Within the Tianjian Sect.
Xu Changsheng's figure landed, looking at Xiao Zhengde in front of him, he said indifferently, "Starting from this moment, you will stay in the Tianjian Sect until someone from the Xiao Tianjiao sends for you!"
Xiao Zhengde glared at Xu Changsheng and roared, "With your strength, you could have easily killed that rebel Xiao Yi. Why didn't you go all out and kill him?"
In the past, Xiao Zhengde would not have dared to speak to Xu Changsheng in such a manner.
Now that Xiao Tianjiao had started to make a name for himself in the Nantian Dynasty and had even risen to the Earth Tiger Ranking, gaining recognition from the Nantian Holy Institute.
Even the head of the Oversight Council, a figure once unattainably high, had taken the initiative to flatter him and become sworn brothers.
In Xiao Zhengde's view, Xu Changsheng naturally no longer seemed so unapproachable.
Xu Changsheng frowned, disgust flitting across his eyes, and said coldly, "I am not a hired thug for the Xiao Family. Had it not been Xiao Tianjiao asking me to ensure your safety, I wouldn't have even shown my face today!"
Xiao Zhengde stared angrily.
Xu Changsheng, however, did not even glance at him, flicking his sleeve dismissively and said coldly, "If you don't want to die, then just stay here obediently. If you leave the Tianjian Sect, I cannot guarantee your safety!"
Watching Xu Changsheng's departing figure, Xiao Zhengde cursed under his breath, his eyes filled with deep resentment, "That rebel Xiao Yi, daring to make me suffer such humiliation, to lose face publicly, I cannot rest until I have my revenge. Xiao Yi, oh Xiao Yi, you killed Wu Qi; as long as I report this to the Nantian Dynasty, they will surely send powerful experts to execute this rebel…"
Xiao Zhengde let out a sinister smile, as a spirit bird appeared in his hand.
This was a token left to him by Xiao Tianjiao.
After writing a secret letter, Xiao Zhengde released the spirit bird into the air.
Watching the spirit bird vanish into the void, Xiao Zhengde's face was full of malice: "The spirit bird will need some time to inform Tian'er. Before that happens, I must find a way to return to the Xiao Family. Xiao Yi wishes to honor his mother's memory, eh? I will not let you have your wish, hahaha..."
Within the separate courtyard where Xu Changsheng resided.
He opened his palm, and a black longsword materialized above it, a grave expression in his eyes: "A peak Dharma Manifestation Realm was actually able to block my sword, even Xiao Tianjiao back then couldn't accomplish this! This Xiao Yi, his talent is probably even higher than Xiao Tianjiao's. Xiao Zhengde actually buried such a genius, utterly a fool..."
Imperial Dragon Mountain.
Xiao Yi reshaped Imperial Dragon Mountain out of thin air, making this peak a thousand zhang taller than before, yet the summit was no longer flat but ravaged by heavenly thunder.
From now on, Imperial Dragon Mountain will belong only to Xiaoshanhe Institute.
It will no longer be used for royal ceremonies.
Xiao Yi began to set up arrays with Chen Ziyi, now flush with wealth, making the scale of the arrays ten times larger than before. The density of spiritual energy alone reached an astonishing fifty times higher.
Xiao Yi also laid out many trapping arrays, killing arrays, defensive arrays, and so on.
Even a Nine Nirvana Rebirth Realm expert would struggle to break through the array defenses here in a short time.
The Shadow Demon and others began constructing houses and establishing the sect's gates, leading their people.
The entire Imperial Dragon Mountain quickly rejuvenated, bursting with fresh vitality.
Xiaoshanhe Institute was reborn!
After setting up the arrays, Xiao Yi returned to his temporary quarters to reflect on the gains from the battle: "The Falling Dust Sword is destroyed, but with my current strength, I can wield that Slashing Moon now!"
The demon sword Slashing Moon, a seventh-tier pinnacle Yuan weapon.
Some ordinary Longevity Secret Realm experts would only use weapons of this caliber.
"Aside from changing my weapon, I need to improve my combat style as well, I'll need to find suitable martial arts and sword techniques from the legacy…"
Xiao Yi propped his chin with one hand, falling into deep thought.
He began scouring for martial skills, sword techniques, and movement technique manuals within the legacies of Dao Yan and Martial God Zhao Wuji.
Although he now had the wings of Wind Thunder with his movement technique, relying solely on the speed of the Wind Thunder wings was not enough when facing Xu Changsheng, let alone high-ranking experts from the Nantian Dynasty.
Mastery of movement techniques was indispensable.
In his mind, he had the inheritance of the powerful Martial God Zhao Wuji, as well as encyclopedic memories like those from Dao Yan's legacy.
After some searching,
Xiao Yi selected a finger technique called "Four Symbols Heavenly Suppressing Finger," a sword technique from Zhao Wuji called "Boundless Sword Skill," and a movement technique called "Green Bat Skill." The sword technique was of the seventh-tier peak, while the others were of high seventh-tier, which he found sufficient for his current needs.
Xiao Yi immediately began cultivating.
The "Four Symbols Heavenly Suppressing Finger" was the simplest for him to cultivate, as this set of finger techniques demanded extremely stringent requirements of the physical body.
Xiao Yi's Wind Thunder Holy Body had already reached the sixth transformation, easily meeting the demands for performing this set of finger techniques.
The "Boundless Sword Skill" was an upgraded version of the "Godslayer's Seven Absolute Swords," encompassing forms Jian Yi, Jian San...all the way to Jian Twenty-Two, with each form increasing in power.
There was a twenty-third form to this sword technique.
Once one demonstrated the twenty-third form,
Even immortals would retreat before its sword edge!
This was a sword technique that could slay immortals!
Even Zhao Wuji himself had not been able to master the twenty-third form.
Beyond these two techniques,
The movement technique "Green Bat Skill" was specially chosen by Xiao Yi; with this technique, coupled with the wings of Wind Thunder, his speed could increase by more than fivefold. Once he mastered this technique, he would not be completely suppressed by Xu Changsheng's Sword Control Technique.
Xiao Yi took a long breath, immersing himself in frenzied cultivation.
Half a month passed in this state of cultivation.
In that half month...
Xiao Yi's cultivation bases improved significantly, and he began to grasp the clues to his first Nirvana.
Aside from his cultivation bases, his combat power also improved.
The "Green Bat Skill," "Four Symbols Heavenly Suppressing Finger," and "Boundless Sword Skill" advanced side by side, and along with the demonic sword that could slay the moon, if he encountered Xu Changsheng again, Xiao Yi would have a fifty percent certainty of defeating him.
"Master, Master, come out quickly!" Jin Feiyan's voice came from outside the door.
Xiao Yi frowned slightly and walked out of the side courtyard.
He saw Jin Feiyan, Ye Heng, Ruan Yunyi, Shadow Demon, and others standing at the entrance, their faces filled with ecstatic joy as they looked at him.
Xiao Yi raised an eyebrow, "Why are you all here?"
Jin Feiyan, the liveliest of them all, hopped over to Xiao Yi, holding his arm and said with a beaming smile, "Master, Qi has brought a royal decree!"
Xiao Yi was surprised.
He scanned the crowd and noticed Qi looking at him with a smiling face.
Xiao Yi said with a wry smile, "I'm sorry to have kept you waiting, Qi!"
"Mr. Xiao... ah, I should call you Xiao Zhenguo now!"
Qi grinned, opened the royal decree in his hands, and began to read, "By the mandate of heaven, thus commands the emperor—Xiao Yi has performed unparalleled merits for the Great Qian Dynasty and is hereby ennobled as a King of Equal Rank. He will share the world with the emperors of past dynasties of the Great Qian Dynasty..."
The entire Xiaoshanhe Institute erupted into fervor, "Damn, our Master is truly incredible! A King of Equal Rank!"
"This is an unprecedented noble rank, it's like being an uncrowned emperor of the Great Qian Dynasty..."
"From now on, the Institute Director will be known as Xiao Zhenguo!"
As Xiao Yi held the royal decree, a touch of excitement sparked in his eyes, and he murmured to himself, "Mother, your son has become a King of Equal Rank. Mother, wait for me, I will come to pay my respects to you soon..."