37: "Weak" ancestors

"Clang!"

The blade struck the Nether Tiger's fur, producing a metallic clang.

Xiao Ruobai's heart tightened; the Yao Beast's defense was tougher than he expected.

But he didn't hesitate for a moment; using the rebound force, he spun around, his left hand pressing onto the tiger's back, and his right hand, holding the iron blade, pressed down, thrusting fiercely along the fur's grain!

"Roar—!"

The Nether Tiger let out a mournful shriek of pain, its massive body twisting violently, trying to shake off the human on its back.

Xiao Ruobai clutched the hilt tightly, enduring the tiger's claws carving bone-deep wounds into his back, and forced the iron blade in another three fen, until the tip touched the Yao Beast's inner core.

The moment his Battle Intent erupted along the blade, he abruptly released the knife and leaped back, landing steadily on the ground.

The Nether Tiger staggered a few steps, its massive body crashing to the ground, twitching a few times before falling silent.

Xiao Ruobai clutched his bleeding back, looking at the Yao Beast's corpse on the ground, his chest heaving violently.

He looked down at his hands; the battle patterns on his palms were still faintly glowing.

That strike just now had clearly relied on the War God Body's precise control over force to find a gap in the Yao Beast's fur, thus breaking its defense.

More heavy footsteps came from deep within the dense forest, clearly indicating that other Purple Mansion Realm Yao Beasts had been disturbed.

Xiao Ruobai picked up the iron blade from the ground, golden Battle Intent surged again, and his eyes became even sharper than before.

He knew that the War God Body's transformation never needed to rely on external objects; each life-and-death battle with a powerful enemy, each time he broke through his own limits, was the best tempering.

With a flicker of his figure, he actively rushed into the deeper darkness, and the clash of blades and tiger roars once again echoed through the forest; this time, the young man's battle cry was more majestic than the Yao Beast's roar.

"This is how a War God Body should be," Gu Changge murmured to himself.

The current Xiao Ruobai was no longer the young man who only fought with brute force.

He had learned to maneuver and probe, to use momentum to break defenses.

He could even erupt with stronger Battle Intent when severely injured, like a battle blade repeatedly hammered in a blazing fire, becoming sharper with each tempering... In the back mountains of Azure Profound Sect, an invisible barrier rippled like water.

Xuan Yangzi, holding a token, passed through the barrier, and the scene before him suddenly changed.

The originally clear sky was replaced by heavy gray clouds, and the air was filled with an ancient scent of sandalwood mixed with herbs.

In the center of the Forbidden Ground, five stone Peaks, shaped like palms, rose from the ground, with a white-haired Old Ancestor seated atop each Peak.

The stone platforms beneath them were covered with cracks eroded by time, and extinguished bronze lamps were scattered around.

As soon as Xuan Yangzi stepped into the Forbidden Ground's barrier, he saw the five Old Ancestors sitting cross-legged on the stone platforms.

Their hair and beards were as white as snow, and their breathing was so faint as to be almost inaudible, as if they would vanish with the wind at any moment.

He lightened his steps, intending to go forward to pay his respects, but saw that the Old Ancestors hadn't even lifted an eyelid, seemingly still in a deep slumber.

Little did he know, five imperceptible Divine Senses had already converged in mid-air, transforming into a telepathic message that only they could understand.

"Do you think it's truly appropriate to keep this from Xiao Yangzi?"

The Third Old Ancestor's voice resounded in everyone's Sea of Consciousness, with a hint of hesitation.

He still maintained his hunched posture, his withered fingers resting on his knees, looking no different from an ordinary old man in his twilight years.

The Fifth Ancestor's Divine Sense followed closely, carrying a trace of heartache.

"This child has worried himself sick for the Sect these past few years; half his hair has turned white, diligent and conscientious. Keeping it from him makes it seem like we're deceiving him."

As he spoke, not even the wrinkles at the corners of his mouth moved; to an outsider, he simply appeared to be dozing off.

The Second Ancestor's Divine Sense drifted slowly, with a hint of certainty: "In my opinion, it's better not to tell him."

"Why?"

The Fourth Ancestor's Divine Sense was full of confusion; he even deliberately coughed twice to make his posture appear weaker.

The Great Ancestor, who had been resting with his eyes closed, finally spoke, his Divine Sense carrying an undeniable authority.

"The few of us are all in the King Realm now, and I am even at the Peak of the King Realm. If Xiao Yangzi were to know about this, with his temperament, he might become complacent."

He paused, the solemnity in his Divine Sense deepening: "If the Disciples under us were to bring disaster upon the Sect due to arrogant actions."

The Divine Senses of the other four Old Ancestors instantly fell silent, and after a long while, the Third Old Ancestor sighed softly, his Divine Sense filled with helplessness.

"Big Brother is right; let's keep it a secret for now. It won't be too late to tell him once the Sect's Foundation is more stable."

The five Divine Senses quietly dispersed, and the five Old Ancestors on the stone platforms still looked as if their Lifespan was nearing its end, as if the conversation just now had never happened.

Xuan Yangzi watched, a pang of sadness in his heart.

The five Old Ancestors had participated in too many great battles in their youth to support the Azure Profound Sect, and now they were at the end of their rope.

He touched the jade box he had brought from Zizhu Peak in his sleeve, his nose stinging.

Inside it were the spiritual tea and ten drops of Innate Spirit Marrow given by Gu Changge.

As for the Nine Revolutions Golden Pill and the remaining Innate Spirit Marrow, Xuan Yangzi wanted to try if he could cultivate more Genius Disciples for the Sect.

"Disciple Xuan Yang, greets all Old Ancestors."

He bowed deeply, his voice extremely soft, afraid of startling these "weak" old men.

"Cough... It's Xiao Yangzi..."

The Great Ancestor slowly opened his eyes, his eyelids trembling like a candle in the wind.

"Today... why do you have time to visit us old bones..."

Xuan Yangzi's eyes welled up.

Look! He was even speaking intermittently!

He hurried forward a few steps: "Old Ancestors, please take care of yourselves, Disciple has already..."

The words stopped abruptly at his lips; he looked at the Old Ancestors' weak appearance, and the words that had been on the tip of his tongue—

He had broken through to the Peak of the King Realm—were swallowed back.

What if he announced the good news and the Old Ancestors became too excited, leading to some mishap? Wouldn't he become a sinner of the Sect then?

"Already what?"

The Fifth Ancestor "weakly" raised his hand, his movements so slow as if he would fall apart at any moment.

Xuan Yangzi took a deep breath and took out the jade box and tea caddy.

"Disciple accidentally obtained some spiritual tea and a few drops of spiritual liquid; Junior Brother said it was some Innate Spirit Marrow... I hope it can be of some slight help to the Old Ancestors."

A chorus of coughs immediately erupted on the stone platforms.

In reality, they were secretly swallowing their saliva—Zizhu Peak's products are always excellent!

Great Ancestor: "Cough cough cough... This... this is too precious..."

Second Ancestor: "No, no, it's not proper..."

(Divine Sense frantically screamed: Take it! Take it!)

Third Old Ancestor tremblingly waved his hand: "We... we old men have lived long enough, let's leave it for those in the Sect who need it more..."

But inwardly, he was muttering, "How does this tea look like the legendary enlightenment tea? This isn't scientific! Am I really old and my eyes are failing?"

He secretly wiped his eyes with his hand again.

Xuan Yangzi felt even more distressed at the sight, and with a thud, he knelt down: "I beg the Old Ancestors to fulfill Disciple's filial piety!"

The five Divine Senses instantly exploded:

Oh no! This child is giving such a grand bow!

Quickly accept it, I think he's about to cry!

The Great Ancestor forced himself to endure the heartache and continued to act: "Since... since that's the case... Old Fifth... you are the weakest... you first..."

The Fifth Ancestor almost broke character, but on the surface, he still tremblingly reached out: "Then... this old man accepts it with shame..."