167: How could this be... how could I possibly encounter him in the mortal realm!

"Long time no see, General Lin." Ji Xuqing glanced at the green-robed old man beside him, showing solemn respect as he cupped his hands.

This person was once a dark horse who had charged onto the profound dragon ranking back then. He came from a small Family and rose rapidly. If not for that great battle which damaged his Foundation, causing him to drop to Void Return Third Layer, the man before them would have had the possibility of achieving Dao Integration.

Lin Yuan nodded with a smile.

At the same time, Ji Ba walked over, his eyes red-rimmed, standing straight in front of Shen Nian.

Shen Nian first swept his gaze over Ji Xuqing and nodded slightly, then looked at Ji Ba, who was a head taller than himself. In fact, he had discovered the other party long ago; Ji Ba's Physical Body's Qi and blood power alone was stronger than his own currently, making him hard not to notice.

The Azure Heaven Hegemon Body is an innate Battle Physique. Legend has it that after Major Achievement, it can contend with the Archaic Sacred Body—the Physique with the strongest Qi and blood power among the Three Thousand Physiques. The ability to achieve Rebirth from a drop of blood and grow stronger the more one fights is no joke.

Furthermore, Ji Ba has spent years in the Ji Family, receiving all sorts of resources. If he couldn't even reach Minor Achievement, he would be too useless.

As for Ji Ba, in Shen Nian's memory, he was a childhood playmate with an extremely good relationship. Shen Nian's personality changed significantly after his parents died, but fortunately, Ji Ba accompanied him during those years at the academy. However, what puzzled Shen Nian was that the detailed memories were very vague.

He pondered over it for half the night yesterday. The more seriously he tried to think, the less he could grasp, as if something was isolating the memory. It was definitely not a problem with him sealing his own memory.

Unable to figure it out, he gave up, planning to return to the Shen Family and look for clues there.

But there was one thing he could still feel: a strong sense of closeness to Ji Ba.

"Who told you to come down?"

When this voice rang out, Ji Ba immediately looked like a child who had done something wrong. He was somewhat flustered, lowered his head, and stood silently in front of Shen Nian.

Back then, when Shen Nian left, he had told Ji Ba to stay home and listen to his father, waiting for him to return. If he couldn't return, he told Ji Ba to achieve Major Achievement later and kill more Yao for him.

Shen Nian looked at his appearance, his eyes softening slightly, and extended his hand.

Ji Ba immediately understood. Just like in the past, he knelt down on one knee. Feeling Shen Nian stroking his head, he instantly felt incomparably happy, not feeling any issue with his status as the Ji Family Clan Head's eldest son kneeling before Shen Nian.

"Brother Nian," Ji Ba's voice was a little hoarse.

Shen Nian patted his head and said, "Alright, since you're here, you're here. I'm not blaming you. Return with me in a few days..."

"Okay!" Ji Ba nodded.

Ji Xuqing, who witnessed this scene nearby, was utterly shocked and couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

Throughout the entire heavens and earth, the only person who could make the Ji Family Young Lord act this way was probably the young man before him.

However... "Huh???" Ji Xuqing was instantly stunned. Looking at the figure that had already integrated into the Dao, she showed unprecedented shock. She only realized it now.

"Void Returning!!!"

"How is that possible!"

"If you count the time, he's only twenty this year, right? How is he already in the Void Returning Realm!"

"Didn't the Old Ancestor say that Young Clan Master Shen's talent was average?"

"Can this be called average?"

"And he cultivated in the Lower Realm!"

At this moment, Ji Xuqing was dumbfounded. Lin Yuan, standing nearby, smiled faintly upon seeing this scene, feeling that it was only natural. If the Young Lord fully displayed his strength, how many people would be shocked?

Everyone who saw this scene was dumbfounded, as if they had all lost the ability to think.

"Young Lord???"

"Did I hear wrong? That Senior great expert just called the Ninth Mountain Chief Disciple the Young Lord??"

"Oh my heavens, what kind of status is that, to make a Void Returning cultivator a slave!!"

The Various Peak Masters' Pavilion.

"Hiss... how did that person do it? Was it the Power of Space? He instantly subdued a Soul Transformation Perfection cultivator. Soul Transformation cultivators truly are no different from ants before Void Returning cultivators." The Third Peak Master gasped.

"Unbelievable, truly unbelievable! The Disciple Luo Li took in years ago actually comes from the Shen Family in the Upper Realm!"

"A Void Returning cultivator serving as a slave, and even that Ji Family Elder is so respectful. His status must be extremely high in the Shen Family! My goodness, a Big Shot is right next to me!!"

"Do you think it's still possible to curry favor with the Ninth Mountain now?"

"No wonder the Sect Master acted that way. If our Heavenly Sword Sect has the Shen Family backing us, wouldn't we walk sideways across the Upper Realm and Lower Realm?"

Guo Dewu froze in place, slowly regaining his senses after hearing the voices beside him. He stared at the White-robed Figure with the calm expression and murmured, "I should have thought of it sooner. So Heaven-Defying, and surnamed Shen. I should have realized it..."

Wang Cuihua quietly watched this scene, not planning to interfere. She had never liked her Senior Sister in the first place. Over the years, she didn't know what the other party was thinking, but she had merely tolerated it out of a shred of past affection.

But now that the other party dared to jump out and offend Shen Nian, she was naturally happy to see it.

At this moment, on the Martial Arts Stage.

Silence!

Speechless!

Xu Wei stared blankly at the old man who was showing utmost respect. That was an Elder figure of the Ji Family! What made him even more despairing was Ji Haotian's actions.

Kneeling on one knee!

At this very moment.

No matter how stupid he was, it wasn't hard to guess the terrifying identity of the white-robed man before him.

In the entire Upper Realm, the only person who could make a Ji Family Elder act like this, and make the arrogant Ji Family Young Lord so obedient, was the Eastern Profound Hegemon, the strongest in the Archaic Era, the Young Clan Leader of the Shen Family!

Thinking of this, his limbs suddenly felt weak, and endless regret and fear surged in his heart.

"How could... how could I run into him in the Lower Realm!"

"A person of his caliber shouldn't be appearing in the Lower Realm..."

Elder Wang beside him was also stunned, and immediately a hint of sadness appeared in his eyes. With a heart like dead ash, he forced a bitter smile.

Zhao Qi, who had been enduring immense pain, had pupils filled with disbelief and terror.

"How could this happen...!"

"The Ji Family Big Shot, whom Lord Xu treats with such respect, is actually acting like this in front of him..."

"Shen Nian, Shen Nian... he is!!" Zhao Qi instantly froze, her body trembling uncontrollably. She never dreamed that Shen Nian, the Chief Disciple of the Ninth Mountain, was actually from the Shen Family in the Upper Realm!

That super behemoth Family of the Human Race!

Among the crowd, the most shocked was Leng Lingshuang.

"Shen Nian..."

"The Shen Family..." Leng Lingshuang watched the scene, collapsing onto the ground with a thump. She stared blankly at the muscular man kneeling on one knee and the White-robed Figure who looked calm and relaxed.

"Why..."

"How could he be from a colossal Family like the Shen Family? His talent was clearly not strong; he wasn't even my match during the Nine Peaks Grand Competition back then..."

"It can't be, it can't be..."

"How could someone from the Shen Family be so weak? He definitely isn't, he definitely isn't..."

She refused to believe everything she saw before her eyes. Gritting her teeth, she stared intently at the White-robed Figure. At the very least, her pride remained—she was stronger than him!

Right at this moment!

Boom!

A terrifying surge of Demonic Qi suddenly emerged, causing everyone's expressions to change drastically. The Demonic Qi was so powerful, they had never felt anything like it before, as if a single wisp of the opponent's aura could erase them.

At the same time, everyone was immobilized, seemingly suppressed by this Demonic Qi, unable to even use their Divine Soul.

At this moment, everyone showed a look of despair.

"How could this be!!"

"How could the Heavenly Sword Sect have such a terrifying Yao Race member!"

"Who can deal with this!"

"Don't worry too much. We have a great expert from the Upper Realm here. Everyone adjust your mental state, don't let your Dao Heart collapse!!"