Finally Behaving, a Marriage Alliance!

After finishing his journey south, Shi Xiao headed back north, this time behaving unusually well.

He didn't provoke the minor clans along the way, nor did he get greedy and itchy when he saw Spirit Vein; he even took a detour when passing by the nest of a Nascent Soul beast, avoiding any trouble.

There was nothing I could do; most of my trump cards were gone.

His father's Spirit Transformation sense was gone, but his mother's divine sense remained, though it was the last resort to save his life. The Void-Piercing Drill given to him by his maternal grandfather had also shattered into dust. Now, the only trump cards he had left were his mother's divine sense and the Xu Yan Ring.

However, he dared not refine the Xu Yan Ring at all.

Although the essence within that thing has been destroyed, the remnants of the Space Dao at the Four Foundations Extreme Realm are still there; if he, a Nascent Soul Middle Stage cultivator, were to forcibly refine it, he might end up bursting himself.

This must be taken back and given to my father for his decision.

Shi Xiao touched the ring on his hand, his lips twitched, and he gave a wry smile.

They emerged full of vigor and high spirits, wreaking havoc and capturing women from a secret realm, annihilating countless tribes.

Looking back now, that reckless and unruly spirit really made me resemble a naive and arrogant calf.

It's not that killing is wrong.

In the Nine Realms, the law of the jungle prevails, and it is common sense for the royal bloodline to run rampant.

But he was too arrogant. He thought that as Nascent Soul Early Stage with a bunch of trump cards, he would be invincible. He was also wrong to rush into the secret realm left behind by the Nascent Spirit Transformation, his eyes lighting up.

"They almost perished inside."

Shi Xiao muttered to himself, his escape light pressed extremely low, almost skimming the treetops.

He encountered two groups of Golden Core cultivators fighting on the road, but he didn't even look at them and walked around them; then he encountered a savage beast in the Nascent Soul Early Stage. In the past, he would have struck it with lightning and snatched its core.

However, he only glanced at it from afar before continuing on his way.

It's not that I'm afraid, it's that there's no need.

He'd taken everything he could; the loot from the secret realm was enough to last him for hundreds of years. There was no need for him to be greedy anymore.

When I left, I had been away for more than twenty years.

Upon his return, only a few months had passed, and Shi Xiao was back in the valley where the Dao Spirit Human Race was hiding.

On the outer layer of the barrier, the Lightning Bear Token hung at the core of the array, its Spirit Transformation power weak yet steadily spreading outwards.

Shi Xiao glanced at it and saw that the restriction was intact. It seemed that over the years, no one had been foolish enough to cause trouble.

He landed at the mouth of the valley and concealed his escape light.

Chen Yan was already waiting. The old man's aura was more solid than it had been more than ten years ago, which meant he must have used a lot of Purple Lightning Ginseng to aid his cultivation.

Seeing Shi Xiao land, Chen Yan bowed respectfully.

Her gaze swept over him, but she hesitated, as if she wanted to say something but then stopped herself.

Shi Xiao knew what he was looking at.

He went out at the Nascent Soul Early Stage realm and returned at the Nascent Soul Middle Stage, but his body was covered in wounds and his aura was somewhat weak and unstable, clearly indicating that he had experienced a great change.

Pack your things and let's set off.

Shi Xiao didn't explain, nor did he bother to. He was just a lowly ant from a minor Nascent Soul clan; he didn't have the face to be asked to explain.

Chen Yan acknowledged and turned to return to the valley to make arrangements.

The old man was efficient; within three days, he had gathered all the thousands of people in the clan. The Spirit Plant were sealed in storage Law Treasure with their roots and soil intact, and the tools and equipment for cultivating the spiritual fields were packed up properly.

In the valley, several of the highest-grade Purple Lightning Ginseng mother plants were carefully moved into specially made jade boxes.

Shi Xiao glanced at the jade boxes a few more times.

Three fourth-tier Purple Lightning Ginseng are extremely beneficial to the Nascent Soul Realm cultivators in the Dao of Lightning realm; even for those at the Spirit Transformation stage, they are a great tonic.

This is the true essence of the Dao Spirit Human Race.

With these mother plants, they can be cultivated and propagated on a large scale in Lightning Plain; given time, the yield of these Purple Lightning Ginseng will be enough to support all the Dao of Lightning Demon Cultivator of the entire Lightning Bear Line.

Let's go.

Shi Xiao led several thousand members of the Dao Spirit Clan northwards.

Along the way, the Dao Spirit Human Race cultivators were trembling with fear, afraid of angering this young Nascent Soul Demon King.

Shi Xiao didn't have a bad temper, or rather, he had been living too wildly these past few years.

He had grown tired of both destruction and lust; he had fallen into a state of sagehood.

Chen Yan saw this and secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

If they can latch onto a good master, their bloodline will have protection in the future and can live a peaceful life.

After months of trekking, the group finally arrived at the southeast of Li Bear Plains.

Lightning Plain Frontier.

When that five-million-mile-long territory came into view, Shi Xiao felt a sense of peace that was hard to describe.

In the distance, the purple-gold tips of the leaves of the Thunder Bamboo Forest sway in the wind, and arcs of lightning flicker like sparks; the Thunder Palace on the main peak stands majestically, its Spirit Transformation power enveloping the eight wastelands.

Finally, we've arrived at our own territory.

Shi Xiao handed over the Dao Spirit Human Race to Shi Yin for resettlement, and then flew straight to the main peak.

Deep within the Thunder Palace, Shi Jian had already emerged from seclusion.

It wasn't for any other reason than that the moment his divine sense dissipated, he knew Shi Xiao was coming back; he came out for some fresh air and also to see what kind of state the kid had been in.

Shi Jian stood on the platform in front of Lei Palace, overlooking the entire Lightning Plain.

Beside him stood a massive, earth-yellow bear, its Earth Dao aura contained and profound; it was none other than the Ancestor Shanyue.

Shan Yue's cultivation level is now very close to the Four-Foundation Perfection.

His cultivation level was among the best in the Giant Bear Clan; he also paid close attention to Shi Xiao, this junior.

After all, the blood of the Mountain Bear Lineage also flowed in his veins; as the ancestor, he naturally paid close attention to this young man.

In the Mountain and Thunder lineages, Shi Xiao is undoubtedly the crown prince!

His father, Shi Jian, was a Spirit Transformation Demon Immortal and the founder of the Lightning Bear Line; his mother, Shan Li, was also a Spirit Transformation and the matriarch of the Lightning Bear Line.

She is the eldest daughter of the Second Elder, Shan Wanling Mountain Bear Lineage; her father's lineage is a rising star in the clan, and her mother's lineage is one of the most powerful in the clan, with five Nascent Spirit Transformation standing behind her!

Such a background is unprecedented even among the Giant Bear Clan.

This young man had been out in the world for over twenty years, Shan Yue naturally sensed it, since he had also left a trace of his divine sense on Shi Xiao.

He never said it, and Shi Xiao was completely unaware of it.

Although that essence had already been destroyed by Shi Jian's divine sense, the fact that this junior was able to encounter the remnant soul of Spirit Transformation at the Four Foundations Extreme Realm who was trying to possess him showed that this kid had been quite wild outside.

He's truly a restless young man, and also a lad with great fortuitous opportunity.

"They've arrived."

Shi Jian spoke first, his gaze falling on the purple-gold escape light in the distance.

The Shan Yue saw it too, and narrowed their eyes slightly.

Shi Xiao landed on the platform, concealed his escape light, and first saw his father. Then his gaze shifted to the Ancestor Shanyue, his steps faltered slightly, and a hint of surprise flashed across his face.

"Father," he bowed, then turned to Shan Wanling, "Ancestor Shanyue."

The Shan Yue looked him up and down, then smiled.

"Having traveled for over twenty years, he has indeed made some progress; at the Nascent Soul Middle Stage, he's passable, a bit better than your father."

Although his tone was indifferent, there was not a trace of dissatisfaction in his eyes.

With his Nascent Soul Middle Stage cultivation, royal bloodline, and Purple Firmament Lightning Immortal Foundation, he could already dominate among his peers; moreover, this kid was only three hundred years old, which was considered outstanding among the younger generation of the Giant Bear Clan.

At least when Shi Jian broke through to the Nascent Soul, he was already two or three hundred years old.

What did you get?

Upon hearing this, Shi Xiao took out the spoils from his personal secret realm one by one and presented them to his father and ancestor.

Two Spirit Transformation skeletons, several fifth-tier spirit medicine, a pile of fourth-tier Spirit Plant and minerals, dozens of materials for the Space Dao, and finally, the Xu Yan Ring.

Shi Jian picked up the ring, probed it with his Divine Sense, and nodded slightly after a moment.

"The insights into the Space Dao of the Four Extreme Realm are indeed valuable." He put the ring into his sleeve. "I'll keep this for now and help you refine it."

"Once you break through to the Spirit Transformation stage, this Dao Artifact will be transferred to you."

Shi Xiao listened and naturally had no objections.

Shan Yue's gaze fell on the two Spirit Transformation stage skeletons, a glint of light flashing in his eyes.

"These two skeletons, one a serpent and the other a roc; the Daoist essence remaining within them, one being Dao of Wind Nascent Spirit Transformation at the late stage of the Three Foundations realm, and the other Dao of Lightning, also at the late stage of the Three Foundations realm."

"Although the grade isn't top-tier, the bones themselves are excellent cultivation materials."

Shan Yue looked at Shi Jian, "Your Lightning Bear Line has no use for the Dao of Wind, why not exchange it for some resources with my Mountain Bear Lineage?"

Shi Jian thought for a moment and said, "Okay, but I'll have to add some Spirit Stone."

"You little rascal," Shan Yue chuckled and scolded, but didn't refuse.

Shan Yue and Shi Jian were friends despite their age difference; they haggled over the spoils for a while, while Shi Xiao listened from the side, not daring to interrupt.

After the spoils were divided, Shan Yue suddenly changed the subject.

"Shi Jian, your eldest son is now in the Nascent Soul Middle Stage." He looked at Shi Xiao, his tone casual, "It's time to arrange a marriage."

Shi Xiao was taken aback.

Shi Jian, however, remained expressionless, clearly having anticipated this.

"What does the ancestor mean?"

Shan Yue stroked his chin, a calculating glint in his eyes.

"Among the direct descendants of the Mysterious Bear Lineage, the Xuan Jian Ancestor, there is a young female bear whose cultivation has reached the Golden Core Late Stage. She is only a little over a hundred years old, possesses excellent aptitude, and cultivates the Yin- Yin-Yang Dao."

He paused, then glanced at Shi Jian.

"That old bastard Xuan Jian, Late Spirit Transformation with three Immortal Foundation, is one of the strongest members of my Giant Bear Clan besides the Ancestor Egu."

"His direct lineage is naturally of high quality."

"If Shi Xiao can marry this female bear, it will be equivalent to being tied to the Mysterious Bear Lineage; in the future, when he acts within the clan, he will have the support of both the Xuan and Shan lineages, and your Lightning Bear Line will also be able to rise to prominence by taking advantage of this."

Shi Jian did not immediately agree, but looked at Shi Xiao instead.

Shi Xiao remained silent for a few moments, a bitter smile playing on his lips.

He wasn't against arranged marriages; marriages within the Giant Bear Clan were primarily based on mutual benefit, with personal feelings playing a secondary role.

Wasn't his father's marriage to his mother, Shan Li, also from the Mountain Bear Lineage, a result of their appreciating his father's talent and forming an alliance through marriage?

"Since the patriarch has spoken, this junior will give it a try," Shi Xiao replied readily.

Seeing this, Shan Yue nodded in satisfaction.

"Alright, I'll handle this. That old fellow Xuan Jian owes me a favor, but it won't be difficult. Cultivating closer ties with the Xuan lineage will greatly benefit your father's future Dao Path."

"The world is in chaos, and our people need a broader path forward."