with Yun Xiao. Perhaps it also knew that if Yun Xiao didn’t survive, it would likely fall into the hands of those detestable humans. However, its words conveyed a different meaning.

”Heh, in any case, it’s death either way. Why not bite off a piece of flesh from that guy before dying?”

Yun Xiao glanced at the other side of the canyon, which he couldn’t see clearly, his tone tinged with desolation. But just as he said, in the end, it was death either way. If he died without a fight, he would never rest in peace.

”Yun Xiao, whatever tricks you have, just bring them on. I’m giving you this opportunity!”

Xia Yong, having flung Chi Yan away, seemed to have done something insignificant. The words he spoke were saturated with extreme confidence because he knew that with such an absolute gap in power, this youth would ultimately be unable to stir up any waves.