Nine Dragons Saint Ancestor

Whoosh!

Taking advantage of the moment when the Chongxiao Stairs Strange Spirit was waiting for him to decide, Yun Xiao’s figure moved, the Thunder Wings behind him fluttering. In the next instant, his form was already dozens of meters away.

Before figuring out the true cultivation of that Chongxiao Stairs Strange Spirit, Yun Xiao surely wouldn’t battle with it for three hundred rounds. Although he didn’t know how strong the original Guardian was, he could at least make a rough guess.

A Guardian of a receiving place ought to be much stronger than the strongest expert on the Tenglong Continent, right? And now, even Lu Yanji, who ranked first on the Heavenly List, was at the Heavenly Realm Middle Stage. Those old experts were naturally more formidable.

According to Yun Xiao’s speculation, the original Guardian of the Chongxiao Stairs might have been a great expert at the Heavenly Realm Peak, even if he didn’t reach the Holy Rank Third Realm.

Since the Chongxiao Stairs Strange Spirit could seize control of an expert at the Heavenly Realm Peak, its strength must be even greater. Even if it hasn’t reached the Holy Rank Third Realm, it shouldn’t be far from it.

Yun Xiao’s speed was incredibly fast. At this moment, he used the speed of his Thunder Dragon’s Wings to the extreme, with the support of two Wind Attribute Ancestor Vein Powers, making him fast as lightning.

Unfortunately, despite Yun Xiao’s speed, the speed of the Chongxiao Stairs Strange Spirit was even faster. After he swiftly dashed out dozens of meters, a white-robed elderly figure slowly appeared in front of him.

"Is this... Space Power? Could it really be a Holy Spirit expert?"

Seeing the sudden appearance of the white-robed elderly figure, Yun Xiao’s figure came to an abrupt stop, while his heart surged tumultuously. This was fundamentally different from the Shadow Clone Meridian Techniques he used before.

The Shadow Clone Meridian Techniques Yun Xiao used was more of an extreme expression of speed. Due to its incredible speed, it appeared like teleportation to outsiders.

But only Yun Xiao, who was once a Holy Rank Peak expert, knew that compared to actual space movement, the Shadow Clone Meridian Techniques was like a small trick seen through by a great witch. True space movement meant being able to shift one’s form freely within a certain space.

For instance, the white-robed elder at this moment appeared directly before him out of nowhere. From the spatial fluctuations, he could clearly tell this was Space Shifting.

Even though in this life Yun Xiao hadn’t reached the threshold of the Holy Rank Third Realm, his experience from his past life made his insight undoubtedly much stronger than ordinary early-stage Heavenly Realm cultivators.

"No, it’s not a Holy Spirit expert. The reason it can perform Space Shifting should be within the confines of the Chongxiao Stairs!"

However, in the next moment, Yun Xiao, who had just been greatly shocked, reacted immediately. His powerful Power of Soul had already sensed the true cultivation of the Chongxiao Stairs Strange Spirit.

"Half-step Holy Spirit!"

The four words seemed to come out through Yun Xiao’s clenched teeth, his expression remaining solemn. Even if it wasn’t a true Holy Spirit expert, a half-step Holy Spirit was still beyond what he could contend with at present.

Thus, this shows that the Chongxiao Stairs Strange Spirit’s ability to perform Space Shifting was not just due to being a half-step Holy Rank and having rudimentary Space Power, but mainly because of the proximity of the Chongxiao Stairs body itself.

The Chongxiao Stairs weren’t just a ladder visible from the outside, but a special space artifact. The Strange Spirit cultivated from it might have a unique Talent Secret Method for Space Power control.

"It seems you’ve chosen your path!"

The Chongxiao Stairs Strange Spirit didn’t care in the slightest about the fleeting thoughts in Yun Xiao’s mind. It had been waiting for the answer of this human youth, and now Yun Xiao had undoubtedly answered with his actions.

As a Strange Spirit expert cultivated from the Chongxiao Stairs, it would never allow its secret to be exposed.

Although it wasn’t afraid of the ants from the Tenglong Continent, it couldn’t withstand if the Nine-layered Dragon Cloud sent a true Holy Rank expert.

For over a hundred years, numerous experts from the Tenglong Continent had crossed the Chongxiao River, only to be deceived into the Chongxiao Stairs by this Strange Spirit, and nothing unexpected had ever happened.

But who would have thought that today, this unexpected young man, barely over twenty years old, would see through its disguise at a glance. Naturally, it couldn’t possibly allow him to leave easily.

If Yun Xiao obediently entered the Chongxiao Stairs, then the Strange Spirit expert could spare his life. Watching those human cultivators endlessly wander inside the Chongxiao Stairs without finding an exit was a perverse pleasure for it.

But since this human kid refused flatly to enter the Chongxiao Stairs, to prevent its secret from being revealed, the Chongxiao Stairs Strange Spirit had resolved to kill him here thoroughly.

"Sigh, it seems another great battle is inevitable."

Seeing the Chongxiao Stairs Strange Spirit emit a strong half-step Holy Spirit aura, Yun Xiao couldn’t help but reveal a bitter smile because this Strange Spirit was much stronger than the Holy Grade Heavenly Spirit You River.

Even the You River, which could reach Advanced Holy Grade Heavenly Spirit by using certain Secret Techniques, might not be as strong as this half-step Holy Rank Strange Spirit. Thus, Yun Xiao immediately activated his nine Ancestor Vein Powers.

"Boom!"

In almost the span of two breaths, Yun Xiao’s Meridian Qi cultivation broke through once again from the Early Stage of the Heavenly Realm to the Middle Stage of the Heavenly Realm. However, this time, he could clearly sense that he probably wouldn’t be able to hold on for long.

After all, in the previous battle with You He, it seemed like Yun Xiao hadn’t expended much energy, but in reality, his Meridian Qi and Ancestor Vein Power had been greatly depleted.

Of course, the main reason was that the Strange Spirit of the Chongxiao Stairs before him was too powerful. Yun Xiao didn’t know if he could truly escape alive by relying on his own strength.

But with things as they were, Yun Xiao could only fight with all his might. He knew that reasoning with these Strange Spirits was useless. Rather than being trapped in the Chongxiao Stairs for a hundred years without being able to escape, it was better to bet on this slim chance of success.

"Oh? I didn’t expect you to have such an ability!"

Seeing Yun Xiao’s sudden increase in strength by one level of a small realm, the white-robed old man couldn’t help but reveal a look of astonishment. It seemed he didn’t know that on the Tenglong Continent, there was a cultivator with Heavenly Rank Advanced Ancestor Veins.

Although he was an intelligent being born from cultivating in the Chongxiao Stairs, when he seized the body of the true Guardian, he inherited the latter’s memories. So, he immediately guessed that Yun Xiao’s breakthrough at that moment was due to the spur of the Ancestor Vein Power.

But in the eyes of this Half-step Holy Spirit Strange Spirit Expert, it was merely a curiosity. With his strength, whether this human youth was in the Early Stage or Middle Stage of the Heavenly Realm, he could squash him like a bug.

"Try this!"

So, after the Half-step Holy Spirit’s exclamation of surprise, he suddenly extended both hands, and a strange object stretched towards Yun Xiao.

The thing that shot out from his hands in the Chongxiao Stairs looked like a white ladder. If it were set upright, it would look just like the Chongxiao Stairs over there, only countless times smaller.

It seemed this was a special attack method of the Chongxiao Stairs Strange Spirit. Although it looked bizarre, Yun Xiao sensed a deadly threat from the continuously extending white ladder.

Therefore, Yun Xiao acted decisively, changing his handprint seals, and immediately unleashed his Thunder Winged Giant Dragon. This move could be considered his most potent attack technique at the moment, intending to barely withstand the Half-step Holy Spirit’s Heavenly Ladder strike.

"Roar!"

The sound of a dragon roar imbued with Dragon Power came from the mouth of the Thunder Winged Giant Dragon. But this dragon roar, which worked on ordinary Vein Demons or some Low Rank Strange Spirits, failed to elicit any reaction from the Half-step Holy Spirit.

Boom!

The next moment, the head of the Thunder Winged Giant Dragon collided violently with the white Heavenly Ladder. The subsequent scene made Yun Xiao hastily spread out his Thunder Wings, dodging to the side.

Because the unrivaled Thunder Winged Giant Dragon barely lasted a moment against the white Heavenly Ladder before being dispelled into smoke, and the end of the white Heavenly Ladder continued to press towards Yun Xiao with rage.

Such power left Yun Xiao not daring to take the hit with his own body, forcing him to evade. But just as he thought he’d dodged the Heavenly Ladder strike, unforeseen changes occurred.

In normal thinking, a ladder exists straight. The white Heavenly Ladder technique previously unleashed by the Half-step Holy Spirit had consistently been heading straight for Yun Xiao.

However, at this moment, as Yun Xiao evaded sideways, the white Heavenly Ladder turned mid-air, the ladder’s end still targeting Yun Xiao, catching him off guard.

Poof!

A strange sound came, and this time, because of the Heavenly Ladder’s sudden turn, Yun Xiao couldn’t ultimately dodge its end, being hit harshly on the body.

Fortunately, when Yun Xiao realized he couldn’t dodge, he immediately summoned the Earth Burst Stone Lotus Armor. That strange sound just now was the Heavenly Ladder hitting the Stone Lotus Armor.

"Oh no!"

The Earth Burst Stone Lotus Armor’s defensive power was astonishing, not shattering from the white Heavenly Ladder’s strike. Still, the powerful force contained within propelled Yun Xiao backward.

Simultaneously, as the Heavenly Ladder continued to extend, it thrust Yun Xiao’s body backward. Behind him loomed the authentic Chongxiao Stairs that soared into the sky.

It appeared that the Chongxiao Stairs Strange Spirit still hadn’t given up on trapping Yun Xiao into the Chongxiao Stairs Space.

And he had great confidence. Since this kid wasn’t destroyed in one strike by the white Heavenly Ladder, he should be directly pushed into the Chongxiao Stairs Space in the next moment.

The means deployed by the Half-step Holy Spirit were simply unparalleled in power. In such urgency, Yun Xiao couldn’t organize any countermeasures, so feeling his inability to resolve it, he made a swift decision.