Chapter 329 - 159: Blood of a Human Immortal, Secret of the Giant House, A Return to the Clan? Nothing More Than Buying a Horse’s Bones for 1000 Gold

Chapter 329: Chapter 159: Blood of a Human Immortal, Secret of the Giant House, A Return to the Clan? Nothing More Than Buying a Horse’s Bones for 1000 Gold

Fine. Just fine. She was going to see just which brazen fool...

Xie Zhinan ground her teeth. But as she turned her head, she froze. A young man had just arrived, led in by Li Xuanyi, and he was looking on with a gaze full of admiration. ℯℯ𝑙.

The visitor was tall and slender, with an ancient, profound Sword Plaque strapped to his back and a blood-tinged Glazed Dragon Pendant hanging from his waist. Though his attire was practical, these accessories made him appear truly extraordinary.

But what was most critical was—

This person looked incredibly young. His Qi and Blood had yet to recede, and a thin, rainbow-like Immortal Robe shimmered around him. As the last rays of morning light fell upon him, he became too dazzling to look at directly.

Even without any fine clothes or adornments, just by standing there, the youth radiated an air of inexpressible nobility.

But Xie Zhinan was used to seeing stunning and charismatic people; this alone wasn’t enough to make her lose her composure. What enraged her was...

"You brat! You’re cultivating my Xie Family’s technique and you’re siding with this woman, is that it?"

"Don’t you know? The Cultivation Technique she taught you was stolen!"

Xie Zhinan’s chest trembled with rage.

"What future can you possibly have following Xiao Mingli in this backwater Prefecture City? Even if you’ve almost mastered the Power Barrier, so what? Can she give you the Heaven-Reaching Dao?!"

"Brat, do you realize the technique you’re practicing is a Giant Secret Skill? Practicing it without authorization is a grave offense!"

"Besides, even Xiao Mingli wouldn’t dare teach you the complete ’Feathered Immortal Robe.’ You’ve already come this far. Can you really bear to not break past the Great Limit and forge your Treasure Body?!"

"She can’t give you these things, but the Jade Universe Xie Clan, one of the Nine Great Families, can!"

"I saw the Anomaly you produced just now. If you’re willing, you can leave with me when this is over. I’ll give you a path to glory."

"Any resident of the prefecture has surely heard of the Nine Great Families, so you must have some idea of what that name represents..."

"You know it in your heart!"

"So, young man, don’t ruin your own future. Don’t board a sinking ship!"

Xie Zhinan looked Ji Xiu up and down, her eyes filled with warning.

Ji Xiu turned his gaze to the noblewoman and thought,

’So she must be the one with that carriage drawn by Alien Species parked in the Marquis’s Mansion courtyard.’

’Those Alien Species they use as steeds... each one is on par with my Jade-Horned Spirit Deer. How extravagant. It’s far beyond anything the young scions of this prefecture could even imagine.’

’Li Xuanyi said this is a woman from a branch family of the Nine Great Families...’

He had always assumed these blue-blooded nobles, these lofty figures, would all be elegant and dignified.

But watching Xie Zhinan get so easily provoked by a few words from Xiao Mingli, Ji Xiu had only one thought.

’So these people are nothing special after all.’

’What would it feel like to crush them all underfoot?’

Hearing the condescending tone laced throughout the woman’s words, Ji Xiu’s brow furrowed almost imperceptibly.

He had made his way from Anning County to Jiangyin Prefecture, rising from a mere Groom to his current standing, all so he would never have to bow and scrape before anyone.

To forsake the path of freedom and eagerly become someone’s Household Slave—some might see that as a blessing, but for him, it held zero appeal.

Therefore, Ji Xiu completely ignored Xie Zhinan. With a faint smile, he placed the Glazed Trout into the long Jade Box Li Xuanyi had prepared and presented it to Xiao Mingli.

At the sight of his action, Xiao Mingli, whose expression had been as cold and sharp as winter snow, suddenly smiled. Having been specially made up for the day, she looked absolutely stunning.

"Thank you."

He looked at the woman in her sweeping black robes. Her lips were a vivid red, and the tips of her slender, willow-leaf brows were curved in a smile.

Ji Xiu raised an eyebrow, finding himself momentarily entranced.

’When this Young Lady Heir actually gets dressed up, she’s really quite beautiful.’

’And she’s a decent person, too. She’s even taking the fall for me.’

Ji Xiu, who had just been eavesdropping on the conversation with Li Xuanyi, grumbled to himself.

At this thought, he turned his head to face Xie Zhinan.

"Miss Xie, the technique I practice is one I came across by chance. It has nothing to do with Miss Xiao."

Ji Xiu’s tone was earnest as he stated the facts plainly.

One good turn deserves another. Since the trouble was his to begin with, he couldn’t let Xiao Mingli take the fall alone.

Besides, by publicly siding with her and snubbing this maiden from a Giant House, he was sure Xiao Mingli wouldn’t abandon him now.

’If I can catch the Marquis’s eye because of this... then maybe I could advance beyond my position as a mere Guest. I could become something like a ’nephew’ to Marquis Beicang and interact with Xiao Mingli as an equal. Isn’t that a thousand times better than rushing to serve someone hand and foot?’

’He, Ji Xiu, certainly knew how to do the math!’

His actions, however, made Xie Zhinan nearly grind her teeth to dust.

’This shameless pair... they actually look quite good together... No, that’s not it!’

’This is clearly Xiao Mingli giving up on her own future and keeping a boy-toy here in Jiangyin Prefecture!’

’And now they’re colluding to flatly deny the origin of his Cultivation Technique?!’

In that instant, Xie Zhinan’s eyes glinted with a chilling light.

"Brat, that Cultivation Technique is without a doubt from my Xie Clan. No matter where you got it, your acquisition was not legitimate."

"An elder of my Xie Family is here in Jiangyin Prefecture right now. You haven’t even reached the Qi Barrier. The moment she sees you, she’ll know everything at a glance!"

"In her presence, even Xiao Mingli won’t be able to protect you..."

But before she could finish speaking—

"Zhinan, stand down."

A familiar, cool female voice echoed around them.

Xie Zhinan’s eyes flew wide. She whipped her head around, staring at the threshold in disbelief.

There, she saw a tall woman stepping through the doorway...

It was none other than the elder from her own clan!

And the words she spoke next completely shattered Xie Zhinan’s worldview.

"I was the one who taught him the technique."

"Xiao Mingli can’t protect him, but I, your aunt, certainly can. Don’t you agree?"