Nine Dragons Saint Ancestor
Chapter 282 The Difficult Road to Breaking Free

Chapter 282: 282 The Difficult Road to Breaking Free

"Refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit!"

The deep voice echoed from Yue Qi, and his gaze immediately turned to Mo Qing, saying sternly: "Junior Sister Mo Qing, you see, it’s this brat who’s being shameless. It’s not that I’m not following the rules!"

"Heh heh, Brother Yue Qi sure has a way with words. Blatantly trying to snatch what I’ve already got and you accuse me of not knowing the rules? Really... tsk tsk!"

Hearing Yue Qi’s words, Yun Xiao did not become angry but laughed instead, yet the sarcasm in his tone was utterly undisguised by the end, making the face of the number one talent of the Poison Vein Lineage almost drip with gloom.

Yet Mo Qing, having heard Yun Xiao’s first sentence, could hardly contain her mirth, despite her icy beauty. After all, in terms of wit, who could possibly match this young man?

Yun Xiao even praised Yue Qi’s "eloquence," which was nothing short of a direct slap in the face, his words far more potent than Yue Qi’s contrived speech.

"Junior Sister Mo Qing, are you going to step aside or not?"

Seeing that Mo Qing was still blocking in front of Yun Xiao, Yue Qi’s voice, full of rage, sounded again. This time, he seemed truly ready to kill Yun Xiao then and there.

"Sorry, Brother Yue Qi, but I brought Yun Xiao here, and I must return with him unharmed!" Mo Qing shook her head gently. Though she spoke softly, the resolve in her words was clear to anyone who heard.

Even Yun Xiao was struck by her words. Truth be told, within the Meridian Treasure, Mo Qing had helped him many times; after all, he was utterly powerless against the strong from the Meridian Union Realm.

Indeed Mo Qing claimed responsibility, saying that she brought Yun Xiao and thus must protect him, but Yun Xiao knew that battling the number one talent of the Poison Vein Lineage would bring immense pressure even for Mo Qing. The favor she showed was significant.

However, Yun Xiao also understood that if he left, the major confrontation looming between these two geniuses of the Jade Pot Sect might not happen. Thus, making a split-second decision, he moved himself in a different direction as Yue Qi lunged towards them.

"Bi Luo, stop him!"

Upon noticing this, Yue Qi knew breaking through Mo Qing’s defense quickly was impossible and shouted, not giving Bi Luo—a rival of Yun Xiao’s with a grudge—a moment’s hesitation.

Bi Luo was a genuine peak contender of the Meridian Rushing Realm. Although not as strong as Yue Qi, Yun Xiao stood no chance, especially with three minor realms of difference between them.

"Brother Xue Gong, protect Yun Xiao!"

As Bi Luo bolted toward Yun Xiao, Mo Qing also called out without looking back. However, she seemed unaware of Xue Gong’s true attitude towards Yun Xiao, assuming that as a fellow member of the Medical Pulse, he would help.

Especially after hearing Mo Qing’s concerned shout, Xue Gong was even less pleased. Nonetheless, he made a move, but a complication arose just as he took a step forward.

"Ouch!"

Xue Gong, who had just dashed forward, suddenly seemed to be struck by some mysterious force, bending over in pain, his expression twisting.

No one knew what had happened to Xue Gong, such as Chang Qing not far from him. With Yun Xiao in jeopardy, Chang Qing spared no effort to intervene.

Chang Qing, with only the late-stage cultivation of the Meridian Rushing Realm, and a full minor realm below Bi Luo, had no chance of facing him in battle since they were both from the Jade Pot Lineage.

Particularly since Bi Luo was a talent of the Poison Vein Lineage, he surely had a much more cunning battle method, often giving them an advantage in fights against enemies.

However, Yun Xiao had been a great benefactor to Chang Qing. Consequently, both morally and rationally, Chang Qing couldn’t stand by idly at this moment, so he didn’t examine Xue Gong’s condition further and immediately leaped out, trying to shield Yun Xiao from a peak Meridian Rushing Realm fighter like Bi Luo.

It’s just that Chang Qing’s intervention was a split second too late. Bi Luo moved swiftly, his palm strike perfectly intercepting Yun Xiao’s escape path, forcing the latter to take the blow head-on.

Perhaps Yun Xiao had great confidence in his own physical strength. Confident that with his body tempered by Stone Heart Marrow, he might be able to withstand Bi Luo’s attack.

After all, Bi Luo wasn’t a Meridian Union Realm fighter like Yue Qi. Besides, Yun Xiao had experience fighting Bi Luo and was no longer the Outer Sect youth who hadn’t broken through to the Meridian Rushing Realm that night.

Bang!

A loud crash resounded, and Yun Xiao staggered back four steps. Although his physical strength was formidable, there was always a gap of three minor realms between him and Bi Luo, and moreover, these were minor realms within the Meridian Rushing Realm, so it was certain for him to be at a disadvantage.

Fortunately, Yun Xiao had his own judgment and tactics. Even though Bi Luo’s strike was heavy, it only caused his breathing to be slightly chaotic and hadn’t inflicted any severe internal injuries.

At this time, Chang Qing had just barely arrived, blocking Bi Luo who intended to pursue the attack. Even though there was a minor realm’s difference between the two, it wasn’t easy for Bi Luo to break through quickly.

Especially when Chang Qing summoned a Light Seal in each hand, even Bi Luo did not dare to take it lightly because of the aura they emitted.

"Hehe, Brother Chang Qing’s Lightless Seal seems to be getting more and more skilled!"

Yun Xiao, with his discerning eye, immediately recognized that Chang Qing was using the Lightless Seal, a mid-level Spiritual Rank Meridian Technique from the Jade Martial Institute, and couldn’t help but exclaim with emotion.

Although Chang Qing hadn’t mastered the Lightless Seal to the ultimate degree of formlessness and tracelessness as Yun Xiao once mentioned, its threat to Bi Luo was evident, for it was, after all, a mid-level Spiritual Rank Meridian Technique.

Yun Xiao’s contemplation was only momentary; he knew that even with Chang Qing’s powerful Lightless Seal, Bi Luo was not an easy adversary. He had to seize this chance to escape.

He had reason to believe that as long as he disappeared from this space, the battle between Yue Qi and Mo Qing, and the one between Bi Luo and Chang Qing, would stop instantly. After all, despite differing ideologies, they all belonged to the Jade Pot Lineage.

This was unquestionably Yun Xiao’s best opportunity. As he made another move to act, he had calculated everything except for one person: Cao Kong, Family Head of the Cao Family.

In reality, in this core space of the Meridian Treasure, the enemies Yun Xiao faced were not only the royal powerhouses and the Poison Vein talents but also the family heads of the Zhao and Cao clans, who harbored intense hatred for him.

Zhao Family Head Zhao Huan, whose son Zhao Ningshu was forcibly fed Corrosive Intestine Pills by Yun Xiao, did not dare to act rashly. But Cao Kong, without any such concerns, chose this moment to make his move—if he could even call it an opportunity, as he himself had not anticipated the chance to act.

This opportunity was not merely about attacking Yun Xiao but was about the potential gains after the attack since two of the most important treasures of the mid-level Spiritual Rank Meridian Treasure were on Yun Xiao.

"Damn it!"

When Yun Xiao saw Cao Kong blocking his way, even with his fortitude, he couldn’t help but curse inwardly, wondering when he had made so many enemies without realizing it.

The Third Prince of the Royal Family, Xuan Zhi, was one; the talented individuals from the Poison Vein of the Jade Pot Sect were another; and now this Cao Family Head could become the last straw that broke the camel’s back.

Regardless, Cao Kong was indeed an early-stage Meridian Union Realm powerhouse. Even though he had suffered some serious injuries from the skeletal attack earlier, he felt that taking down Yun Xiao, who was only in the early stages of the Meridian Rushing Realm, should be more than feasible.

"Cao Kong, how dare you lay a hand on a disciple of the Jade Pot Sect?"

Mo Qing, who caught a glimpse of the situation from the corner of her eye, became truly anxious. However, being entangled by Yue Qi, she couldn’t free herself to assist Yun Xiao and could only shout out in worry and threat.

Hearing Mo Qing’s threatening words, Cao Kong did hesitate for a moment. Yun Xiao would have been one thing, but Mo Qing was the Jade Pot Sect’s number one prodigy, with Sect Great Elder Lu Zhan standing behind her; she was not someone a mere Cao Family could afford to offend.

Moreover, considering Cao Luo would need to continue his dealings within the Jade Pot Sect, if Mo Qing sought trouble with his precious son because of today’s events, it would indeed be a loss far outweighing the gain.

"Family Head Cao Kong, you need not have any scruples. As long as you can stop Yun Xiao, the Black Jade Bottle will be yours!"

And just as Cao Kong was feeling conflicted, another voice came from the same direction—Yue Qi, who was fiercely fighting with Mo Qing—prompting Cao Kong to make up his mind on the spot.

"Yue Qi, are you colluding with outsiders to bully your own sect members? I will definitely report this matter to the Sect Master!"

Yue Qi’s words caused Mo Qing’s heart to sink, as she knew her deterrence was far inferior to that of these Poison Vein talents.

Considering the current situation, with Yue Qi having spoken, it boiled down to Cao Kong offending Mo Qing if he acted, and offending Yue Qi if he didn’t—for him, deciding who was more significant didn’t even need to be discussed.

Moreover, Cao Kong already had a grudge against Yun Xiao due to the death of his son, and the prospect of acquiring a treasure after the act made the choice all the less difficult. In just a blink of an eye, Cao Kong cast aside his hesitation, resolved to fully stop Yun Xiao.

The words from both Yue Qi and Mo Qing naturally reached Yun Xiao’s ears, but he had never been under the illusion that Cao Kong would spare him for the sake of the Jade Pot Sect. Thus, at this moment, facing an early-stage Meridian Union Realm powerhouse, he had no room for retreat.