Chapter 1823: Your Cultivation Is Still Lacking!

"That Yun Xiao can actually persist for so long?"

The intense confrontation on the lake had long stunned the crowd of cultivators watching from afar. They had never imagined that the young man in simple clothes could truly face off against a peak Hua Xuan Realm strong adversary.

One must know that the gap between Heavenly Realm Peak and Hua Xuan Realm Peak is an entire Great Rank, and in between lies the chasm from Heavenly Rank Third Realm to Holy Vein Three Realms, a gap that seems insurmountable to ordinary people.

Yet, under An Sou’s several techniques, that youth not only managed to escape intact, but what on earth was that unimpressive-looking blood-red flame, to make a peak Hua Xuan Realm expert suddenly retreat?

In terms of the confrontation’s dynamics alone, Yun Xiao hadn’t lost the slightest edge, especially with that blood-red flame forcing An Sou to step back, leaving many deep in thought.

In truth, Yun Xiao was silently suffering, knowing his Ancestral Vein Fire hadn’t yielded the expected results; his only remaining surprise tactic might just be the Dragon Taming Sword.

"Boy, I must admit, you’ve truly made me look at you differently!"

Stepping back a few paces, An Sou didn’t seem angry for being pushed back by a Heavenly Realm Peak youth; rather, he praised him with a calm expression.

But from the tone of this statement, Yun Xiao sensed a subtle meaning, understanding that the elder’s forthcoming moves would spare no effort.

Whoosh... Whoosh...

Suddenly, a strong wind whipped across the sky, gathering around An Sou, forming black wind whorls, which looked quite mysterious.

"That elder must be a wind attribute cultivator!"

Among the spectators were knowledgeable individuals who, from the black wind whorls’ power, realized the truth: An Sou cultivated attribute energy.

Wind attribute cultivators were rare in the Nine-layered Dragon Cloud, which perhaps was one reason Yun Xiao didn’t choose to escape. Against a superior wind attribute power, fleeing seemed unrealistic.

Take Yun Xiao, for example. The two activated wind attribute ancestor veins enhanced his speed incredibly. He knew An Sou excelled in speed, and rashly attempting to flee would only expose greater weaknesses to this old man.

However, An Sou summoned numerous black wind whorls not for show, but intending to shatter Yun Xiao’s last bit of confidence with these energies.

Although this boy has a peculiar and ominous flame, engaging directly wasn’t necessary. After all, An Sou’s overwhelming advantage lies in the unrivaled crushing force of his Meridian Qi, doesn’t it?

Countless wind whorls gathered around An Sou, and in the next moment, rushed toward Yun Xiao like a myriad of black stars, covering the sky, seemingly veiling the heavens.

Feeling the vast energy within these whirlwinds, Yun Xiao’s expression turned extremely serious, knowing that in such a Meridian Techniques duel, no matter what he did, defeat was inevitable.

"Ancestor Vein Power, activate!"

At such a critical moment, Yun Xiao instantly stimulated his Ancestor Vein Power, and within the next moment, his Meridian Qi cultivation astonishingly broke through from Heavenly Realm Peak to the Half-step Holy Rank level.

"This..."

Sensing the entirely different aura from before, everyone looked awestruck, especially those who had seen Yun Xiao’s Ancestor Vein Power activation, seeming almost to have seen a ghost.

These individuals had seen Yun Xiao activate the Ancestor Vein Power deeper in the Murong Tomb, and back then, even when the Ancestor Vein Power was activated, his cultivation only elevated from Heavenly Realm Late Stage to Heavenly Realm Peak.

Strictly speaking, Half-step Holy Rank cultivation still didn’t reach the true Holy Rank Hua Xuan Realm level, but to use Ancestor Vein Power to close this gap in essence was beyond astonishing.

A cultivator reaching Half-step Holy Rank is said to have nearly touched the threshold of Space Power, a mere half-step from Hua Xuan Realm Early Stage, needing only an opportunity.

None of the onlookers had ever considered that a cultivator’s Ancestor Vein Power could enable them to break through this barrier, that countless others exhaust themselves trying to transcend.

This breakthrough differs fundamentally from Yun Xiao’s previous advance in the Murong Tomb, leading watching cultivators to gain a completely new understanding of his Ancestor Vein Rank.

"What’s the origin of this boy?"

As Yun Xiao’s opponent, An Sou naturally sensed the activation of the Ancestor Vein Power, yet such formidable Ancestor Vein Power, rare even in the Emperor Canglong Palace, left him with a hint of doubt.

An Sou’s understanding of Yun Xiao came solely from what Xue Qi and Lu Qinwan had shared, knowing he hailed from a Lower Five Realms Continent within Hidden Dragon Continent, his family merely a small lineage of three generations.

However, based on An Sou’s knowledge, families like the Shang Family couldn’t have possibly granted Yun Xiao such a powerful Ancestor Vein Power; this isn’t something one simply lucks into.

However, An Sou did not delve into this issue. No matter how mysterious Yun Xiao’s background was, or how powerful his Ancestor Vein Power was, today’s outcome would ultimately not change in the slightest.

In the eyes of a Hua Xuan Realm Peak powerhouse like An Sou, there was absolutely no difference between a Half-step Holy Rank and a Heavenly Realm Peak; they were all lower rankers who could be easily crushed.

"Still not enough!"

Feeling the Meridian Qi aura within his body that had increased several times, Yun Xiao’s expression did not look good. This entire eleven Ancestor Vein Powers ultimately did not allow him to successfully break through to the Hua Xuan Realm Early Stage, but only reached Half-step Holy Rank.

Although there was only half a step between these two realms, it was like an insurmountable chasm, which undoubtedly made Yun Xiao’s last glimmer of hope vanish. The upcoming battle would only become more difficult.

But one can’t say that without breaking through to the Hua Xuan Realm Early Stage the fight won’t happen, right? Even if Yun Xiao was willing, An Sou would never agree. He still needed to capture this young man and take him back to the Emperor Palace to make amends.

"Five Elements Power, reverse!"

Yun Xiao quickly activated the Ancestor Vein Power, and he was already prepared for the next means. Hearing a deep voice from him, five different colored light spots appeared in front of him.

These light spots formed a ring shape and continuously rotated under Yun Xiao’s control. The speed was so fast that everyone could only see a five-colored ring.

Swish!

A moment later, a five-colored light beam shot rapidly from the center of the ring, aimed directly at An Sou not far away. It was clear that Yun Xiao was employing the decomposition power of the Five Elements Light Beam at this moment.

It seems Yun Xiao wanted to catch An Sou off guard again. The previous Ancestral Vein Fire was so, and now the decomposition power was intended to achieve unexpected success upon the opponent’s surprise.

"Is a mere Heavenly Rank Advanced Meridian Technique trying to wound me?"

Sure enough, under Yun Xiao’s strange gaze, An Sou didn’t pay it any mind. Under his control, countless black whirlwinds moved to intercept the five-colored light beam.

To the onlookers, the five-colored light beam displayed by this Half-step Holy Rank young Yun Xiao could not possibly last even for a moment, because between the two, there was absolutely no comparability.

Moreover, the Meridian Techniques employed by the Hua Xuan Realm Peak powerhouse An Sou were certainly at the Holy Rank Low Level. With such double crushing by Meridian Qi and Meridian Techniques, is there any need to say more about the result?

"Hmm?"

However, at the next moment, everyone saw an extremely unbelievable scene. The five-colored light beam, which seemed spectacular yet powerless, did not shatter when it touched the black whirlwind.

This undoubtedly left everyone puzzled. How could the final result of such a huge disparity in Meridian Techniques be like this? It was simply too bizarre.

"It seems there is an extremely rare decomposition power within that five-colored light beam!"

For An Sou, who was an involved party, he speculated while controlling his black whirlwind. He was extremely clear about the sensing within the black whirlwind.

The previously indifferent An Sou noticed something wrong when his black whirlwind touched the five-colored light beam. It was completely different from regular Meridian Techniques.

The five-colored light beam transformed from Five Elements Power. When Yun Xiao controlled it to reverse, it instantly transformed into decomposition power. Everything in the world is inescapable from Five Elements Power. When encountering such power, it would naturally be instantly decomposed.

If An Sou’s cultivation was not a whole Great Rank higher, if it were replaced with a cultivator of the same level as Yun Xiao, they would most likely be instantly decomposed without a trace, right?

"What a pity. Even with such a strange decomposition power, your cultivation is still lacking!"

An Sou, slightly surprised internally, uttered what seemed to be regretful words. Immediately, the black whirlwinds under his control erupted with black light, as if a wild windstorm engulfed the five-colored light beam instantly.

"Not good!"

Sensing that his Five Elements Decomposition Power could no longer hold, Yun Xiao’s expression slightly changed. However, just as he was about to retreat, one of the black whirlwinds somehow was already less than a foot away from his right shoulder.

Slash!

The black whirlwind, seemingly ghostly and without substance, viciously struck Yun Xiao’s right shoulder at this moment. A soft sound was heard, and a splash of blood bloomed.

It was evident that the black whirlwind possessed extremely sharp characteristics. Even though Yun Xiao had instantly equipped the Earth Burst Stone Lotus Armor on his right shoulder, he still couldn’t block the black whirlwind’s cut.