Nine Dragons Saint Ancestor
Chapter 43 Shang Family Snake Nest

Chapter 43: 43 Shang Family Snake Nest

"Sister, what are you doing?"

Seeing Yun Wei’s action, Yun Xiao was terrified, his soul nearly scattering to the winds. He clearly knew the deep intentions of his sister, but under the attack of that tall and thin elder, Yun Wei probably couldn’t hold on even for a single round.

"Little brother, you are the hope of mother and me, as long as you can survive, there will definitely come a day when you can avenge us!"

Seeing the tall and thin elder almost within reach, Yun Wei had no time for more words. As soon as her voice fell, she recklessly launched a palm strike toward the tall and thin elder, hoping to snatch a sliver of life for Yun Xiao.

"Sister..."

Feeling the Ice Cold Qi-infused Meridian Qi from Yun Wei behind him, extreme hatred filled Yun Xiao’s heart, yet his movements didn’t stop.

Because Yun Xiao knew his sister was absolutely right; even if he turned back, he would only die alongside Yun Wei. It was better to keep his life so that he could later avenge his mother and sister.

Previously, Yun Xiao only harbored hatred for the Shang Family, but now, as those from the Shang Family were likely all dead, his greatest hatred had shifted to the tall and thin elder who was striking at Yun Wei.

In the midst of chaos, Yun Xiao slightly turned his head, sensing the vastly different Meridian Qi Cultivation between the two, knowing that in the next moment, his sister in this life might be wiped from existence.

And at that very moment, the black five-star mark on the back of the hand of the tall and thin elder appeared so distinctly clear that Yun Xiao would likely never forget it for the rest of his life.

Bang!

The tall and thin elder’s palm strike harshly landed on Yun Wei’s shoulder, after which the young girl, who had just broken through to the Early Stage of the Meridian Introduction Realm, flew out like a kite with its string cut, striking a rockery and falling unconscious.

"Hmm?"

But the next moment, the tall and thin elder let out a sound of surprise from his mouth, clearly overly confident in his palm strike, fully intending to obliterate the presumptuous girl.

However, under his sensing, although Yun Wei was seriously injured and unconscious, she did not die, and a hint of Ice Cold Qi seemed to continuously emerge, repairing her body.

For such a situation, the tall and thin elder was only slightly surprised, his ultimate target still being Yun Xiao, or more specifically, the Blood Moon Jade hidden somewhere on Yun Xiao’s person.

Taking advantage of the opportunity created by Yun Wei risking her life, Yun Xiao had already climbed atop a rockery, his familiarity with the terrain here far surpassing that of the tall and thin elder.

The tall and thin elder moved swiftly, having fanned Yun Wei away, and within a few leaps and bounds, he closed in on Yun Xiao again, but what he failed to notice was that when he was still around ten feet away from Yun Xiao, the young man in coarse clothing suddenly turned back and flashed him a cryptic smile.

"What?"

Seeing Yun Xiao’s smile, the tall and thin elder suddenly felt a vague unease deep in his heart, and then he lost sight of the young man, which shocked him greatly.

"So that’s it!"

However, in the next moment, the tall and thin elder realized, because he saw several caves right where Yun Xiao disappeared. It seemed that the boy had dived into one while he wasn’t paying attention.

Seeing this scene, the tall and thin elder was somewhat relieved. Since it was a cave, there must be an end. The boy had chosen his own dead end, and no one else was to blame.

Shuffling sounds!

Just when the tall and thin elder was about to dive into the cave, he paused due to the rustling sounds coming from inside the cave entrance.

In a moment more, the tall and thin elder’s eyes narrowed, and he suddenly retreated several meters because he shockingly saw a bright green triangular head protruding from the cave entrance. As its body became visible, it turned out to be a highly poisonous snake several feet long.

Although strong in Meridian Qi, the tall and thin elder was neither a Meridian Refining Master nor a Poison Vein Master. Despite being in the lower Plane of the Hidden Dragon Continent, certain poisons were extremely troublesome, and he did not want to invite such trouble.

Shuffling sounds...

Watching as the bright green poisonous snake emerged followed by countless other serpents crawling out, filling the rockery in moments, the tall and thin elder, despite his high cultivation, didn’t dare linger here any longer. He hastily stepped back, moving away from the rockery.

Fortunately, the highly poisonous snakes seemed disinclined to venture beyond the rockery’s boundary, all of them hissing and flickering their tongues at the tall, skinny elder, seemingly issuing a warning.

Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh...

Just as the tall, skinny elder was indecisive, the sound of whooshing air was heard next to him, and a group of black-clad figures suddenly appeared - his own subordinates.

"Reporting to the elder, apart from these two women, none of the Shang Family members were left alive. Damn it, at the verge of death, Shang Yan that old man still dragged one of our brothers down with him!" The leader of the black-clad men looked somewhat displeased. In what was supposed to be a foolproof massacre, they had lost one man, something he hadn’t anticipated.

The tall, skinny elder turned his head, seemingly unfazed by the tone of the black-clad man. Seeing his gaze shifting towards Shang Li and Xue Qi, he pointed towards the distant rockery and asked: "I remember there is a Mortal Rank Advanced Meridian Refining Master among you, right? Is there any way to drive those poisonous snakes away?"

Upon hearing this, one figure among the black-clad men stepped forward, volunteering with enthusiasm: "Rest assured, elder, with just a few simple tricks, these creatures can be dealt with!"

It seemed that this was the Mortal Rank Advanced Meridian Refining Master the tall, skinny elder mentioned. Sometimes, although these Meridian Refining Masters were not powerfully skilled, their techniques were profound, and even a strong cultivator like the tall, skinny elder relied on their methods.

Seeing the tall, skinny elder nod, the black-clad man didn’t delay, immediately pulling out a greenish incense from his Waist Storage, and said with a smile: "This is the Detoxification Incense I refined myself, very effective against ordinary poisonous snakes and insects!"

After explaining briefly, the Mortal Rank Advanced Meridian Refining Master held the incense in his left hand and stretched out his right hand, igniting a flame spontaneously, which even made the tall, skinny elder’s eyes flash with envy.

Throughout the Nine Dragons Continent, countless cultivators always dream of becoming a Meridian Refining Master, a most prestigious profession. And the flame conjured by the black-clad man was clearly typical of the Meridian Fire unique to Meridian Refining Masters.

After lighting the Detoxification Incense, the black-clad man didn’t hesitate, holding up the incense that was emitting green smoke and stepped into the rockery’s area.

Indeed, the Detoxification Incense refined by the Mortal Rank Advanced Meridian Refining Master was extraordinarily effective. As the black-clad man stepped onto the rockery, countless snakes, as if detesting the odor, hurriedly cleared a path, allowing the man to proceed straight towards the interior.

Seeing this, the tall, skinny elder was quite delighted, and was about to follow the black-clad man into the rockery to capture Yun Xiao.

Swish!

Just then, everyone seemed to feel a flash of golden light burst from within the rockery, fleeting so quickly that they were unsure if it was just an illusion.

"Chirp, chirp, chirp!"

When this golden light flashed, the group of stationary, silent poisonous snakes, as if stimulated or commanded, suddenly become agitated.

"What’s happening?"

Seeing this, the Mortal Rank Advanced Meridian Refining Master’s face changed, but before he could react, countless venomous snakes had already engulfed his entire body, turning him into nothing but a skeletal corpse stained with blood within moments.

Thousands of venomous snakes rolled over the body of the black-clad man, and a whiff of green smoke slowly rose; the Detoxification Incense he had so confidently boasted about seemed to have no effect whatsoever, merely serving as decoration for his skeletal corpse.

Seeing this scene, the tall, skinny elder’s face drastically changed, and a hint of trepidation rose in his heart. A single venomous snake, even ten of them, wouldn’t scare him since these appeared to be mere carriers of venom rather than true Vein Demons.

But thousands of venomous snakes together posed a significant threat; even if the tall, skinny elder could kill thousands, a single touch of their venom would likely be troublesome.

Seeing that the venomous snakes showed no signs of dispersing, the tall, skinny elder’s expression became extremely somber. However, looking at the skeletal remains, a new thought suddenly emerged.

"It seems that the lad who went into the cave has also been poisoned to death!"

The tall, skinny elder murmured to himself, considering that Yun Xiao’s Meridian Qi Cultivation was far lower than that of the black-clad man. If even a Mortal Rank Advanced Meridian Refining Master couldn’t last a moment, how could Yun Xiao have possibly survived?

"Although that lad is dead, the Blood Moon Jade must be retrieved. It seems I need to find at least a Spiritual Rank Meridian Refining Master to suppress these venomous snakes!" The tall, skinny elder pondered rapidly, finally making this decision; it seemed he really had no other way with these venomous snakes.

"Leave two men to guard this place, don’t let anyone near!"

Having made his decision, the tall, skinny elder no longer dawdled, giving his orders and then ignoring the black-clad men. He nodded to Xue Qi, who understood and helped up Shang Li, with the three slowly departing from the vicinity of the rockery.

However, after walking quite a distance, Xue Qi suddenly turned to look back at the somewhat hazy rockery. Perhaps she alone knew that Yun Xiao, having entered the Snake Nest, might not necessarily be doomed to death; perhaps one day, they might meet again.

"Yun Xiao, this was not an easy opportunity that I, Xue Qi, fought for. This time, I will live a life more spectacular than yours!"