Nine Dragons Saint Ancestor

”Die!”

Wu Zhukong, full of confidence, utterly dismissed Xue Ningxiang. Even though she appeared like a colorful cloud, he barely considered this girl at the Floating Life Realm Early Stage a threat.

With a low shout from Wu Zhukong, he didn’t pause for a moment. A blazing aura had already fiercely struck the colorful cloud formed by Xue Ningxiang.

In Wu Zhukong’s view, no matter how peculiar Xue Ningxiang’s body seemed, his cultivation at the Peak of Lingyun Realm was nearly two Great Ranks higher than hers.

If under such circumstances Xue Ningxiang could still survive, then there must be truly undying people in this world, which he believed to be absolutely impossible.

Even though Wu Zhukong was confident in himself, he didn’t understand Xue Ningxiang’s Illusion Yin Ghost Body. This rare and unique physique on the Nine-layered Dragon Cloud was possibly one of a kind on the entire Tenglong Continent.

Boom!

Transforming into a cloud of mist, Xue Ningxiang felt a violent tremor throughout her body. The peak-level attack of the Lingyun Realm was not something her current self could withstand even if merely leftover energy.

As a result, Xue Ningxiang was severely injured from the blow. Yet, hidden behind her beautiful eyes, a subtle gleam of excitement flickered.

Xue Ningxiang knew that the Wuyan Palace Master, in his overconfidence, had inevitably fallen into her trap. Despite sustaining serious injuries, she had barely achieved her goal.

Swoosh...

Struck by Wu Zhukong’s power, Xue Ningxiang now radiated an extremely brilliant rainbow light, which nearly blinded the Earth Rank Third Realm cultivators below.

At the same moment, Wu Zhukong, who had just struck Xue Ningxiang, suddenly felt his vision blur. An unusual aura infiltrated his nose and eyes, rendering his gaze momentarily dazed.

”Not good!”

Wu Zhukong, with his extensive experience, immediately realized he had fallen for Xue Ningxiang’s trick. Although his senses cleared in an instant, his heart sank.

Even though Wu Zhukong regained his senses, the time required to command his limbs took at least a single breath.

In a battle among experts, a single breath was enough to accomplish many feats, not to mention when facing an opponent as fierce as the Xuanyin Palace Master.

As Wu Zhukong silently cursed, Xue Tianao couldn’t spare a moment to care for the heavily bleeding and rebounding Xue Ningxiang; he already understood what had happened.

Obviously, Xue Ningxiang, at the risk of severe injury or even death, activated her Illusion Yin Ghost Body at the moment she was hit by Wu Zhukong’s aura.

The Illusion Yin Ghost Body itself served only to turn reality into illusion; against an enemy nearly two Great Ranks higher, its effect was minimal.

However, Xue Ningxiang’s Illusion Yin Ghost Body differed from the ordinary kind Yun Xiao had once seen on the Nine-layered Dragon Cloud. The biggest difference was that Xue Ningxiang had consumed an Illusion Yin Pill.

Back on the seventh layer of Xuanyin Cave, the Illusion Yin Grass already had the power to induce hallucinations, once causing the Zhao brothers and the Chang brothers to slaughter each other within an Illusion Realm.

Later, Yun Xiao refined the Illusion Yin Grass into an Illusion Yin Pill with the help of Lian Yuluo, incorporating many rare herbs to enhance its hallucinogenic properties.

After consuming the Illusion Yin Pill and activating her Illusion Yin Ghost Body, Xue Ningxiang naturally acquired the grass’s heaven-defying effects.

Now, with Wu Zhukong underestimating her, Xue Ningxiang directly triggered the illusion effect. Though the difference in their strength was vast, causing the effect to last only for a single breath, that breath was enough.

If Xue Ningxiang had faced Wu Zhukong alone, even if the illusion effect was amplified several times, it likely wouldn’t have been very effective.

However, Wu Zhukong faced a rival as strong as himself, Xue Tianao. When he felt the illusion effect take hold, he knew things had gone awry.

Originally, Wu Zhukong came with complete confidence. Having reached the Peak of Lingyun Realm, he intended to see if he could single-handedly take down Xue Tianao, never expecting to fall at the hands of a mere girl.

Bam!

The next moment, Wu Zhukong met tragedy. Before he could react, Xue Tianao’s attack hit. With a resounding thud, several of Wu Zhukong’s ribs shattered.

”Cough!”

Wu Zhukong, in an instant, followed in Xue Ningxiang’s footsteps, spewing a mouthful of crimson blood that stained the sky, a truly ghastly sight.

”Victory?”

Witnessing the scene in the sky, all cultivators belonging to Xuanyin Hall were overjoyed. In their eyes, since Wu Zhukong was the strongest of the Wuyan Palace, and now even he was gravely injured, the fate of these Wuyan Palace folks was sealed today.

Whoosh!

Xue Tianao was extremely fast. After seriously injuring Wu Zhukong, he knew this old rival no longer had much strength left to continue fighting. So, he immediately decided to rush to his beloved daughter’s side.

”Xiangxiang, why... why do you push yourself so hard?”

Holding his extremely weakened beloved daughter, pain flashed in Xue Tianao’s eyes. The tone of his words carried a hint of reproach, though it mostly showed concern.

”How about it, Father? This time I didn’t hold you back, did I?”

Despite being seriously injured, Xue Ningxiang’s mood was undeniably good. Even though her voice was weak, a smug expression played on her pale face, making Xue Tianao’s heart ache even more.

”Don’t do anything foolish next time!”

To be honest, Xue Tianao was truly terrified. Although the current outcome was what he wanted, Xue Ningxiang had clearly been on the brink of life and death earlier, and it was only due to some luck that she narrowly escaped.

If Wu Zhukong had focused a bit more on Xue Ningxiang or used a bit more power, she might have already perished.

If that happened, even if Xue Tianao tore Wu Zhukong apart, it wouldn’t make up for the pain of losing his beloved daughter. Luckily, everything turned out somewhat acceptably.

”Xiangxiang, rest for a while. I have to deal with that old bastard Wu Zhukong first!”

Feeling reassured that Xue Ningxiang was not in mortal danger, hatred flashed in Xue Tianao’s eyes as he locked onto the Palace Master of Wuyan Palace, who had been knocked flying.

At this moment, Wu Zhukong’s entire aura was almost completely dispersed, and his chest had noticeably collapsed inwards. Just a bit more, and the broken ribs might pierce his heart, a narrow miss from instant death.

If Wu Zhukong hadn’t been a Peak Expert of Lingyun Realm, he might have already fainted and been left at the mercy of others. But now, things weren’t much better; he had lost the ability to fight again.

Whoosh!

Xue Tianao’s speed was undeniably fast. After carefully placing Xue Ningxiang somewhere safe, a gust of wind was heard, and the next moment he was already standing a few feet in front of Wu Zhukong.

”Wu Zhukong, you shouldn’t have provoked my Xuanyin Hall without absolute certainty!”

As the Hall Master of Xuanyin Hall, Xue Tianao only showed his gentle side when facing his beloved daughter. All other times, he was cold-blooded and cruel.

For instance, at this moment, Xue Tianao felt no mercy for the person who dared to lead a group to attack Xuanyin Hall. He only knew that the person who injured Xue Ningxiang like this deserved to die.

What Xue Tianao didn’t see was that as he said these words, a look of mockery flashed in the eyes of his longtime rival.

Even though Wu Zhukong was severely wounded, he never thought that Wuyan Palace would lose today because his biggest trump card had not yet been played.

Suffering heavy injuries from carelessness was indeed frustrating for Wu Zhukong, but throwing Xue Tianao into despair when he believed he had won completely—wasn’t that even more interesting?

Therefore, at this moment, Wu Zhukong even forgot the severe injuries within him. His gaze remained fixed on Xue Tianao’s face, awaiting the appearance of a certain expression.

Because Wu Zhukong knew that the teacher hidden in the dark would absolutely not ignore the mortal danger he was facing. If that person made a move, Xue Tianao would stand no chance.

”Die!”

With new and old grudges filling his heart, Xue Tianao acted swiftly. As he uttered a low roar, his left palm gathered energy and turned icy, lunging towards Wu Zhukong’s throat.

At this moment, Xue Tianao used his aura to bind Wu Zhukong, believing that the latter, being severely injured, couldn’t possibly resist.

As long as this strike landed, the Palace Master of Wuyan Palace would certainly perish. But just as Xue Tianao was confident, an unexpected change occurred after all.

Sizzle!

A sudden blazing aura shot in from the side, causing Xue Tianao’s heart to tremble. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a streak of fire, the aura within it truly terrifying.

”Can’t take it head-on!”

Xue Tianao instantly realized that even though the fire streak appeared only as thick as a pinky, it couldn’t be taken head-on. If he forcefully proceeded to kill Wu Zhukong, his right hand might be lost.

In a flash of insight, Xue Tianao swiftly retracted his arm. Wu Zhukong, on the verge of having his throat pierced and dying, was spared a life.