Advance the future and become a martial saint on earth!

The main hall of the Marquis of Beicang's residence!
Ji Xiu's tone was chilling as he gripped Xie Jixuan's wrist with one hand. Just as Xie Jixuan was about to break free, Ji Xiu's dragon tendons and jade bones suddenly exploded, and the aura of the 'Jiazi Demon-Slaying' Qi Sea within his dantian suddenly surged forth!

In an instant, the young man drew his sword from its sheath with one hand, and the sword was drawn as if from a prison, making the enemy feel hot all over, as if his body was on fire. He felt a sense of terror in his heart and his heart was pounding!

In the blink of an eye, life and death hang in the balance!
Let alone being a direct descendant of the Xie family of Yuhuan, anyone who comes here, even if they have been tempered a thousand times and experienced life and death many times, will find it difficult to maintain a calm mind.

Looking at the cold, sharp light emanating from the [Royal Power Blade], it seemed as if it could sever the tendons of his arm and rip off his martial bones in the blink of an eye.

Xie Jixuan let out a low roar, like a young tiger, and a force far exceeding the previous one surged out, as if to forcefully shake Ji Xiu away!

But that knife was faster!

He watched as the blade's energy, carrying malevolence, poured down, striking his face and sending chills down his spine.
Xie Jixuan could no longer hold back; he clenched his teeth, his face flushed crimson from the struggle.
"Elder of the tribe, save me!"

A hint of fear finally surfaced in his eyes.

Boom! !

Even if Xie Jixuan didn't speak.

The short, stocky elder Xie Xun, with a sallow complexion but a bulging forehead and eyes gleaming with divine light, who was originally standing beside him, had already made a move.

He gently closed the jade box containing the [Golden Branch of the Coiled Dragon], flicked it with his fingertips, and a surge of titled aura suddenly appeared, magnificent and boundless, protecting Xie Jixuan.

This caused Ji Xiu to wield the power of the sword, and with one strike, his power waned, yet it seemed as if he had struck a 'turtle shell' that he could not cut through.

He then flicked his leg, as if shrinking the distance to an inch, and in the next moment, with a light lift of his large hand, as if covering the sky, he had already reached Ji Xiu, about to forcefully knock on Ji Xiu's head right there in the main hall:

"Boy, you've got a ruthless hand, so vindictive! I can't let you live today!"

His cheeks spewed out a stream of air, like sharp arrows, each one piercing straight into the heart. His muscles and skin trembled, as if the true meaning of that title, which directly struck the heart, was about to crush Ji Xiu to pieces!
If it were anyone else, this single blow, even before Xie Xun's large hand had landed, would have left Ji Xiu's mind blank and confused!
But as Ji Xiu's purple mansion radiated a circle of magical light, with the faint manifestation of primordial spirit, it was as if the sun was rising in the sky.

It actually withstood Xie Xun's true power of the title, even though its body swayed and seemed on the verge of collapse.
Yet he remained perfectly conscious!

"The fifth step of the Dao Gate: The Primordial Spirit Leaves the Body!"

"What a promising young man! He's actually a top-tier talent capable of simultaneously cultivating both Dao and Martial arts, breaking through all barriers! If he's allowed to continue unchecked, one day he'll ignite three fires and break through the six limits. Wouldn't he be a Martial Saint by now?!"

"At such a young age, even among the direct descendants of the Nine Clans and Ten Pillars, he would be considered outstanding. Based on this potential alone, he should be able to secure a position at the bottom of the Young Dragon Stele and become famous throughout the world."

"How come I've never heard of this before?"

Xie Xun's eyes couldn't hide his astonishment.

But in an instant, the killing intent surged even more intensely!
Such a talent, once he makes an enemy, how can he be allowed to act freely? He must know that if the weeds are not cut at the root, they will grow back in spring!
The Nine Surnames and Ten Pillars are the pillars of martial arts. They don't have the mysterious and profound reasoning of those otherworldly immortal sects that set tribulations for their disciples, make them endure killing, and leave enemies as 'stepping stones'!

However.
Before the large hand could strike, someone grabbed the arm with a single palm, and no matter how much the person tried to move, they couldn't press it down!
The continuous thunder seemed to erupt from the very marrow of one's bones.

Xu Longxiang lowered his eyes, and with a single leap, he carried the dragon and elephant on his back and took a step that made the gold and jade-paved Marquis's mansion sway precariously, as if it could crush this small piece of void!

His tone was like a mountain of dark clouds, obscuring his expression of joy or anger, but his cold gaze swept over the Xie clan elder, making the elder feel as if he were being stared at by a lion, leopard, tiger, or wolf, sending a chill down his spine.

"You old fool, why are you meddling in the grudges and quarrels of the younger generation?"

Xu Longxiang's long, flowing hair, a mix of black and white, danced wildly like dragons and snakes.

"Even if we cripple him, it's because that brat is blind and has offended the King of Hell!"

"Relying on your status as a powerful figure, you've started to distort the truth?"

"Come, come, let's have a go and see if you're qualified!"

When Xie Xun saw this person suddenly bulging with muscles and bones, bursting forth with the true meaning of a title, and realizing that he was actually a contemporary 'giant', his expression changed repeatedly.

He knew that the old man was the boy's elder and had come to protect the rare materials in his possession, but Xie Xun originally thought that they wanted to use this opportunity to befriend the Marquis of Beicang and build a relationship.

After all, it's not surprising that the Marquis of Wu, who guards a region, and the Emperor Zhenzong, who guards another region, have intertwined interests and form marriage alliances.

Even if they were a family with nine surnames and ten pillars, this was mostly the case.

only.
This solid, mountain-like figure was actually a 'giant' above a Martial Saint, on par with him!
A powerful figure who could dominate even the entire Beicang Prefecture, yet another one had unexpectedly emerged in this corner of Jiangyin Prefecture. This was truly something he hadn't anticipated.

Shouldn't a guy like that be a powerful and legitimate figure in Beicang?

Why only Shinshu!
Despite his inner shock, his tone remained cold as he stared intently at Xu Longxiang:
"You should think this through carefully. If you give up a promising talent, you might be able to find another one in the future."

"But what if we offend the Xie family of Yuhuan?"

"The destruction of one's family and clan is imminent."

The elder of the Xie clan spoke with a threatening tone.

Xu Longxiang's hand clenched even tighter, each of his five fingers tensed, as if imbued with the power of a dragon and elephant, seemingly trying to deeply embed itself into Xie Xun's steel tiger skin, piercing straight to the bone:

"To destroy the family and wipe out the entire clan."

"Your words are not enough."

"Please invite your ancestor, the Xie family's 'Peerless Master,' to say the same thing to me, Xu Longxiang!"

Having said that, his internal organs pounded like drums, and trembled and hummed like a volcano, clearly enraged and ready to fight Xie Xun to the bitter end!
Seeing this, Xie Xun knew he couldn't intimidate Xu Longxiang, and seeing Xiao Pingnan's face growing increasingly dark, he figured that if the fight continued, he might be alright, but he wasn't necessarily afraid of this scoundrel.

However, Xie Jixuan, a direct descendant of the clan, has come to Beicangzhou to cultivate connections with various parties and participate in the 'Dragon Lord Banquet.' This potential future title holder must not be allowed to have any mishaps.

Today's matter must be dropped.

The thought flashed through Xie Xun's mind like lightning. He made up his mind, clenched his fist, and forcefully broke free from Xu Longxiang.

Immediately, he felt a tingling, dull pain in the arm of a martial saint, his eyelids twitched, and his tone was neither warm nor cold:

"You have quite a temper."

"I hope disaster will befall us someday."

"That's possible too!"

Having said that, Xie Xun used his martial arts skills to suddenly lift Xie Jixuan up and dashed away down the corridor in a flash. His steps were so fast that Ji Xiu could only see him in the blink of an eye, and he didn't even leave a trace of his presence.
He made such tough statements so fluently, but then he disappeared in the blink of an eye?

"laugh!"

Xiao Mingli chuckled angrily, a hint of disdain flashing in her bright eyes:
"When the forest is big, all kinds of birds can be found. Even the most powerful families cannot escape this law. There are countless people who are scheming, despicable, arrogant and domineering."

"That's why so many people flock to it."

"It's only because of the path that can determine the fate of the world and lead directly to the 'end of martial arts,' and the superior Quanquan."

Xiao Pingnan looked towards the outside of the Marquis's residence, his brows furrowed slightly. When he looked at Xu Longxiang and Ji Yuan, the master and disciple, his eyes held a hint of worry and apology.
"I originally thought that you should be celebrating at this moment, as you will soon be going to Beicangzhou to participate in the 'Provincial Official Promotion' and thus be registered as a Xuan official from the commoner."

"But I never expected it."

"The moment I left the Yuan residence, I went to the Marquis's residence and returned it."

He hesitated, looking at Ji Xiu, finding him more and more pleasing to the eye, while feeling increasingly guilty. Guilt had dragged him into another vortex before he had even calmed down from one wave of trouble.

Whether it's the Jade Universe Xie Clan or the direct descendant Xie Wen, at this moment, they are like a mountain to Ji Xiu. In terms of threat, they are perhaps even greater than the 'Corpse Puppet Cult' and the 'Mysterious Talisman Cult'.

After all, that one was the Demon Lord who was suppressed by the Great Xuan nine hundred years ago, a 'human-demon monstrous evil' jointly condemned by all the realms of heaven and earth, and was hated by everyone.

The Xuanfu Sect is from outer heavens, a hundred thousand feet away from him.

As the saying goes, "A local official is more powerful than a distant one."

This is the Xie family of Yuhuan.
It is indeed a supreme mountain peak within the Great Xuan Realm!
If you offend someone today, they might retaliate tomorrow.

Looking at the [Sumeru Immortal Fruit] presented in the black box.
Thinking of this, Xiao Pingnan hesitated to speak, unable to bring himself to ask Ji Xiu for the rare materials.

But Ji Xiu had already presented it to Xiao Mingli:

"Your Highness, there is hope for your leg ailment."

"From now on, all we need to do is invite a master physician from across the country to use this rare ingredient as a base for medicine, and he will surely be able to cure your chronic illness, improve your skills to the point of being better than before, and regain your former glory!"

"Then Ji Xiu will no longer need to go out to sea to catch spirit fish and aquatic materials to recuperate."

The events that had just occurred seemed like a minor incident to Ji Xiu, not worth mentioning.

He smiled instantly and spoke softly to Xiao Mingli.

Xiao Mingli remained silent for a long time, staring at the black box so close to her, biting her lip, and did not take it for a long while:

"I"

Li Xuanyi pushed Xiao Mingli's wheelchair, this time being very perceptive: "Senior Sister, the scenery outside is beautiful, why don't you and Young Master Ji go out and have a chat?"

After saying that, as if afraid that Xiao Mingli would change her mind, she pushed her directly to Ji Xiu, then closed the black box, her eyes filled with gratitude, and bowed slightly to Ji Xiu to express her thanks.

And watching the two walk through the corridor into the courtyard
Xiao Pingnan regained his composure and looked at Xu Longxiang, his eyes filled with mixed emotions:

"Grandmaster, I truly don't know what to say."

"But I can guarantee that on the day when Lord Chen Xuanque leaves the state to take up his post in Baiyujing and entrusts the responsibility to me..."

"In this small corner of Beicangzhou, as long as I, Xiao Pingnan, can still breathe..."

"I will never allow the Dragon Elephant lineage to fall from the name of 'orthodoxy'!"

Upon hearing this, Xu Longxiang waved his hand, his gaze distant, looking towards the direction of Beicangzhou:

"Although I have been promoted to a giant, I have not yet set foot in Beicang to elevate my Dragon Elephant True Sect to the status of a 'state's orthodox lineage'."

"Besides."

“Decades ago, the former Daoist disciple of my Dragon Elephant True Sect, ‘Ye Wenjiang,’ died, and it was inextricably linked to those old fogies.”

“I know about them because the ‘Black Ice Platform’ of the Northern Garrison Command in Baiyujing was ordered to hunt them down, but hatred is hatred, and resentment is resentment.”

"This trip into Beicang"

"I'm determined to turn those families upside down!"

At this point, the old man looked at Xiao Pingnan again:

"That young girl did say something quite right."

"Which of these disciples of the Nine Surnames and Ten Pillars isn't arrogant and disdainful?"

"I was born in Zhenwu Mountain in my early years and am a legitimate disciple. Moreover, my grand-disciple's grandmaster, the Heavenly Blade, was the last acting master before and after the collapse of the 'Ancestral Court of Blade Dao'!"

"If that family name hadn't fallen into disgrace today, given the temperament of the ancestral court of the sword path back then, the Xie family of Yuhuan would never have dared to utter another word."

"Tomorrow, we can make long swords hang all over Jade Ring Mountain!"

"I am not by nature the type to swallow my pride, and that old Martial Saint of the Heavenly Blade True Sect is even more so."

"When he saw that [Wang Quan Dao] was in love with Ji Xiu, he probably already had plans in his mind to regroup one day, intending to reopen the Great Snow Mountain and re-establish 'Dao Ting'."

“He had previously signed marriage contracts with you for these two children, and I never questioned it.”

"But today, that kid Ji Xiu was willing to give up even rare materials. He's been through his youth. If you say he has no romantic feelings in his heart, I, as his grandmaster, naturally don't believe it."

"Therefore, Lord Xiao, I would like to ask you a question here."

"If you obtain the rare material, you can bring out a master alchemist from Beicang to refine a 'heavenly medicine' for that girl, restoring her foundation and allowing her to return to the 'True Lineage of Tianchi'."

"Are you still thinking about that kid Ji? Aren't you afraid that all the grudges and debts he has on him will bind your daughter to him and make it known to the world?"

Xu Longxiang used to not care, but he has never been one to suffer losses.

He had followed Ji Xiu all the way here, and he was deeply saddened that Ji Xiu was going to hand over the rare treasures instead of keeping them for his own cultivation.

But this guy was honest, stubborn, and valued relationships, which he quite admired.

Only those who cherish old friendships are good candidates to carry on the family tradition and uphold the family's reputation.

Therefore, in order not to let his apprentice lose his talent for no reason.
If the "favored daughter of heaven" of the Beicang Marquis's mansion can rise again because of this.

Although Xu Longxiang didn't think the girl was the kind of person who would forget kindness, he still believed she was.

But for the sake of his own family, Xu Longxiang also wanted to get a guarantee in advance.

Meanwhile, Marquis Xiao Pingnan of Beicang had bloodshot eyes, as if his long-cherished wish had finally come true.

After listening to Xu Longxiang's words, he slammed his hand on the table with a loud 'smack,' his thick eyebrows raised as if drawing a halberd.
"What are you saying, my dear in-law!"

“My daughter is so shy and timid, she’s nothing like me and her mother back then.”

"Don't worry, thanks to your kind words, if she really does come to that day..."

"Even if I have to tie her up, I'll tie her to my good son-in-law's bed!"

"Ok, deal!"

And at this time.

Willow leaves droop by the stone bridge, a cool breeze blows gently, and the clear spring water in the cold pool glistens.

Ji Xiu pushed Xiao Mingli and looked at the woman sitting quietly like a lady, beautiful as the moon, with her hair combed high. He was momentarily dazed, as if he had been in another world.

Ever since he received Xiao Mingli's help from Anning County and went through all sorts of storms in Jiangyin Prefecture, looking back now, it all seems like time has flown by in the blink of an eye.

She had never imagined that she would develop a relationship with someone like Xiao Mingli, a "daughter of a marquis's family and a true disciple of Tianchi," to this point.

Just as his mind was racing with thoughts...
Pushed by him, Xiao Mingli suddenly turned her head slightly, tilted her small face up, and looked at him with bright, sparkling eyes:
"Ji Xiu, if, I mean if—" (End of Chapter)