139: Ancestor, you must…

"Excellent sword technique!" "Excellent Sword Dao!"

Zhou Xiuyuan returned the one heart sword to its sheath. Just as the Zhou Family convoy was about to clear the battlefield, a voice of admiration came from the dense forest.

"Who is it!"

The expression of the leading Non-Gu-surname Cultivator of the Zhou Family changed.

Someone was actually still here, yet he hadn't noticed them at all.

Zhou Xiuyuan's expression shifted slightly, and he looked toward the source of the voice.

"Don't be nervous. My Junior Sister and I were just passing by. We never expected to witness the legendary Eldest Young Master of the Zhou Family take action. It was truly magnificent, and I couldn't help but exclaim in admiration."

"If we have disturbed you Fellow Daoists, please forgive us."

As the voice fell silent, two figures, one male and one female, emerged from the dense forest.

The male Cultivator appeared young, perhaps around twenty years old, dressed in white robes. His long black hair was loosely tied. Although his hair was slightly messy, he didn't look disheveled; instead, he carried a sense of elegance and freedom.

Following this person was a young girl who looked to be about sixteen. She had fair skin and a beautiful appearance, with lively eyes. Occasionally, she would peek out from behind him, her eyes darting around as she sized up everyone present.

Seeing the newcomers, the Cultivators on the Zhou Family side grew vigilant, slowly circulating their spiritual power, but they made no other movements.

The leading Non-Gu-surname Cultivator of the Zhou Family was unsure whether the newcomers were friends or foes. With a slight internal movement, he looked over at Zhou Xiuyuan.

Since the Eldest Young Master had shown his face, it was best for him to take charge.

Zhou Xiuyuan looked at the young male Cultivator before him. In his left hand, the azure blue treasured sword seemed to produce a soundless sword chime in his heart.

"A worthy opponent!"

Zhou Xiuyuan's eyes suddenly lit up. He had practiced the sword since childhood, focusing solely on it. This one heart sword was specially crafted for him by the Artifact Refining Pavilion, commissioned by his father using his accumulated Family contributions, specifically requested from his grandfather.

It seemed like a Magical Artifact, yet it was not entirely a Magical Artifact.

He and his sword had been companions for many years; this sword represented his will. Since he felt a resonance now, it definitely meant the newcomer was extraordinary.

He was not one of those stagnant, decaying individuals who merely wasted their years.

"Zhou Xiuyuan of the Zhou Family requests guidance, Fellow Daoist!"

Zhou Xiuyuan felt slightly excited. Practicing the sword was his lifelong aspiration, but a good opponent was also something he longed for.

"No, no, no!"

Hearing this, the young male Cultivator immediately stopped, shaking his head like a rattle-drum.

"Fellow Daoist, don't misunderstand. My Junior Sister and I truly stumbled upon this place by chance and bear no ill will toward any of you."

Behind him, the sixteen-year-old girl curled her lip upon seeing her Senior Brother acting this way.

If her Senior Brother hadn't gotten excited upon seeing a potential target and made a sound, why would they have been discovered by these Zhou Family members?

"Fellow Daoist, I still request guidance!"

Zhou Xiuyuan maintained a solemn expression and bowed once more to the person in the distance.

"This..."

The young male Cultivator paused. This person truly was exactly as the rumors described.

"Everyone, we apologize for the disturbance. We take our leave!"

As his voice fell, the spiritual power in his body suddenly circulated. His speed was astonishingly fast. Pulling the young girl behind him, they vanished from everyone's sight in less than a moment.

"Senior Brother, let go quickly! You're pulling my hair!"

The girl's pained voice drifted over from afar.

"Ah, sorry, sorry! Please forgive me, Junior Sister..."

...The Zhou Family members looked at each other, utterly bewildered.

"So fast!"

The leading Non-Gu-surname Cultivator of the Zhou Family felt a chill in his heart. To achieve such speed while carrying someone, this person was truly extraordinary. Fortunately, he bore them no ill will. He wondered how their Eldest Young Master would compare to this individual.

Zhou Xiuyuan looked regretful and let out a soft sigh.

The opponent he had finally encountered had just left like that.

However, Zhou Xiuyuan did not make any move to chase after them.

After all, he had a mission to complete and could not abandon his post.

Feeling disheartened, Zhou Xiuyuan nodded to the leading Non-Gu-surname Cultivator, then returned to the carriage compartment, closed the door, and sat down cross-legged, the one heart sword still resting on his knees.

Closing his eyes, two illusory figures materialized in his mind, each wielding an illusory long sword. They fought fiercely, using Zhou Xiuyuan's Sea of Consciousness as the battlefield, thereby honing his sword technique.

Seeing Zhou Xiuyuan return to the carriage, the leading Non-Gu-surname Cultivator instructed the people around him to thoroughly search the Black-clothed figures for their Magical Artifacts and Storage Pouches. After the battlefield was cleared and they had rested for a moment, the banners rose again, and the Zhou Family convoy continued its journey.

In the dense forest far from the Zhou Family convoy, two figures reappeared. One of the girls spoke up and asked:

"Senior Brother, why didn't you agree to his request just now?"

"He had already used one sword strike, so he was no longer at his peak state. I, your Senior Brother, would never take advantage of someone's vulnerability like that."

"Moreover, the timing wasn't right today."

"The Zhou Family convoy had just been ambushed. If I had made a move, wouldn't I have grouped myself with those bandit Cultivators?"

The other young male Cultivator shook his head and replied softly...

On the other side, Zhou Leren brought Huan Bi back to Tianshui City. After informing the person in charge of the Xuanqing Sect, he immediately headed toward the Zhou Family with Huan Bi.

Looking at the seventy-to-one-hundred-foot Green-Eyed Azure-Striped Snake, the Cultivators finally remembered that Zhou Leren belonged to the Beast Taming branch of the Zhou Family and naturally possessed the Beast Taming Legacy. It was just that Zhou Leren had always fought using the luan fa sword before, which caused everyone to overlook this fact.

In that case, hadn't Zhou Leren's strength increased by a significant margin?

Everyone felt a slight shock, then exchanged glances, shaking their heads with wry smiles. After offering Zhou Leren hearty congratulations, they finally allowed him to depart.

Only Lian Yu remained unmoved. He believed that only the power cultivated by oneself was true power. Therefore, he felt no envy toward Zhou Leren for acquiring a Mid-stage Foundation Establishment snake demon.

He focused solely on cultivation, hoping to quickly achieve a Breakthrough to Mid-stage Foundation Establishment so he could seek out Zhou Leren for a proper spar.

Along the way, the massive Huan Bi snake spoke clearly:

"You humans are truly hypocritical."

"You don't understand. This is called social etiquette."

Zhou Leren didn't turn his head, merely smiling at the corner of his mouth as he shook his head and replied softly.

"Hmph!"

Seeing Zhou Leren's smug appearance, Huan Bi let out a cold snort, turned her head away, and ignored him.

"Heh heh heh..."

Not long after, Zhou Leren heard a chilling laughter that made his body feel cold. He turned his head and looked at Huan Bi, who was giggling foolishly by herself, and asked suspiciously:

"What are you laughing about?"

"Oh no, I've been discovered!"

Huan Bi was startled. With a 'shloop' sound, she sucked the drool from the corner of her mouth back in, her expression somewhat flustered.

She had merely thought about being able to eat lots and lots of third-tier beast blood later, which made her involuntarily laugh out loud, and she hadn't expected Zhou Leren to notice.

"It's nothing, nothing."

Huan Bi frantically shook her head.

"Look quickly, this tree really looks like a tree..."

Seeing Zhou Leren still staring at her, Huan Bi felt uncomfortable. She quickly turned her head away, let out a soft sound of surprise, looked at a tree below, and then turned back to Zhou Leren and said earnestly.

"Yes, it looks good. It certainly resembles a tree."

Zhou Leren was speechless. He casually humored her while sinking into contemplation:

"Will the Old Ancestor truly like such a foolish snake?"

"Why didn't I notice this before?"

"Could it be that I was too busy looking at whether she was beautiful or not?"

Zhou Leren fell into self-doubt.

"Forget it, I won't worry about it. Anyway, the Old Ancestor did mention something about 'silly, sweet, and pure' back then..."

"Hmm, although she isn't white—she is a Green-Eyed Azure-Striped Snake—and she isn't sweet, and she's quite fierce, she is foolish enough. There should still be a chance!"

Zhou Leren seemed to have grasped the key point, revealing a smile. He turned his head and scrutinized Huan Bi up and down several times.

"What are you looking at?"

Huan Bi was terrified by his gaze, a great chill rising in her heart, and she nearly fled.

"Nothing. Look at this tree..."

...When Zhou Leren brought Huan Bi back to Jade Moon Peak, Mo Xuan and Zhou Liyue were talking at the peak summit.

Hearing that the Old Ancestor had emerged from seclusion and was currently on Jade Moon Peak, Zhou Leren ignored talking to Zhou Licheng and his wife, and temporarily paid no attention to his younger siblings, nephews, or nieces.

Instead, he took Huan Bi and flew straight toward the Feiyue Peak Summit.

"Old Ancestor, I've brought you a surprise!"

"Old Ancestor, you must..."