Chapter 431.1: Seventh Layer of the Ancestral Blood Art, A Massive Breakthrough

Purple Fate Ancestor hid within the skies, his gaze deep and unreadable. His eyes settled on Qi Yuan. When he saw Qi Yuan going off to find Purple Fate Daxue, the corner of his mouth couldn't help but twitch.

His old, dormant heart stirred with unease. Is there something wrong with me?

***

Qi Yuan had gone and quietly sought out Purple Fate Daxue. "I want to ask you something!"

What could it be? Purple Fate Daxue wondered.

"Does the ancestor have a long-lost father out there somewhere?"

What?

"The ancestor gave me the Black Demon Ancestral Blood as a welcome gift. He’s been far too good to me. I can't help but wonder..."

Seeking out Purple Fate Daxue was one thing, but then he went and asked the same question. Anyone he laid eyes on got the same one-two combo. Did the ancestor have a father he'd left behind somewhere? The ancestor had given him Black Demon Ancestral Blood as a welcome gift!

Sure enough, Qi Yuan asked anyone passing by, scaring a number of cultivators of Purple Fate Heaven half to death. He didn't even spare unborn children still in the womb, asking through a poor woman's belly. He announced that the ancestor had given him Black Demon Ancestral Blood and asked whether the ancestor had a long lost father.

In any case, within half a day, several thousand people across Purple Fate Heaven had been on the receiving end of Qi Yuan's questions. At that moment, atop a sheer mountain peak, crimson magma flowed. A thick boiling heat rolled. The earth had cracked open and the magma bubbled ceaselessly.

Qi Yuan's figure came to a stop.

An Xunlu’s unfriendly voice rang out beside his ear. "What are you doing here?"

With a cold look, she crossed her arms over her chest, eyeing him warily. Since she'd offended him just a few days ago, she suspected he'd come for revenge.

"I came here to ask you something."

An Xunlu narrowed her eyes. "What is it?"

He asked seriously, "Do you know if the ancestor has a father somewhere out there?"

An Xunlu was close to Black Sword, the best prodigy of Black Demon Abyss. Surely he'd know all sorts of hidden truths?

The woman was utterly stunned. "What are you talking about?"

Qi Yuan pressed on. "The ancestor gave me a welcome gift."

An Xunlu turned her head away. The red light of the magma reflected off her pale face, making it glow an especially vivid red. "So you came here to show off?"

Thinking she had him figured out, she couldn't care less. Sure, others would have been jealous knowing that the ancestor favored Qi Yuan and had bestowed a treasure upon him, but not her. Her man was Black Sword. The Nine Elders were all trying to nurture him with utmost care.

Qi Yuan couldn't help but retort, "No way. I'm really at a loss here."

Where had all the trust between people gone? Oh, right. She isn't human.

An Xunlu smirked. "Heh. What gift did the Ancestor give you?"

Maybe it truly was something a little precious, which was why he couldn't resist coming over to gloat. But she was no ordinary cultivator. Following Black Sword around, she'd already seen more than her share of precious treasures.

Qi Yuan revealed half of the welcome gift to her. "Black Demon Ancestral Blood."

An Xunlu's pupils shot wide open and her breathing turned ragged. "That's impossible!"

How could it possibly be Black Demon Ancestral Blood?! Within the Black Demon Abyss, it was worth even more than a Creation Treasure! Even a Principle Yang Spirit wasn't qualified to receive it, including Black Sword! Only a Major Principle ancestor had the right to claim it. The entire Moluo Clan had been driven out for it! How could Qi Yuan possibly have gotten his hands on it?!

An Xunlu refused to believe it. "Impossible. Black Demon Ancestral Blood is the ancestor's own treasured possession, how could he possibly give it to you?!"

Still, there was no mistaking the aura drifting out of the storage pouch. A cultivator with Black Demon Abyss bloodline would mistake their own father, but they could never mistake Black Demon Ancestral Blood!

He appeared a bit baffled. "What? His treasured possession? Is the ancestor secretly a hoarder?"

An Xunlu sucked in a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down. Then, she straightened and declared pridefully, "Seems like you weren’t joking after all. I never imagined the ancestor would actually give you Black Demon Ancestral Blood. But even with that, Brother Black Sword is still the best among the younger generation. No matter how hard you try, you’ll never catch up to him!"

Qi Yuan said exasperatedly, "Hey, I never said I wanted to compete with Black Sword for first place. Don't put words in my mouth."

As a socially awkward person, why would he care about fighting for some hollow title of number one?

An Xunlu flicked her sleeves and walked off without another word, refusing to acknowledge him further. "Hmph!"

In truth, she was grinding her teeth. That was Black Demon Ancestral Blood, a supreme treasure that no cultivator carrying Black Demon Abyss bloodline could ever refuse!

Qi Yuan sighed. Well, looks like this is just another one of the world's great unsolved mysteries.

By rights, the most sensible thing would be to just ask the ancestor directly. After all, he'd have his answer just by asking, but Qi Yuan had too much emotional intelligence for that. As if he'd ask the ancestor to his face and risk the awkwardness.