"Did you hear? That Yang Xiao from the Purple Sun Sect actually ambushed Great Elder Yanm Kuan, injuring him. The Valley Lord has already given the order to go to the Purple Sun Sect and hold his father accountable."
"Even Great Elder Yanm Kuan was injured? This kid is really something else. Do you think he's a spy from the Profound Celestial Sect or the Pure Yang Sword Sect?"
"It's very likely. That kid killed so many of our Medicine King Valley's people and even dared to harm the Great Elder. It's only right for the Elder Council to hold his father accountable."
"That's right. While they say you shouldn't go after family, there's also the idea that debts run in the family. Just you wait. In a few days, that kid will realize what a huge mistake he's made."
"If I had a son like that, I'd die from anger."
Just as Yang Xiao was focusing on his cultivation, he overheard these voices within his range of perception.
And it wasn't just one group, but several.
It seemed they intentionally wanted him to hear.
Although he knew this was a ploy by Medicine King Valley, Yang Xiao was still affected.
He broke out of his cultivation state.
'Damn Medicine King Valley, using my father to threaten me again. They're all cut from the same cloth!'
Yang Xiao was furious.
The people he cared about most in this world were his father and Yun'Er.
Now that Medicine King Valley was threatening him with them time and time again, how could he not be angry?
However, Yang Xiao also knew that with his current strength, he stood absolutely no chance against a Martial Saint. He hadn't even completed the Flesh and Blood Chapter.
'How could I possibly fight a Martial Saint?'
'I can't be hasty. Even if they really send people to the Purple Sun Sect, it will take some time. And as long as they haven't found me, they probably won't make things too difficult for my father!'
Yang Xiao calmed his mind, wanting to continue his cultivation, finish tempering a few more parts, and increase his strength.
But just then, a warning flared in the depths of his soul.
His expression changed slightly.
'Damn it, I've been discovered!'
Yang Xiao immediately thrust out his arms, broke through the layer of earth before him, and left his hidden cave.
He then heard a BOOM!
The sound of his secret cave collapsing echoed from behind him.
Then his vision blurred.
A red figure appeared, blocking his path.
"Hee hee, I knew you hadn't gone far. Hiding here, waiting for an opportunity... are you planning to cause some more trouble?"
The speaker was a woman.
An old woman.
One look at her and Yang Xiao almost threw up.
The wrinkles on her face and her sagging skin were so pronounced, it looked like a thousand-layer pastry.
And yet she was trying to talk like a young girl.
And dressing like one in a red silk dress.
'Truly disgusting.'
Seeing the look on his face, Qin Xuejiao became enraged.
How could she not know it was because of her act?
However, while her innate talent was decent and she came from the Valley Lord's lineage in Medicine King Valley, breaking through to the Martial Saint Realm was still incredibly difficult.
If not for a lingering obsession that drove her to risk everything for a final, desperate breakthrough, she would never have succeeded by a stroke of luck and become a Martial Saint.
She probably would have died long ago.
But even though she broke through, she was already over 120 years old at the time.
Even achieving the rank of Martial Saint couldn't change her aged appearance.
All it did was add another 150 years to her lifespan.
And yet, the very reason she wanted to become a Martial Saint was because of a man: Yanm Changqing.
Therefore, what Qin Xuejiao hated most was when others mocked her affectations.
To say nothing of the fact that Yang Xiao had killed the junior that Yanm Changqing valued most.
"You little thief, you really deserve to die!"
Qin Xuejiao said angrily.
However, she didn't actually strike.
Because she wanted to hand this little thief over to her Senior Brother to deal with.
And make her Senior Brother owe her a favor.
"A dignified Martial Arts Saint, using such underhanded tricks. You've really opened my eyes."
Yang Xiao retorted irritably.
Hearing this, Qin Xuejiao wasn't angered. Instead, she laughed smugly. "Little thief, you could see through the scheme?"
"Hmph."
Yang Xiao remained silent.
"So, you really did figure it out? Not bad, quite perceptive. Haha, what do you think of this Martial Saint's methods? Pretty amazing, right?"
"First, I had those ordinary disciples spread rumors everywhere about capturing your father. Then, I followed them, constantly probing. And just as I expected, I detected the fluctuations in your state of mind."
Qin Xuejiao laughed triumphantly.
The wrinkles on her face looked like they might fall off.
Yang Xiao could only sigh helplessly.
'This woman is insane.'
But he had to admit her methods had truly targeted his greatest weakness.
'Since it has come to this, I have no choice but to fight.'
Yang Xiao's expression turned serious as he looked at Qin Xuejiao.
From his observations during this time, he realized that this Qin Xuejiao was probably not the same Martial Saint who had tried to kill him before. Their auras were completely different.
Moreover, compared to the other one, this disgusting old woman was much weaker.
If he were to face the person who tried to kill him before, Yang Xiao wouldn't be confident of victory even if he successfully cultivated the Vajra Indestructible Body.
But as for this old woman now, Yang Xiao felt that as long as he mastered the third chapter of the Basic Chapter of his Nine Yang Celestial Skill, he could put himself in an invincible position.
Even now, having only reached Minor Achievement in the third chapter, Yang Xiao felt he still had a fighting chance.
'Although I've only reached Minor Achievement in tempering my flesh and blood, it has added the power of two Demon Flood Dragons. With my previous six, I now possess the power of Eight Flood Dragons! Plus, my physique has improved greatly. I can completely unleash the full power of my Qilin True Body.'
'The Qilin True Body is equivalent to a Peak of Tier Four Beast. It can grant me the power of nearly a thousand flood dragons. And with the True Greater Yang Fire, which also has the destructive power of a thousand flood dragons, maybe I actually can injure this disgusting old woman!'
Yang Xiao thought to himself.
A flash of light appeared all around as quite a few people materialized, surrounding him.
These people were not weak.
Nearly all of them were at the Martial Grandmaster Ninth Layer or above.
They must all be high-ranking members of Medicine King Valley.
There was even one who, like Yanm Kuan, was a Half-Step Martial Saint.
But his aura was a bit weaker.
Though not by much.
"Haha, he's surrounded! Now let's see you run."
Qin Xuejiao laughed again.
This left Yang Xiao speechless.
'A dignified Martial Saint. First, she resorts to schemes and plots, and now she's even stalling for time to have these Martial Grandmaster Ninth Layer subordinates surround and kill me. Does she have any integrity? Any of the dignity befitting a Martial Saint? How can she be so shameless!'
However, running into someone like this, Yang Xiao could only curse his bad luck.
Next, there was only a fight to the death.
'There's an upside to these guys showing up. I might not be a match for that disgusting old woman, but as for these guys... I'll kill every single one that comes at me!'
'In that case, I'll just have to turn this place upside down.'
Yang Xiao let out a cold sneer.
Behind him, a flash of azure light shone as the Profound Feather Divine Technique instantly appeared.
In the next instant, Yang Xiao flickered and appeared beside one of the Martial Grandmaster Ninth Layer experts.
He raised his hand and threw a punch.
Flame Emperor Divine Fist.
Unleashed once again in this lifetime.
A Fist Technique of profound simplicity.
An unparalleled Fist Technique.
BOOM.
The fist struck the Martial Grandmaster Ninth Layer expert.
The man didn't even have time to react before he was killed on the spot, burned to ashes by the True Greater Yang Fire contained within Yang Xiao's Fist Force.
And so, the slaughter began.