"Yin Huan, my brother, the Shang Family agrees to break off this engagement!"
Before Yun Xiao could respond, the Family Head of the Shang Family had presumptuously taken the matter into his own hands, failing to notice the mocking cold smile on the face of the raggedly dressed youth sitting at the lower end of the hall.
As Shang Yan spoke, he eagerly stood up, ready to reach out for the Jade Bottle and scroll in Yin Huan's hand. This scene was completely out of character for the deep and composed head of the Shang Family, but the low-level Spiritual Rank Cultivation Technique and Meridian Techniques were too tempting for him.
Yet just as Shang Yan reached out, Yin Huan withdrew his hand, not allowing him to succeed. This genius from the Jade Pot Sect stared intently at Yun Xiao siting below, confident the lad would make a decision that would satisfy him.
"Old man, what does this have to do with you? When did matters concerning me, Yun Xiao, need someone else to make decisions on my behalf?"
Just as Yin Huan's gaze fixed on Yun Xiao, and the Family Head of the Shang Family embarrassingly reached out, a voice tinged with sarcasm suddenly rang out in the hall, causing all the members of the Shang Family, including Shang Li and her daughter, to freeze in astonishment.
This was the Shang Family after all. Since Shang Yan became the Family Head, probably no one in the Righteous Hall had ever heard anyone addressed as "old man." Who could possibly have the audacity to provoke their authority ?
When everyone pensively turned their gaze to the speaker, they all suddenly came to a realization, as it was none other than the person at the heart of today's events: Yun Xiao!
Members of the Shang Family looked at Yun Xiao as if he were mad; even Shang Li's eyes were filled with hidden worries. Ever since her son returned after spending a month in the Snake Nest, he seemed to have become a different person, to the point where even she, his mother, barely recognized him.
Though Yun Xiao's words were exactly what Shang Li wanted to say, the imposing authority of the Family Head weighed heavily on her heart, and she wouldn't dare to offend him publicly, even if she was given the courage to do so.
"Yun Xiao, you... you're too presumptuous! Kneel down and admit your mistake this instant!"
Shang Ying from the Shang Family's main branch became livid, his voice filled with stern authority, which seemed to solidify the air in the Righteous Hall.
"How so? Am I wrong? My own life's decisions, including matters of marriage, are not up to others to dictate!" Yun Xiao was not at all intimidated by Shang Ying's peak Meridian Gathering Realm aura; his words further enraged the people of the Shang Family.
"Yun Xiao, stop beating around the bush. I'm asking you, do you want to trade that half of the Jade Pendant in your hand for these three tokens of a called-off engagement?" Yin Huan, sitting at the upper end, didn't share the rest of the Shang Family's thoughts; he just wanted to complete the task assigned by his teacher.
"I thought I had already answered your question. The matter of my life, I will decide for myself. You won't do, nor will you, and not even the Sect Master of the Lingyun Sect!"
Yun Xiao spoke softly, pointing at Shang Yan, the Family Head of the Shang Family, and Yin Huan respectively when he said "you" each time, clearly showing his stance when he mentioned "the Sect Master of the Lingyun Sect."
By now, how could Yin Huan not know he'd been played by this youngster? It seemed Yun Xiao had already made up his mind and had merely tricked the retreat gifts of the Lingyun Sect into being brought out into the open.
Initially, Yin Huan had wanted to claim the Gathering Energy Pill and the Spiritual Rank Cultivation Techniques and Meridian Techniques for himself, but now his plans had fallen through, inadvertently fostering a deep resentment towards Yun Xiao. Furthermore, the task entrusted by his teacher was clearly not going smoothly; how could he possibly remain in good spirits?
"Insolent fool, your arrogance knows no bounds!"
The Family Head of the Shang Family, Shang Yan, who had been previously embarrassed, now seemed to have found an opportunity to regain face, and he shouted, following with a stern command: "Huixu, seize this mad and disrespectful wretch who disrespects his betters!"
As Shang Yan uttered these words, something occurred to him, prompting him to glance back at Yin Huan, who by now had slowly settled back into his chair, seemingly consenting to the Family Head's decision.
"Don't damage that Jade Pendant, and that will suffice!" A sharp light flickered in Yin Huan's eyes; since Yun Xiao was so unappreciative, he should teach the boy a lesson and make him understand the consequences of not recognizing the times.
With Yin Huan's tacit approval, a great joy arose in Shang Yan's heart, and he turned his head to command loudly: "Huixu, show your true strength and let your brother Yin Huan give you some guidance!"
It seemed Shang Yan had never forgotten the matter of the Jade Pot Sect recruiting Outer Disciples and was very aware of his great-grandson's strength. With a mid-stage Meridian Introduction Realm cultivation, could he not handle a late-stage Meridian Qi Yun Xiao?
Alas, Shang Yan hadn't witnessed the battle that had taken place in that secluded courtyard; had he known of Yun Xiao's capabilities, perhaps for the sake of caution, he wouldn't have let Shang Huifeng take action.
Truth be told, Shang Huifeng wasn't entirely sure he could defeat Yun Xiao, but as his gaze swept across the many strong practitioners of the Shang Family in the Righteous Hall, infinite confidence surged within him, knowing his chance for revenge had finally arrived.
Before, within that remote small courtyard, Shang Huiyu had wanted to join forces with Shang Huifeng to demand satisfaction from Yun Xiao for the humiliation suffered, but it was only because of the Family Head's order that he held back his anger.
Moreover, Shang Huiyu was clear that the reason Yun Xiao had somewhat the upper hand in their previous battle was not because his strength was truly above his own. As long as he was a bit more careful and not fooled by Yun Xiao's clever tricks, perhaps with his own skills, he could have defeated Yun Xiao.
Having made up his mind, Shang Huiyu no longer hesitated. Seeing his figure dart forward, an overpowering Meridian Qi suddenly burst forth from his body, exuding a formidable presence.
This time, Shang Huiyu did not use the Eye-Enlightening Jade Hand, because he knew that this Meridian Technique had already been thoroughly understood by Yun Xiao, and even Yun Xiao himself could perform this technique. If he insisted on using it, it might end in his own humiliation.
With a loud shout from Shang Huiyu, everyone in the hall clearly saw his right arm's sleeve as though it was torn apart by a forceful energy, revealing a section of his forearm as hard as iron.
"Big brother, Huiyu's talent is really not bad at all. He has cultivated the Mortal Rank Advanced Meridian Technique, Vajra Arm, to a minor level of success!" The person in charge of the Shang Family's second branch turned his head and complimented him. Whether he meant it sincerely was unknown.
As mentioned, Vajra Arm is an Advanced Mortal Rank Meridian Technique. When practiced to its Great Achievement Realm, the entire arm can become as solid as refined iron, with astonishing power.
This technique certainly could not be compared to the Mortal Rank Middle Level Eye-Enlightening Jade Hand. With an arm turned as tough as refined iron, Shang Huiyu no longer feared Yun Xiao's elusive Fuxue Technique, thus he was full of confidence.
Sensing Shang Huiyu's fiercely smashing arm, a cold sneer flashed through Yun Xiao's eyes. As the reincarnation of the Long Xiao Battle God, how could he only possess the Fuxue Technique? The methods he knew, even throughout the entire Hidden Dragon Continent, were unrivaled.
As the saying goes, in a critical moment, Yun Xiao's right hand index finger suddenly pointed out, directly hitting Shang Huiyu's right wrist. When a subtle Meridian Qi burst forth, Shang Huiyu once again felt a numbness in his arm.
"Cutting Vein Technique?!"
It seemed that the discerning talent of the Jade Pot Sect was a bit more unique. Moreover, as a powerful Sect of the Xuanyue Empire, Yin Huan knew far more than Shang Yan, hence he couldn't help but change his facial expression and exclaimed in astonishment.
Being close to Yin Huan, Shang Yan received this reminder and immediately reacted. His old face became a bit unnatural because he had never witnessed the Cutting Vein Technique before. Where had Yun Xiao learned this from?
The so-called Cutting Vein Technique, in fact, shared the same principle as Yun Xiao's previously used Fuxue Technique, producing similar effects. The only difference was in their method of execution.
The Fuxue Technique required targeting the opponent's acupoints to be effective, which tested a cultivator's eyesight and precision. As long as the acupoints were identified accurately, it could be used to defeat the enemy.
However, the Cutting Vein Technique did not require such precision, as the body's meridians are everywhere compared to the fixed positions of the acupoints, making it relatively easier to execute.
Certainly, not everyone could perform the Cutting Vein Technique. For instance, cultivators below the Meridian Rushing Realm would be unable to intercept the opponent's meridians even if they knew the technique and could not externalize their Meridian Qi.
Yet, it just so happened that on the Hidden Dragon Continent, there emerged an extraordinary talent like Yun Xiao who, with memories from his previous life as the Long Xiao Battle God, could externalize Meridian Qi even at the Meridian Qi stage. This allowed his use of the Cutting Vein Technique to once again put Shang Huiyu at a significant disadvantage.
With his meridians intercepted by Yun Xiao's Cutting Vein Technique, Shang Huiyu felt as if his circulation was blocked, and when the Meridian Qi reached his right wrist, it seemed as though it was cut off by some force, rendering him unable to exert any strength.
For such a situation, Yun Xiao naturally had expected it. Taking advantage of the moment he had just intercepted Shang Huiyu's Meridian Qi, he raised his wrist and tapped lightly on the wrist of the Shang Family's young master.
A crisp sound of bone fracturing arose, causing the hearts of the crowd to stir. Many of the Shang Family members, including Shang Li and Yun Wei, thought for a moment that the sound came from Yun Xiao's body.
But who would have thought that upon looking closely, they saw the Shang Family's young master's right wrist limply hanging down, its twisted angle bizarrely indicating that reality was entirely opposite to their speculation.
The battle was swift as a sparrow sweeping down to catch a prey, ending in just one move. This result not only surprised the Shang Family's powerful members but also left Shang Li and her daughter feeling incredibly incredulous.
Those powerful members of the Shang Family might not have seen the previous fight in that remote courtyard, but Shang Li and Yun Wei had witnessed Yun Xiao gaining a slight advantage after numerous moves had been exchanged.
How could it be that just a few hours had passed, and Yun Xiao's strength seemed to have made great strides once again? Mere movements took down Shang Huiyu's wrist, breaking it. It simply defied all reason.