Nine Dragons Saint Ancestor

Chapter 1520: Claw Against Claw

"Hehe, I know a lot of things!"Hearing the subconscious exclamation from Xue Qi, Yun Xiao smiled and then spoke with implication: "Since you’ve cultivated the Xuanji Heavenly Transformation Technique, I wonder how powerful have you made the Xuanji Heavenly Claw that accompanies it?"

Yun Xiao’s next words caused Xue Qi’s face to change drastically. She suddenly realized that the little boy who grew up with her and whom she hadn’t seen for many years had become quite different from before.

The Xuanji Heavenly Transformation Technique indeed pairs with a Meridian Technique called Xuanji Heavenly Claw. By extension, if one practices the Xuanji Saint Transformation Technique, this technique naturally evolves into the more powerful Xuanji Saint Claw.

Why would such secrets belonging to the Nine-layered Dragon Cloud be known so clearly by a young man from the Lower Plane, Hidden Dragon Continent?

"Hmph, no matter how you know, once I break your limbs, I’ll definitely get the information from you!"

At this moment, due to the doubts in her mind, Xue Qi had already dispelled the thought of directly killing Yun Xiao. If she didn’t understand these puzzling things, she feared she wouldn’t eat or sleep well.

In Xue Qi’s view, even if this guy in front knows about the Xuanji Heavenly Transformation Technique, she’s the proud disciple of Emperor Canglong and Empress, and there’s no reason she can’t deal with a cultivator of the same level from a Lower Plane, right?

"Since you know, try it yourself, and you’ll understand the true power of the Xuanji Heavenly Claw!"

As soon as her words finished, Xue Qi’s hands swiftly changed seals, and before her, energy surged, forming a Meridian Qi Hand Claw several feet large.

The fingers of this hand claw were long, and one could even see the veins on its back, with its nails prominently displayed, making it extremely realistic, like a human hand claw magnified dozens of times.

"Not bad, you’ve actually cultivated the Xuanji Heavenly Claw to the Heavenly Rank Intermediate level!"

Sensing the power fluctuating within that claw, Yun Xiao couldn’t help but express admiration, such a nonchalant attitude undoubtedly infuriated Xue Qi.

"I’ll shred your flesh and bones and see if you can still remain so calm!"

Xue Qi’s face turned solemn, and after her words fell, her hand seals changed again, and the enormous hand claw angrily grabbed toward Yun Xiao’s body.

"Be careful!"

Even standing quite far, Xu Hongzhuang could sense the terrifying power contained within that claw and instinctively shouted, proving the saying that concern leads to confusion.

While Xu Hongzhuang worried for Yun Xiao, Hou Tianlie, standing nearby, also had a difficult expression upon sensing the vast energy within the claw.

Because even Hou Tianlie knew that in his prime, it would be difficult to withstand such a Heavenly Rank Intermediate Meridian Technique, considering he was a genuine Lingyun Realm Late Stage expert.

It proves that Meridian Techniques from the Nine-layered Dragon Cloud can really enable a cultivator to fight across levels, like the Xuanji Heavenly Claw currently wielded by Xue Qi.

"I hope Yun Xiao can still work miracles!"

As Hou Tianlie turned his gaze to the target of the claw, seeing the familiar coarse-clothed young man, a trace of confidence inadvertently arose in his heart.

Since Yun Xiao had emerged, he continually created astounding miracles, like in the Slaughter Spirit Battlefield, the Impermanence Island battle, and later the Lianyun Mountain war, this young man had turned the tide each time.

"Sorry, I forgot to tell you, this Xuanji Heavenly Claw is useless against me!"

Just as Hou Tianlie hoped and Xu Hongzhuang worried, from the coarse-clothed young man’s mouth suddenly came such a voice, which made everyone slightly stunned.

Especially Xue Qi, whose hard-earned minor achievement of the Xuanji Heavenly Claw, under such a powerful attack, was mocked by Yun Xiao as if nothing mattered, leaving her unable to remain calm.

"You’ll soon find out whether it’s useless!"

Seemingly angered by Yun Xiao’s words, Xue Qi’s hand seals changed again, and the massive Meridian Qi Hand Claw grew even more solid, resembling a giant human hand claw.

"Don’t believe me?"

As the massive claw approached, the peculiar color in Yun Xiao’s eyes deepened. After he softly spoke three words, he too extended his right hand.

Swish, swish, swish!

Yun Xiao’s right hand’s five fingers rhythmically moved, and within a breath’s time, a massive Meridian Qi Hand Claw appeared before him, looking identical to the one Xue Qi had cast.

"Is this also the Xuanji Heavenly Claw? But this aura..."

Suddenly seeing that extremely similar Meridian Qi Hand Claw, Xue Qi was initially taken aback, but after carefully sensing the energy aura of Yun Xiao’s hand claw, she instantly felt relieved.

"Heavenly Rank Low Level?"

At this moment, even Hou Tianlie and Wei Duzheng and the others sensed the energy fluctuations within Yun Xiao’s hand claw, and their faces showed a peculiar expression.

The cultivators under Hou Tianlie at Demons Mountain were worried, after all, the Meridian Qi Cultivation between the fighting parties was similar, but if the grade of the Meridian Technique differed by a Great Rank, the result would go without saying.

On the other hand, Wei Duzheng and the Spirit Fighting Commerce experts were gloating in their hearts, for there was an irreconcilable vendetta between them and that rugged-clothed youth.

"Humph, I thought you had some formidable means, but it turns out just to be such petty tricks!"

At this moment, Xue Qi had completely let her anxiety go, for her Xuanji Heavenly Claw of Heavenly Rank Intermediate level was facing your hand claw Meridian Technique, which was presumably copied from somewhere, at Heavenly Rank Low Level; it was bound to be a crushing victory.

Boom!

Therefore, in the next moment, Xue Qi abruptly gripped the seal in her hand, and the middle finger of the Xuanji Heavenly Claw she had employed collided fiercely with the middle finger of Yun Xiao’s hand claw.

Initially, the two fingers clashed, exploding with a tremendously powerful force of collision, but the next scene almost made Xue Qi’s eyes pop out.

The two opposing Meridian Qi Hand Claws’ middle fingers began undergoing a visually observable transformation, with Yun Xiao’s middle finger slowly merging into the middle finger of Xue Qi’s Xuanji Heavenly Claw.

This merging wasn’t a mutual fusion, but Yun Xiao’s hand claw’s middle finger continuously devouring the strength of Xue Qi’s Xuanji Heavenly Claw’s middle finger.

With you retreating and me advancing, as the energy of the Xuanji Heavenly Claw diminished, Yun Xiao’s hand claw moved forward, until moments later, the other four fingers finally touched.

The ensuing scene was identical to the middle finger’s interaction; the Xuanji Heavenly Claw deployed by Xue Qi was devoured rapidly, soon leaving only a bare palm, with all five fingers lost.

"This is impossible!"

Seeing this scene, Xue Qi genuinely wanted to roar in disbelief; it was her Xuanji Heavenly Claw of Heavenly Rank Intermediate level, capable of increasing power with her ascent in strength.

Originally, Xue Qi imagined that even against other Intermediate Heavenly Rank Meridian Techniques, her Xuanji Heavenly Claw could shatter them utterly. Let alone a Heavenly Rank Low Level technique.

At this moment, Xue Qi felt a stinging defeat akin to being slapped in the face, until she finally realized the true meaning of Yun Xiao’s earlier words.

Clearly, the hand claw Meridian Technique Yun Xiao executed had a strong restraining effect on the Xuanji Heavenly Claw. Xue Qi could not fathom how this was possible.

Perhaps only Yun Xiao himself could understand the truth. Ultimately, it was because he knew too much about the Xuanji Heavenly Claw, or rather, about Xue Qi’s teacher, the Empress to Emperor Canglong.

During his time as the Long Xiao Battle God, Yun Xiao had witnessed Lu Qinwan perform the Xuanji Saint Claw, a Holy Rank Level technique—a superior version of the Xuanji Heavenly Claw.

Back then, Yun Xiao was astounded by the power of the Xuanji Saint Claw and was constantly thinking about how to counter it. Of course, he was merely curious, not intending to act against Lu Qinwan.

With the intellect of the Long Xiao Battle God, he naturally devised a method of restraint, though he never imagined using it for the first time on the weakened Xuanji Heavenly Claw.

Even now as Yun Xiao had just advanced to Lingyun Realm Early Stage, the claw-against-claw Meridian Technique was perfectly the nemesis to the Xuanji Heavenly Claw.

Therefore, even though Yun Xiao merely employed a Heavenly Rank Low Level technique, he decisively achieved victory, all stemming from his understanding of the Xuanji Heavenly Claw and his execution of the restraining technique.

"It was... this easy?"

Compared to the utterly shocked Xue Qi, the spectators were dumbfounded, nearly dropping their jaws to the ground; Hou Tianlie and the others were surprised and delighted, while Wei Duzheng and the Wuyan Palace cultivators looked grim.

The complete reversal of expressions signified that Yun Xiao and Xue Qi’s first confrontation defied everyone’s expectations. The rising star youth genius wasn’t so easily defeated.

"I said earlier, the Xuanji Heavenly Claw is useless against me. Do you believe me now?"

Having thoroughly dismantled the Xuanji Heavenly Claw, Yun Xiao did not attack further. At his current strength, he had little concern about facing Xue Qi, who was also at Lingyun Realm Early Stage.

Yun Xiao took greater pleasure in crushing the woman who betrayed his mother underfoot. Weren’t you trying to climb the social ladder? Weren’t you trying to transform into a phoenix?

Then I will destroy all your proudest techniques, showing you that even as a direct disciple of some major figure in the Upper Plane, the end result will be a tragic downfall.