In a room at the Xiao Family estate, Xiao Kong anxiously watched Xiao Fan lying on the bed, his expression grim!
An old man rested his hand on Xiao Fan's left arm, his expression solemn.
After a moment, the old man released Xiao Fan's left hand and sighed.
The old man was named Xiao Ming. He was the Xiao Family's grand elder, with cultivation at the peak Qi Refining second layer, and also a first-grade Alchemist!
"Grand elder, how is Fan'er?"
Xiao Kong had long since grown impatient with waiting and hurriedly asked.
Xiao Ming shook his head before saying, "Family head, Xiao Fan's injuries are very serious. His meridians have ruptured in thirteen places."
"Another seven places have been blasted into charcoal by the power of lightning. Even his Dantian has suffered slight damage!"
"With my current alchemy skills, I can at most refine a few pills to stabilize his injuries and prevent them from worsening!"
"For him to recover completely, he'll need at least a third-grade Origin-Nurturing Pill or higher!"
"Moreover, the older its main ingredient, Origin-Nurturing Grass, the better!"
After finishing, Xiao Ming sighed again. He felt Xiao Fan was finished! A third-grade Origin-Nurturing Pill or higher was simply beyond what the Xiao Family could currently afford!
Hearing this, Xiao Kong felt a chill of sorrow in his heart, but still said, "Grand elder, I'm entrusting everything to you!"
Xiao Ming nodded, then shook his head with a sigh and turned to leave!
Just as Xiao Ming turned to leave, Xiao Kong saw that Xiao Fan had woken up, and a faint smile appeared on his face.
But Xiao Fan's eyes were now dull. He simply stared straight upward, still unable to understand why he had lost.
Hadn't I endured and held myself back all these years precisely for today?
Wasn't today supposed to be the day I defeated every opponent?
Yet he had failed to withstand even a single move from his opponent. What meaning had those years of endurance held?
At the thought, Xiao Fan's face twisted into a savage expression! But then the intense pain in his body made him cry out despite himself.
Unlike the exceptionally heavy atmosphere at the Xiao Family estate, the Ji Family estate was filled with joy.
Ji Ping, Ji Cheng, and many other Ji Family members stood at the estate's main gate, there to see Ji Wuchang off!
Although Ji Wuchang had just made it clear that he had won this competition for the Ji Family and owed them nothing from now on, Ji Ping and Ji Cheng still came to see him off!
Ji Wuchang waved his hand, bowed to Ji Ping, and then left without looking back.
With that bow, his ties with the Ji Family ended here!
Although Ji Ping and Ji Cheng were somewhat unwilling to accept it, they ultimately sighed and turned back into the Ji Family estate!
Ji Wuchang's heart had already flown home like an arrow. How could he be in any mood to stay with the Ji Family? His brief return had already given Ji Ping one final measure of face!
However, Ji Wuchang now had a jade token tucked against his chest. A millstone was carved on its front, and the three characters for "Ji Wuchang" were on its back!
Ji Ping had told Ji Wuchang that this had been on him when Ji Ping first found him all those years ago, and it might be connected to his origins!
Ji Wuchang was quite surprised. It seemed this had never happened in his previous life.
But he did not dwell on it. Returning to the Longevity Sect was what mattered most now!
Soon, Ji Wuchang left Muye City and raced toward the Longevity Sect!
Several dozen li away, Ji Wuchang stopped, his brows creasing slightly. Then he said calmly, "Who's there? Come out!"
As soon as Ji Wuchang's words fell, a woman's figure appeared.
Ji Wuchang glanced at her and instantly recognized her: Xiao Xueqing of the Xiao Family, the one who hid her true abilities most deeply!
Memories of his previous life flooded his mind, and Ji Wuchang's pupils contracted slightly.
If Ji Wuchang remembered correctly, Xiao Xueqing was not a member of Muye City's Xiao Family. She came from a truly great family.
When Xiao Xueqing was little, someone had placed her in the Xiao Family's care. After Xiao Fan joined the Longevity Sect, she had left.
When Ji Wuchang later heard news of Xiao Xueqing, she was already a Six Spirits Realm expert, while he had only just reached Foundation Establishment!
Still later, An Kexin had mentioned Xiao Xueqing to Ji Wuchang in passing. She had already reached the Supreme Realm! At that time, Ji Wuchang had been in the Purple Mansion Realm!
One stood in the heavens, the other on the earth-a true gulf between clouds and mud!
"You know me?"
Seeing Ji Wuchang's expression, Xiao Xueqing froze for a moment, her face frosty!
Ji Wuchang had already composed himself. With a calm expression, he said, "Of course. Xiao Xueqing of the Xiao Family!"
Xiao Xueqing was beautiful; Ji Wuchang had to admit that. But what did that have to do with him?
A baleful look clouded Xiao Xueqing's lovely face. Then she said calmly, "You shouldn't have injured Brother Xiao Fan. Today, I'll avenge him!"
After Xiao Xueqing finished speaking, her presence rose steadily, revealing the pressure of the peak Qi Refining sixth layer!
"What a joke. Are all you Xiaos this brainless?"
"Xiao Fan wanted to step on me to climb higher. How could I give him that chance? What was wrong with injuring him?"
"This world is vast. Does your Xiao Family think it can cover the sky with one hand?"
Ji Wuchang's expression was cold as he revealed his mid Qi Refining sixth layer cultivation, directly confronting Xiao Xueqing without yielding an inch!
Xiao Xueqing's expression grew colder still, with a trace of embarrassment and anger.
"Take this! Defeat me, and you can leave. Otherwise, Brother Xiao Fan's injuries will be repeated on your body!"
After speaking, Xiao Xueqing lunged straight at Ji Wuchang, her palms weaving like fluttering butterflies as they struck toward him.
Ji Wuchang snorted coldly and unleashed the Eight Trigrams Wandering Dragon Steps, his body producing streaks of afterimages. Clenching both hands into fists, he unleashed Thunder Explosion Fist!
Bam!
Fist met palm. Ji Wuchang and Xiao Xueqing both shuddered violently and retreated three steps each, a trace of gravity appearing in both their eyes!
"Kill!"
Ji Wuchang roared, his eyes filled with cold indifference. Spiritual power surged wildly through his body, and all his skin began to shine with golden light.
Clenching both hands into fists, lightning coursed over his knuckles as he charged straight at Xiao Xueqing!
"Golden skin!"
Xiao Xueqing was astonished at the golden light on Ji Wuchang's skin. This was something that could only possibly appear after tempering the body to the utmost in the Postnatal Realm.
But only an instant later, Xiao Xueqing snorted coldly, and a faint golden light appeared on her skin as well.
Bam...
The two figures collided violently, the fierce gusts from their blows shredding everything within several meters of them.
In just a brief span, they exchanged over a hundred moves.
With a thunderous bang, Ji Wuchang and Xiao Xueqing were both sent flying backward.
But just then, Ji Wuchang moved. His body spun in an uncanny semicircular arc, and in a flash, he appeared before Xiao Xueqing.
Before Xiao Xueqing could react, he seized her by the throat and lifted her straight off the ground!
It all happened too quickly. Xiao Xueqing felt only excruciating pain in her throat.
"Dare touch a single hair on our young lady's head, and you will certainly die today!"
Just then, an old woman's voice rang out, and a terrifying pressure descended!