Chapter 928: The Strongest Combination of the Young Generation

Meanwhile, amidst explosive sounds, ancient trees burst apart, sending the trial participants sprawling. In the wilderness, Mu Xiaogong, Xu Xiaoshou's transformed self, successfully seized the Sacred Power treasure, watched by terrified eyes. Those who had been blown away but survived no longer dared to challenge the twin-ponytail girl. Someone seemed to recognize the green-dressed loli leading the brutal group of over a dozen people and cried out in a panic, “She… she looks like the girl next to Young Master Xu, the Dragon Lord of the Fourth Dragon Vein!” “Run!” With her identity revealed, the trial participants vanished in the blink of an eye.

Xu Xiaoshou didn't let his subordinates continue the pursuit; he had already accumulated all the points he needed. He was now deep in thought, holding a highly spiritual shield in his hand. Seeing the battle conclude, his subordinates cheered excitedly. “Congratulations, Chief Mu, on bravely securing the fourth ‘Sacred Power treasure’! In less than half a day since descending the mountain, you’ve earned 400,000 points! Chief Mu is truly valiant!” they exclaimed. “Chief Mu is blessed by heaven, a daughter of destiny! I dare say, her treasure-hunting speed is definitely unmatched in the Cloud Realm Mountain Range—truly amazing!” another chimed in. “Since the strange treasures fell from the sky, the Cloud Realm Mountain Range has been one of the areas with fewer treasure drop points, as most were intercepted by the Cloud Realm World. Yet, Chief Mu has made such incredible progress in the treasure-hunting mission; it’s simply unbelievable! We truly admire her.” “Indeed, it’s as if these four treasures just walked right up to us… no, I mean, Chief Mu found them!” Even when flattering, the members of Xu’s Gang carefully chose their words, cautious not to offend Chief Mu. Throughout their journey down the mountain, with Chief Mu leading the way, none of them had sustained any injuries. They merely followed behind, providing support, and the treasures were easily acquired.

Xu Xiaoshou listened to the flattery around him, a wide smile on his face, but his heart felt heavy. He turned and casually grabbed a gang member, asking, “How many Sacred Power treasures have we found now?” “The fourth one!” The gang member was ecstatic; their Chief had single-handedly secured four precious treasures so quickly, a pace they themselves found hard to believe. Xu Xiaoshou mused, “In less than half a day, I’ve acquired four treasures. Don’t you think this is a bit…” He suddenly stopped speaking, choosing to cut himself off. Four items… It was too many! Although he possessed “Perception,” which made treasure hunting twice as efficient, the Sacred Power treasures were appearing far too quickly. Just as his subordinates had said, it was as if they were coming to him on their own… Perhaps, they really were?

His thoughts paused, and Xu Xiaoshou suddenly made a bold conjecture. The Sacred Power treasures were thrown out by Bazun An, who was one of them. If he truly had to scatter many treasures across the world, wouldn't he, even with a mind not to waste, prioritize helping his own people? So, did these treasures truly carry Bazun An’s guidance? “So, what does he want me to do?” Xu Xiaoshou’s thoughts suddenly snagged.

“Chief Mu?” The surrounding members of Xu’s Gang looked on in surprise, seeing that their flattery suddenly seemed to have no effect on Chief Mu. When she had acquired the first three treasures, Chief Mu had been extremely excited, even boasting that she would take a dozen or so people and scour the entire Cloud Realm Mountain Range. Now, this was… over-excitement, had she crashed? “Chief Mu!” Someone gently nudged Chief Mu again, and only then did she slightly stir, returning to reality. “Oh, it’s nothing, I was just thinking about something…” Xu Xiaoshou replied subconsciously. The members of Xu’s Gang were all speechless. To say it was both nothing and something—that was indeed something Chief Mu would say.

“Chief Mu, where do we go next?” someone asked. Hearing this, Xu Xiaoshou pulled out his trial jade pendant. His gaze sharpened, fixating on the map as if suddenly understanding something. Looking at the map, he had descended from the Fourth Dragon Vein, guided by these four Sacred Power treasures and actively pursuing them during the acquisition process. His path had deviated. “One below the Fourth Dragon Vein, one in Shui Ting Stream, one in Moon Mountain Valley, and here…” Xu Xiaoshou marked the treasure locations on the map and keenly noticed that these four treasures barely formed an arc. “Are they really connected?” Xu Xiaoshou was surprised by this arc. He hadn't realized he had deviated so much from his original path. According to his original plan, the closest to the Fourth Dragon Vein were the Second, Third, and Ninth Dragon Veins. The Second and Third Dragon Veins were currently under the control of Mo Beibei and Tai Xing, who were his own people. Xu Xiaoshou had originally intended to first find the main group and then consult with everyone, including “Young Master Xu,” to decide whether to prioritize the treasure-hunting mission or seize the title of “Nine Dragon Lord” as quickly as possible by exploiting others' treasure-hunting efforts. Therefore, his original route was towards the Third Dragon Vein. But under the “guidance” of these four Sacred Power treasures, his path had shifted, leaning towards the Ninth Dragon Vein.

“Does the Ninth Dragon Vein hold something good that Bazun An wants to give me?” Xu Xiaoshou couldn't help but think this way, because anything that could subtly influence him, aside from coincidence, could only be the grand design of a powerful figure. Trapped within the grand scheme of the Cloud Realm Mountain Range, Xu Xiaoshou no longer believed in coincidences. He had a strong feeling that the Ninth Dragon Vein either contained the “Sacred Origin Crystal,” or the “Demonic Sword: Myriad Weapons Demon Lord,” or something even more important than both. And these, he was certain, were all treasures Bazun An had left for him! Since that was the case…

Xu Xiaoshou pondered, looking back at the surrounding members of Xu’s Gang. These people, it seemed, couldn’t follow him. “Everyone,” he began, composing himself and looking at the group, “It suddenly occurred to me that if all of us leave the Fourth Dragon Vein, and someone takes the opportunity to steal the mountain, our home will be lost.” The members of Xu’s Gang were stunned. “Didn’t Chief Mu bury a large number of poison seeds at the foot of the mountain?” they asked. “But I’m not on the mountain right now,” Xu Xiaoshou said, spreading his hands with an expression that implied, “Are you brain-dead?” “I need you all to return to the mountain immediately and guard the Fourth Dragon Vein!” “But…” Upon hearing this, all the members of Xu’s Gang were dumbfounded. They weren’t Young Master Xu, nor did they possess Chief Mu’s ability to rely on the terrain and fight a hundred opponents. How could they possibly defend the mountain?

Xu Xiaoshou, of course, had considered this. He chuckled and pulled out the “Dragon Lord Banner.” He glanced around, his eyes falling on a familiar face. “Li Yan!” “Huh?” Li Yan froze, staring at Chief Mu’s “Dragon Lord Banner,” seemingly realizing something. Xu Xiaoshou handed over the banner, patting his shoulder. He said earnestly, “The Dragon Vein Grand Formation is entrusted to you. I believe in your ability, your talent, and that you need a platform to display it!” Li Yan’s face darkened, and he almost knelt down, exclaiming, “Chief Mu, please reconsider! I do not possess the ability to take on the ‘Dragon Lord Banner,’ and furthermore, I, Li Yan, have absolutely no ambition to usurp your position!” “Where did he get those ideas…” Xu Xiaoshou chuckled. “I know you are extremely loyal to Xu’s Gang; otherwise, I wouldn’t entrust the ‘Dragon Lord Banner’ to you. Don’t worry, as long as Xu’s Gang remains intact and its reputation stands, very few people would dare to covet the Fourth Dragon Vein. My concern is just the ‘what if.’ As long as you hold the ‘Dragon Lord Banner’ and have the ‘Dragon Vein Grand Formation’ assisting you, you can eliminate even that ‘what if’ possibility!” Li Yan was still trembling, “But…” “No buts!” Xu Xiaoshou waved his hand, stating sternly, “Everyone, listen to my command: immediately return to defend the Fourth Dragon Vein! If our base camp, Xu’s Gang, falls, then bring me your heads!” With this military order, the members of Xu’s Gang dared not disobey. “Yes!” Over a dozen people responded in unison, hoisted the “Dragon Lord Banner,” and hurriedly began to head back.

“They’re off.” Xu Xiaoshou watched the departing figures of Xu’s Gang, a bold idea forming in his mind. With a thought, he submerged his consciousness into his Yuan Mansion World. His Yuan Mansion World, overflowing with life spiritual energy, saw poisonous flowers, grasses, and vines growing wildly. Broken towers and a fish pond dotted the landscape, its land area steadily expanding, and the chaotic mist continued to shroud the edges of the space as usual. At the center of the world, nine ancestor-tree level treasures, including the Bodhi Ancient Tree and the Blood Tree’s Shadow Branch, thrived, surrounded by various high-grade spiritual herbs. On another side, the diligent God of Greed tirelessly hopped between ten thousand alchemy cauldrons.

“How did it change like this?” As Xu Xiaoshou’s consciousness entered his Yuan Mansion, he was immediately surprised. The originally chaotic layout of the Yuan Mansion World had been tidied up meticulously. The most prominent spiritual herb fields had all been moved to the center of the world, located beneath the “Life Spirit Seal,” “Dao Origin Stone,” and other such items. “Lei Xier?” Xu Xiaoshou's consciousness moved into his image clone, and a smile suddenly formed on his lips as he thought of someone. Undoubtedly, only the newly appointed little flower farmer Lei Xier could have tidied up the Yuan Mansion World from its messy state to this.

He turned his gaze towards the center of the herb garden. Sure enough, Lei Xier, with her silver hair, dressed in Xu Xiaoshou’s robes, was carrying a wooden watering can, moving among the various spiritual plants. A dignified Throne realm expert, a proud descendant of the Lei family, the esteemed host of the Divine Demonic Eyes… because of the monotony of the Yuan Mansion World, she had been reduced to this! Xu Xiaoshou’s expression grew awkward. He walked near the herb garden, his lips parting to instinctively call out “Little Junior Sister,” but he paused as he gazed at the tall, graceful silver-haired woman. “Lei Xier,” he called out her true name.

“Hmm?” Lei Xier stopped, turning back with a charming smile. A gentle breeze brushed her silver hair, framing her delicate face. Xu Xiaoshou was momentarily stunned. “What are you doing?” Lei Xier’s serene expression returned. She gently gestured to the small wooden watering can in her hand, then bent down again to water a spiritual plant. Cultivating spiritual herbs artificially indeed required regular watering, but Xu Xiaoshou didn't understand any of that. His “violent” method of nurturing herbs was to simply move these things into his Yuan Mansion World as a whole and flood them with life spiritual energy. It was also fortunate that the Yuan Mansion World was nascent and possessed the “Life Spirit Seal.” Otherwise, if placed elsewhere, these spiritual herbs would have long withered and died.

Lei Xier then walked from the herb garden to the Bodhi Ancient Tree, crouching down to gently caress it. She seemed to sense a kindred aura. “I can help you cultivate the Bodhi Ancient Tree. The Grandmist Purple Qi is already present; the rest is just a matter of time. With the Nine Great Ancestor Trees anchoring it, your Yuan Mansion World will be exceptionally stable once it fully takes shape.” Lei Xier paused, then looked at the Blood Tree’s Shadow Branch nearby. “That one won’t work. It’s just a withered branch broken off the Blood Tree. While it contains the Blood Tree’s power, it has no chance of growing into a tree.” Xu Xiaoshou suddenly remembered that his junior sister had always been wood-attributed, so nurturing these things was indeed her specialty. However, his visit to the Yuan Mansion this time wasn’t to discuss gardening. He went straight to the point, asking, “Can you still transform back into my junior sister’s appearance? I need your help.”

Lei Xier turned back, “No.” “Really not?” Xu Xiaoshou still didn’t believe it. The Yuan Mansion World contained such immense life energy; even the Bodhi Ancient Tree had a chance of being cultivated. Couldn’t Lei Xier just absorb a little more and return to her junior sister’s appearance? Lei Xier seemed to know his thoughts. Her lips curled into a slight smile, then quickly returned to a calm expression. Her voice was ethereal: “If you absorb a few more breaths of life spiritual energy, can you become smaller?” Xu Xiaoshou was speechless. No, he couldn’t. “Neither can I,” Lei Xier immediately released the small wooden watering can, which transformed into wood-element energy and retracted into her body. “This is my normal appearance. What you saw before was the anomaly.” Xu Xiaoshou fell silent. If she couldn’t, then half of his plan had already died.

“I want to go out.” Lei Xier stepped closer to Xu Xiaoshou, her gaze direct, her words unequivocal. Xu Xiaoshou faintly caught a whiff of her fragrance and replied with some difficulty, “It’s still very dangerous outside right now. Rao Yaoyao will likely make more moves, and Bazun An has just begun to stir…” “I want to go out,” Lei Xier interrupted, her voice soft but her expression filled with resolve. “This…” Xu Xiaoshou hesitated. Lei Xier tucked her silver hair behind her ear with a slender hand, then looked away, saying, “I am not the God of Greed, nor am I your pet. You have no reason to keep me confined here indefinitely.” She paused, swallowing the unspoken half-sentence: “It’s very boring here.” Not far away, the God of Greed, who had been eavesdropping with perked ears, withered in fright, immediately dropping his ears, letting out a “meow,” and busying himself with alchemy again. Xu Xiaoshou suddenly realized the core of his problem. He was indeed concerned about his junior sister’s safety, but he had overlooked Lei Xier’s right to personal freedom as an individual. Who, as a person, would want to be perpetually confined by others? Previously, Xu Xiaoshou could use danger as an excuse to temporarily confine his junior sister and others he considered important within the Yuan Mansion World to weather dangerous periods. But that was because his junior sister was still weak back then and dared not refute his words. Now, his junior sister’s strength had increased, and her name had changed. She was a Throne, possessing a Boundary White Cave, Divine Demonic Eyes, and other mysterious special abilities. In terms of actual combat power, if caught off guard and controlled, he might not even be her match. What reason did he still have to keep her confined in the Yuan Mansion? Lei Xier was not a canary. The Yuan Mansion World was not her prison… Xu Xiaoshou recalled a point he had previously deliberately and subjectively ignored. He wanted to keep his junior sister by his side forever, but now it seemed this was purely due to his selfish desires.

“You…” Xu Xiaoshou spoke with some guilt, when suddenly a flash of inspiration struck him, giving him a new idea. His original intention was that if Lei Xier could transform back into his junior sister’s appearance, she could then take over his “Mu Xiaogong” identity in the Cloud Realm Mountain Range—wait, that was already her identity to begin with. Regardless, as long as Lei Xier could revert, even if only in appearance and not personality, Xu Xiaoshou himself would be freed up. He could either become “Young Master Xu” or transform into “Saint Slave Xu Xiaoshou.” In short, his own combat power would be liberated, allowing him to better complete his subsequent actions. However, he had originally thought that since Lei Xier couldn’t revert, the plan would die there. But then Xu Xiaoshou suddenly realized that he didn’t seem to need a real person to replace “Mu Xiaogong.” On the contrary, with major events happening constantly, Rao Yaoyao had no time to focus on “Mu Xiaogong.” Under such circumstances, he could easily use an image clone to mislead others, while he himself… Not only himself, but Lei Xier could also leave the Yuan Mansion. Her current combat power was very strong. While she might not be able to fight an anomaly alone, the wondrous Divine Demonic Eyes could even control anomalies. Dealing with other people would be effortless, wouldn’t it? If he used an image clone as a disguise and summoned “Saint Slave Xu Xiaoshou” and “Lei Family Descendant Lei Xier” in the Cloud Realm Mountain Range, this strongest combination among the younger generation, even if they couldn't sweep aside all the Taixu realm trespassers, at the very least, most Throne and Dao Cleaving level experts wouldn’t be able to withstand them, right? At this thought, Xu Xiaoshou’s expression changed, and he said, “I can agree to let you leave the Yuan Mansion, but for the sake of my junior sister’s safety, you must agree to one condition.”