Nine Dragons Saint Ancestor

”Unexpectedly, Han Yi’s Poison Meridian Skill is so formidable!”

At this moment, regardless of whether they belonged to the Sky Poison Institute or the Heavenly Hospital, every Meridian Refining Master realized what had just happened, and an expression of disbelief rose on their faces.

It was a poison so fierce that it forced a talented individual at the Origin Seeking Realm Middle Stage to surrender in overwhelming pain. One could imagine how powerful it was indeed.

Even some established geniuses from the Sky Poison Institute began to reassess Liu Hanyi, realizing their previous understanding of this talented young woman’s Poison Meridian Skill was likely too superficial.

Liu Hanyi’s easy victory was merely a small interlude in this year’s tournament. The next contestant had an even greater reputation than Liu Hanyi, comparable to Bai Wushuang of the Heavenly Hospital. That person was none other than the Sky Poison Institute’s top genius: Ye Ku!

Ye Ku drew the green third lot, meaning he would compete in the first round’s third match. Everyone watched as a figure dressed in green walked slowly onto the arena, their eyes filled with varied emotions.

Compared to Bai Wushuang of the Medical Vein, Ye Ku might be the most feared genius among the young generation of Lianyun Mountain, as he practiced the ominous Poison Meridian Skill.

Coupled with Ye Ku’s natural aloof demeanor, even Si Mo, who had a good relationship with him, couldn’t help but feel intimidated. The Poison Meridian Path ultimately induces more fear than the Medical Vein Path.

”Wonder which unlucky individual will be Ye Ku’s opponent in the first round?”

Many geniuses from the Poison Meridian Path were gloating, for their lot all drew green, while the Medical Vein Path drew black. This meant Ye Ku’s opponent in this round would be a Medical Vein genius.

Bai Wushuang had already shown his face in a prior tournament, so the Poison Meridian geniuses were confident that no Medical Vein genius could possibly be Ye Ku’s match.

However, Ye Ku had been on the arena for fifteen minutes, and his opponent had yet to appear, causing a strange feeling among the crowd and leading to some speculation.

”That... Brother Ye Ku, Brother Lu Shan said there is an urgent matter at home, so...”

Just as everyone was growing anxious, a voice from the Medical Vein Path’s direction suddenly announced this, leaving the crowd dumbfounded and finally confirming their speculation.

”This guy named Lu Shan really is...”

For a moment, the crowd couldn’t find the right words. They didn’t believe Lu Shan genuinely had an urgent matter at home; the most likely reason was he didn’t want to face Ye Ku, the Sky Poison Institute’s top genius, in the arena due to potentially dire consequences.

Within the crowd, many were acquainted with Lu Shan, knowing he was a talented individual at the Origin Seeking Realm Middle Stage from the Heavenly Hospital. His strength was considerable, likely among the top in any first-class force.

But with such cultivation, while he could easily defeat top talents from other sects, facing the Sky Poison Institute’s top genius Ye Ku made the outcome predictable.

Victory was impossible; the most likely result was being poisoned by Ye Ku in a single move, and even if the poison could be neutralized quickly, it might leave severe residual effects, impacting future cultivation.

Although most felt disdain for Lu Shan’s avoidance of battle, a few understood his decision. After all, leaving room for retreat is wise, and facing the top genius of the Sky Poison Institute was a one in a thousand chance of survival.

”Lu Shan, that little brat, see if I don’t skin him!”

In the northern seating area, an elder of the Heavenly Hospital, with a beard and hair as white as snow, was so enraged that his beard bristled. After voicing his anger, he glanced around, seemingly searching for the ”little brat” he mentioned.

It turned out that the one who avoided the battle, Lu Shan, was this elder’s direct disciple, dearly loved and yet had embarrassed him so in public today.

Considering the courage shown by the previous Sky Poison Institute genius against Bai Wushuang, the elder felt slapped in the face, as if the surrounding gazes were filled with ridicule and mockery.

”It is human nature to avoid weakness and seek strength. Elder Yi, don’t take it too hard!”

Seeing Elder Yi vent his anger, Qian Sanyuan had to offer some words of comfort, though a flicker of disdain flashed in his eyes.

For a genius lacking the courage to face Ye Ku, perhaps his standing in Qian’s eyes would diminish sharply in the future.

Since Lu Shan avoided battle, Ye Ku advanced to the second round without bloodshed, and his attention shifted to a particular talent from the Heavenly Hospital—his greatest rival, Bai Wushuang.

Perhaps in Ye Ku’s mind, even though Yun Xiao’s strength displayed at Treasure Mountain was formidable, in a fair battle, Yun Xiao might not necessarily be his match. Only Bai Wushuang was the mountain he most needed to surpass.

The next battle turned out to be quite intense. Both participants were Origin Seeking Realm Late Stage talents from their respective institutes. In the end, the one from the Poison Vein won by a narrow margin, leveraging the Poison Meridian Skill to overpower the opponent and claim victory.

However, despite the loser’s disappointment, the victor’s expression wasn’t much better, because in the next round, they’d face Ye Ku, the top genius of the Sky Poison Institute, an insurmountable mountain.

Thus, the four matches of the upper bracket concluded. Aside from Liu Hanyi’s unexpected advancement to the second round, the results were largely anticipated—those expected to win did so.

Next up were the matches of the lower bracket. One of these involved someone Yun Xiao wasn’t unfamiliar with, a Sky Poison Institute genius named Si Mo, whom he had crossed paths with in the Refining Treasure Hall.

To Yun Xiao’s slight surprise, this Poison Vein genius, who had only been at the Origin Seeking Realm Late Stage within the Refining Treasure Hall, had, in just a month’s time, broken through to the Peak of Seeking Origin Realm. It seemed that he found something valuable on Treasure Mountain.

Of course, despite Si Mo’s recent breakthrough to the Peak of Seeking Origin Realm, he still fell far short of comparing with established geniuses like Bai Wushuang and Ye Ku. However, since he had advanced by a minor realm, his opponent voluntarily conceded after a few moves.

”Look, it’s finally Yun Xiao’s turn!”

”I really wonder what this kid is capable of, to be taken so seriously by Senior Brother Wushuang!”

”Heh, his opponent this time is Senior Brother Qiu Guang. In my opinion, this kid is bound for trouble!”

”Indeed, Senior Brother Qiu Guang is the third top genius of Sky Poison Institute, just below Senior Brothers Ye Ku and Si Mo. What does a newcomer to Lianyun Mountain count for?”

”That’s what happens for not joining our Poison Vein Path. It looks like Senior Brother Qiu Guang won’t hold back!”

”…”

At a certain moment, when the sixth arena match ended, the crowd erupted in discussion as they saw a roughly-dressed figure heading toward the main arena.

This roughly-dressed youth was naturally Yun Xiao. Having drawn the black number seven lot, it was finally his turn. Yet, neither the Medical Vein path nor the Poison Vein path had much confidence in this newly risen genius; in fact, there was some schadenfreude.

The biggest reason was that Yun Xiao hadn’t chosen to join either the Heavenly Hospital or the Sky Poison Institute, giving the impression of arrogance—looking down on both major institutes. Was he aiming to become a direct disciple of the Chairman?

Thus, when Yun Xiao stepped onto the stage, the talents from both the Heavenly Hospital and the Sky Poison Institute wished that Qiu Guang, the Sky Poison Institute genius, would swiftly defeat the kid, preferably using Poison Meridian skill to make him kneel and beg for mercy.

”Yun Xiao, let’s see how long you can remain arrogant?”

From one of the stands, Xu Changgui, a new talent joining Lianyun Mountain from Sky Thunder Valley, gazed at the grassroots youth on the stage with eyes full of extreme resentment.

The animosity between Sky Thunder Valley and Yun Xiao had long been irreconcilable. Four out of the five Thunder Children had perished at his hands; even the Sky Thunder Valley protector Yao Tiansha had met a tragic end due to Yun Xiao.

Still, Yun Xiao was in Lianyun Mountain. Even if Xu Changgui had the guts, he dared not make a move, not only due to Lianyun Mountain’s deterrence but also because of Yun Xiao’s skyrocketing strength.

Back when Yun Xiao was at the Origin Seeking Realm Early Stage, Xu Changgui wasn’t confident of defeating him. Moreover, now Yun Xiao had broken through to the Origin Seeking Realm Late Stage, making his apparent strength surpass Xu Changgui’s.

Thus, Xu Changgui could only internally pray for the veteran talents of Lianyun Mountain to kill Yun Xiao outright on the arena, as a covert revenge for him.

While the audience mourned for Yun Xiao, only a handful knew that this rough-clad newcomer of just over a month was not as simple as he seemed.

In ordinary thinking, a youth chosen from outside would, in theory, have inferior Cultivation Techniques and Meridian Techniques compared to Lianyun Mountain’s veteran geniuses.

In battles of identical cultivation levels, the veteran geniuses of Lianyun Mountain were expected to have the upper hand, especially since Qiu Guang was genuinely an Earth Rank Middle Level Poison Vein Master. With his Poison Vein Technique, the match outcome seemed decided.

”These guys are too optimistic!”

Having already secured victory, Ye Ku sensed the expressions around him and the cheering for Qiu Guang, shaking his head with a bitter smile. He knew that the forthcoming result might drop everyone’s jaws to the ground.