Nine Dragons Saint Ancestor
Chapter 258 Maternal instinct to protect her calf

Chapter 258: 258 Maternal instinct to protect her calf

At this moment, Zhao Huan wondered: if Ling Wan’s surge in Meridian Qi was indeed due to the merit of Jade Pot Sect, then why hadn’t Zhao Ningshu, who joined the same sect, achieved such a heaven-defying breakthrough?

These thoughts flashed through Zhao Huan’s mind, and for a second, he even considered mending the father-son relationship with Ling Wan, to cultivate him as the foremost of Zhao Family’s younger generation. At present, Ling Wan seemed far more formidable than Zhao Ningshu.

But in the next instant, Zhao Huan realized he was overthinking it. From the fullness of hatred in Ling Wan’s eyes, he could clearly sense the deep-seated loathing the boy harbored for him.

Recalling everything he had done to this son since Ling Wan’s birth, Zhao Huan immediately dismissed the recent thought. He knew that, given what the Zhao Family had done to Ling Wan over the years, it was probably impossible for the boy to ever regard him without resentment.

Didn’t they have to spin a lie using his mother as bait to even consider getting Ling Wan to willingly return to the Zhao Family? Perhaps, in Zhao Huan’s heart, he had long since deemed there to be no father-son relationship with Ling Wan.

Thus, Zhao Huan’s heart hardened once more. As he raised his right hand high, should this palm strike down, Ling Wan’s brain would surely burst open and die, beyond any chance of resurrection.

Sigh...

But just at that moment, a figure flashed in front of Ling Wan, and when he strained to discern this person’s appearance, his heart unexpectedly warmed.

"Mother!"

As it turned out, this person was none other than the sole pillar Ling Wan had in his family—his own birth mother. Seeing her son’s life hanging by a thread, she could no longer contain herself.

"Brother Huan, I beg you, please spare Ling Wan. After all, he is our own flesh and blood!"

A look of intense grief swept across Ling Wan’s mother’s face. Such a family tragedy within the Zhao Family truly made her feel that life was worse than death. Protecting Ling Wan was perhaps an instinct.

"Move aside!"

Even if Ling Wan deserved to die, his mother still held significant weight in Zhao Huan’s heart. After all, she had birthed three sons for the Family Head, and if not for her merit, her efforts were still there.

"Mother, please step aside. Ling Wan has brutally murdered his brother; his cruelty knows no bounds. He no longer deserves to be Father’s son!" Zhao Ningshu, standing by the door, also spoke up, urging politely, unlike his attitude toward Ling Wan.

However, Ling Wan’s mother did not step aside as told but continued to plead desperately, "Brother Huan, look, Ling Wan has made something of himself. If you spare him, I can assure you, he will never commit such an act of patricide again!"

"This..."

With Ling Wan’s mother standing before him and making such a statement, Zhao Huan did indeed hesitate for a moment. But then he heard Ling Wan’s voice.

"Mother, I have done no such thing. It was Zhao Xingwu who tried to kill me, and he died from my backlash. I am not to blame!" For some reason, seeing his mother humble herself so, a feeling of unbearable discomfort surged within Ling Wan.

What Ling Wan perhaps didn’t realize was that as soon as he uttered these words, any shred of pity in Zhao Huan’s heart was extinguished, his intent to kill grew even stronger.

"You little bastard, defiant even as death looms! Today, as the Family Head, I shall rid the Zhao Family of you!"

A deep bellow emanated from Zhao Huan’s mouth, and the next moment, he pushed Ling Wan’s mother aside, as his palm readied to split open Ling Wan’s head.

"Brother Huan, if you don’t stop now, I will die before your eyes!"

Yet as Zhao Huan resolved to obliterate Ling Wan with one palm strike, Ling Wan’s mother, who had been pushed aside, once again raised her voice, causing his hand to freeze in this dire instant.

When Zhao Huan turned to look, his face darkened tremendously, for in the hands of Ling Wan’s mother was now a sharp, gleaming short knife, its blade pressed against her delicate neck. A mere flicker would result in a tragic end.

"Mother, don’t!"

Seeing this, Ling Wan was scared out of his wits. At this moment, he suddenly understood the resolute heart of mothers around the world in protecting their children; he wasn’t alone in the Zhao Family after all.

"Mother, you... you would risk so much for this monstrous failure?"

Zhao Ningshu’s expression also shifted. No matter what, that was his birth mother, and if something were to happen to her, he would likely be heartbroken with regret.

"Why go through all this?"

Zhao Huan’s hand movement finaly ceased due to the resolution of Ling Wan’s mother. Muttering to himself, the next moment, he reached out and swiftly sealed numerous vital acupoints on Ling Wan’s body.

With his acupoints sealed, Ling Wan lost all strength in his body and collapsed helplessly to the ground. Seeing this, his mother finally let out a sigh of relief; her son’s life, it appeared, was preserved for the moment.

"Enough, I’ll spare this little brat for now. After I handle that important affair, I can come back and deal with him!"

Seeing the resolute decision of Ling Wan’s mother, Zhao Huan also had to compromise. Besides, he was always preoccupied with the news that could further advance the Zhao Family’s standing. After all, Ling Wan had his major acupoints sealed by him, making escape impossible.

"Ningshu, lock the door, and have someone watch this room for 24 hours without interruption. Don’t let that little brat get away!" Without glancing at Ling Wan, Zhao Huan instructed as he left the room.

Following behind Zhao Huan, Zhao Ningshu’s breath was somewhat unstable. Nodding in agreement while implying something more, he asked, "Father, you’re not really going to spare that Ling Wan, are you?"

"How could I?"

A flash of sharpness in Zhao Huan’s eyes, he looked sideways and said, "Didn’t you see your mother forcing me with a knife? This is just a temporary measure. Once we retrieve the treasures from within the Meridian Treasure, it won’t be too late to clean him up!"

"Father, are we going to set off for the location of the Meridian Treasure now?" Upon mentioning this affair, Zhao Ningshu’s excitement was palpable, as if even his severe injuries were somewhat alleviated.

At those words, Zhao Huan stopped in his tracks, turned around, and asked with some concern, "Ningshu, your injuries are quite serious. Perhaps, you shouldn’t accompany me to the Meridian Treasure this time."

Zhao Huan’s remark was out of consideration for Zhao Ningshu. His son’s cultivation level was indeed quite low, and he wouldn’t be able to protect him amidst the chaos within the Meridian Treasure.

While Zhao Huan, an Early Stage cultivator of the Meridian Union Realm, wasn’t considered weak throughout the entire Xuanyue Empire, he knew that the upcoming Meridian Treasure was of the Intermediate Spiritual Rank. The things that might exist there were probably covetable even by Mid Stage cultivators of the Meridian Union Realm.

The Zhao Family might be the top in Ningfeng City, but compared to the whole Xuanyue Empire, they paled in significance. Not even to mention the news Zhao Ningshu had brought back about the Jade Pot Sect wanting to intervene, which did not give him complete confidence.

However, after Zhao Huan had spoken these few sentences, Zhao Ningshu shook his head. His eyes glinting with hatred, he gritted his teeth and said, "No, I must go this time. Even if I cannot obtain the treasures within the Meridian Treasure, I want to see with my own eyes you, Father, personally slay that Yun Xiao!"

"Yun Xiao!"

Suddenly hearing this name, Zhao Huan also felt a rush of interest, imagining Zhao Ningshu had likely exaggerated the events at Jade Pot Sect when retelling them to his father.

After all, an Early Stage Meridian Rushing Realm ant posed no significant threat to the Early Stage Meridian Union Realm Family Head of the Zhao Family. Since Yun Xiao had offended his dear son, he certainly couldn’t let him return alive to the Jade Pot Sect.

After the father and son duo had both disappeared into the courtyard, the place returned to quietness. The mother and son inside the room did not speak, and who knew what outcome awaited them in the near future?

...

Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh!

In the Northwest Territory of the Xuanyue Empire, upon a somewhat desolate Gobi, suddenly, there appeared four figures of varying appearances. It was Mo Qing, Yun Xiao, and the others.

As for the Northwest Territory of the Xuanyue Empire, Yun Xiao’s group already had some understanding. However, the harsh sandstorms made their moods rather unpleasant recently, leading to a lack of conversation.

In such sandstorms, opening one’s mouth meant ingesting sand, so they all covered their faces with cloths, hoping to reduce the torment of the sandy wind.

"Sister Mo Qing, the location of the Meridian Treasure should not be far away now, right? Cough, cough..."

Looking ahead at the vast sand in the sky, Chang Qing couldn’t help but voice out. However, by the end, he was coughing, likely due to the sand entering his mouth. Even with his mouth covered, it was quite unbearable.

Holding a mission token in her hand, Mo Qing sensed their surroundings for a moment and said while walking, "It shouldn’t be too far now, I feel... Hmm?"

Whoosh...

Just as she spoke, Mo Qing suddenly felt a gust of violent wind. Sensing something amiss, she turned around only to find that Xue Gong, Chang Qing, and Yun Xiao had vanished into thin air.

Mo Qing was truly alarmed by this discovery. She had clearly just heard Chang Qing speaking, so how could they have disappeared in the blink of an eye? Where on earth had Yun Xiao and the others gone?

"Mo..."

Puzzled by the outcome, Mo Qing thought she heard a vague voice amid the raging sandstorm but when she tried to concentrate and listen, she could only hear the sounds of the wind and sand.

As the top young talent of Jade Pot Sect, Mo Qing was not unfamiliar with the world. Once she calmed down and let her Power of Soul flow out, she began to understand a few things.

"It seems we have accidentally entered an array. This Intermediate Spiritual Rank Meridian Treasure is indeed not so simple!"

Murmuring to herself, Mo Qing no longer troubled herself over the whereabouts of Yun Xiao and the others, as she knew they had entered the range of the Meridian Treasure. This sandstorm array was probably the first barrier to prevent outsiders from entering.

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