"Squeak!"
Bound by the Earth Elent of Tao Chengju in the Seeking Origin Realm, Chi Yan struggled fruitlessly for a mont and then let out a furious roar. The sound traveled far beyond the valley, manifesting anger and panic.
Chi Yan was clearly aware of why these humans were targeting him. He was not afraid of death, but he could not accept being stripped of his Spiritual Wisdom and turned into a human’s ridian Spirit.
Even ordinary Vein Demons, with their extrely proud nature, would never willingly submit to being refined into a ridian Spirit by humans, let alone a Fire Cloud Rat of the Nine-layered Dragon Cloud variant.
At this mont, when Chi Yan realized he was far from a match for this human, a ruthless glint flashed in his eyes. Suddenly, a surge of special power erupted, instantly breaking free from the Earth Elent’s bind imposed by Tao Chengju.
"Hmm?"
This unexpected turn shocked Tao Chengju, but he soon realized this must be the Fire Cloud Rat’s last-ditch struggle, his Earth Elent at the early stage of the Seeking Origin Realm would only have such a slight lapse.
However, what Tao Chengju did not anticipate was that after Chi Yan broke free of the Earth Power’s bind using a Bloodline Secret thod, his intention was not to escape, as he knew he couldn’t get far even if he tried.
Hu... Hu...
No sooner had Chi Yan broken free, chaotic Demon ridian Qi surged around him, containing not only strong Fire Attribute energy but also a violent power.
"Damn it, this beast wants to self-destruct!"
Tao Chengju was genuinely alard. As a cultivator in the early stage of the Seeking Origin Realm, he knew that so Vein Demons reaching the Seventh Rank could trigger their own ridian Qi to self-destruct with Earth Power.
This kind of self-destruction generally occurs when they realize they cannot defeat their enemy and falling into enemy hands would an endless suffering— it was indeed their last resort.
Originally confident, Tao Chengju was caught off guard, letting the Fire Cloud Rat initiate self-destruction with Earth Power, which was absolutely unacceptable to him.
He had fortuitously encountered an ancient variant of Fire Cloud Rat, still immature, and Tao Chengju was just contemplating his exceptionally good luck. If the Fire Cloud Rat were to self-destruct and perish, wouldn’t all he gain be lost?
"Suppress it!"
With a thought passing through his mind, a ruthless look crossed Tao Chengju’s face. Generally, higher-rank cultivators are capable of preventing lower-rank practitioners from self-destructing.
Tao Chengju believed that if he could promptly suppress the chaotic energy triggered by the Fire Cloud Rat, he could foil its attempt at self-destruction. If the initial surge of energy was not triggered, dealing with the subsequent events would be much easier.
"Hmm?"
However, as Tao Chengju desperately tried to harness the Earth Power to suppress Chi Yan’s self-destructive energy, he found the effect to be minimal, even non-existent.
Tao Chengju’s understanding of Fire Cloud Rat was only superficial, and he had clearly underestimated Chi Yan’s talent. At the Seventh Rank, Chi Yan was already adept at using Space Power.
The Earth Power Tao Chengju tried to use for suppression, after being manipulated by Chi Yan in so way, had been redirected to another special space and naturally couldn’t affect him too much.
Determined to self-destruct rather than fall into the hands of humans and beco a ridian Spirit, Chi Yan, feeling the chaotic Qi within growing more intense, couldn’t help but envision a figure clad in coarse clothing, carrying a wooden sword, with a lean silhouette.
If Chi Yan could speak, perhaps he would call out that na etched deep in his bones—the boy he had relied on for more than three years, who had beco an indispensable part of his life.
"Alas, what a pity!"
Seeing that he could no longer stop the Fire Cloud Rat’s self-destruct, Tao Chengju could only sigh. However, he did not give up and continued to struggle.
This ti, Tao Chengju finally employed his true body, reaching out his palm towards Chi Yan. If he could capture it, perhaps there was still a chance to prevent the self-destruction.
Swoosh!
But just then, a sound of breaking wind suddenly ca from sowhere, and soon everyone watching saw a streak of dark light swiftly approaching, targeting apparently the right hand stretched out by Tao Chengju.
"Family Head, be careful!"
Although unsure of what exactly the dark light was, Tao Family’s chief ridian Refining Master, Lu Yuanpei, couldn’t help but call out in alarm.
With Tao Chengju’s sensing ability, he naturally detected the approaching black light and thought of a possibility, choosing not to block it directly but to retract his right arm imdiately.
However, when everyone clearly saw the appearance of the black light the next mont, people like Lu Yuanpei who had raised an alarm, and Tao Chengju who had withdrawn his hand, couldn’t help feeling sowhat embarrassed.
Because that black light seed to be just an ordinary wooden sword, lacking any luster and even more mundane than toys played by children of major families in Yujiang City.
Yet, here was the Tao Family Head, a chief Poison Vein Master of the Tao Family, both startled by such a small child’s toy wooden sword—had outsiders seen this, they would probably beco a laughingstock.
What Tao Chengju and Lu Yuanpei did not notice, however, was that when this black wooden sword revealed its true form, the raging fiery energy of Fire Cloud Rat started to calm down a bit.
Chi Yan stared intensely at the black wooden sword, feeling incredibly familiar with it, simultaneously reining in the explosive Demon ridian Qi while turning its head towards a certain direction.
"Squeak!"
When Chi Yan saw a figure in coarse clothing slowly approaching, its entire body trembled fiercely, for it was none other than Yun Xiao, the figure it had been longing for, who had shared life-and-death situations with it in the Hidden Dragon Continent.
Chi Yan’s cries of joy finally pulled Tao Chengju and Lu Yuanpei back to their senses, but when they also directed their gazes towards the young man in coarse clothing, their expressions beca sowhat puzzled.
Yet, upon seeing the age of the young man in coarse clothing, the Tao Family mbers were reassured, though they couldn’t sense his true cultivation level. But at just seventeen or eighteen years old, how advanced could his ridian Qi Cultivation possibly be?
Haven’t they seen Tao Liqian, the princely heir of the Tao Family, who is a top young talent in Yujiang City? At over twenty years old, he is just at Half-step Earth Rank, which already speaks of imnse talent.
Moreover, Tao Chengju was delighted to see that, after the appearance of the coarse-clothed young man, the self-destructive energy of Fire Cloud Rat instantly subsided. Could it be that Fire Cloud Rat and this newly appeared youth actually knew each other?
When these bizarre thoughts popped into Tao Chengju’s mind, the next mont, he no longer had any doubts, as he saw the fiery-red Vein Demon jumped onto the shoulder of the young man in just a few leaps, tumbling excitedly, appearing extrely overjoyed.
"Chi Yan, you rascal, you really never give peace of mind!"
The one who ca was Yun Xiao, seeing his life-and-death partner again, and seeing that Chi Yan wasn’t severely injured, he finally relaxed and burst out with a loving scold.
"Squeak squeak!"
Rebuked by Yun Xiao, Chi Yan imdiately protested, stretching out its paw toward the Tao Family mbers, its cries filled with a mix of anger and grievance.
It seed that Chi Yan wanted to tell Yun Xiao that it didn’t intend to cause trouble but that these individuals had approached it first, and moreover, the enemy was too powerful for it to handle on its own.
"Don’t worry, as long as I’m here, nobody can touch you!"
Yun Xiao extended his hand, gently stroked Chi Yan’s back, and then turned his head towards the Tao Family mbers, his words laced with no attempt to conceal anything.
Although Yun Xiao was only at the Qi Seeking Realm Early Stage, let’s not forget that his many techniques combined allowed him to battle beyond his level—not impossible even if he couldn’t beat those at the Late Stage or Peak of Qi Seeking Realm, at least fleeing should still be possible.
Even if among them was the Tao Family Head, who was at the Origin Seeking Realm Early Stage, inside Yun Xiao’s body was also a Golden Snake Worm of no ordinary origin, which he believed, after such a long ti of recovery, claiming to be a Five-Clawed Golden Dragon, could explode at any mont and definitely shock everyone if it did.
Moreover, this ti Yun Xiao was not alone, the Tao Family might be powerful within Yujiang City, but they weren’t the only influential family. Once the Lin Family mbers arrived, the entire situation might turn around.
"Kid, no matter where you appeared from, if you are wise, hand over that Fire Cloud Rat to the family head, and perhaps you can still save your life!"
Hearing Yun Xiao’s words, rather than imdiately bursting into rage, Tao Chengju instead spoke threateningly, clearly used to swaggering around Yujiang City, his words flowing smoothly.
"Eh? You guys actually recognized Chi Yan’s background?"
Hearing this, Yun Xiao was slightly surprised. Fire Cloud Rat, as a Vein Demon, was a powerful and rare species even in the Nine-layered Dragon Cloud, the top fighters of that tribe, including the forr Long Xiao Battle God, held so reservations towards them.
On lower planes like Tenglong Continent, it was almost impossible to see a Fire Cloud Rat. Yun Xiao had not expected that Tao Chengju would recognize Chi Yan’s background, no wonder he was so reluctant to let go.
Since he knew the origin of Fire Cloud Rat, he would naturally understand so of its capabilities, but no matter how threatening Tao Chengju was, would Yun Xiao abandon Chi Yan?
Obviously not, as soone who had commanded respect in the Hidden Dragon Continent, even just stepping into this Tenglong Continent, he wouldn’t lose his pride because of a word from the Tao Family Head.
"If you want him, you need to ask if I, Yun Xiao, agree!"
After Tao Chengju finished speaking, Yun Xiao coldly interjected, then with a wave of his hand, the dull black wooden sword spun in mid-air, finally flying back into his hands.
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