Ji Xia was merely at the Ninth Heaven stage, far from breaking through the Heavenly Barrier. Compared to the young divine cultivators Zhao Wu and Fan Zhu by his side, he was like a firefly next to a bright moon—a stark contrast.
Yet now, in front of the three graves, Zhao Wu and Fan Zhu were bent under Ji Ning's oppressive aura, struggling for breath, unable to straighten their backs. But this mere Ninth Heaven junior seemed entirely unaffected by the pressure of a Spirit Master. With a faint smile on his lips, he calmly gazed at the three Upper Rune Generals.
Ji Ning frowned slightly and turned to the middle-aged Spirit Master beside her, her spiritual sense rippling. "Yue Ze, what's the origin of this boy?"
The middle-aged Upper Rune General, Yue Ze, nodded and cast a golden light from his right eye, inspecting Ji Xia.
Ji Xia's heart sank. Can my Great Sun Spirit-Suppressing Furnace block this spiritual gaze?
Despite his concern, he maintained a calm expression, meeting Yue Ze's gaze with an air of ease. He knew he couldn't afford to show any weakness now. Even if the furnace couldn't block the inspection, there was nothing within him he needed to hide—no secrets that would expose him.
If the furnace fails, I'll simply use the Jupiter Star Lord to mask my human lineage, Ji Xia resolved internally.
As for the Forbidden Decay Divine Tree, even the mightiest Spirit Masters wouldn't likely be able to discern its existence, let alone understand its mysteries.
Yue Ze's golden light penetrated Ji Xia's body, illuminating his organs and the snowy mountain within him.
"Human?" Yue Ze frowned.
Suddenly, in Ji Xia's snowy mountain, a furnace began to rise. Its mouth was wide open, and it swallowed Ji Ning's overwhelming pressure the moment it entered Ji Xia's body.
Two mysterious divine birds spiraled above the furnace, radiating golden light. Flames of purple fire erupted from the four legs of the furnace, refining the pressure into nothingness.
As if sensing the external gaze, the divine birds flapped their wings, opened their beaks, and inhaled. Yue Ze felt an irresistible force seize the golden light from his rune eye, dragging it into the birds' mouths, erasing his vision.
"What's the origin of this boy?" Yue Ze was astounded. My Insight Rune Eye is among the finest in Da Fu, capable of seeing through anything. Yet today, I've been thwarted by a mere Ninth Heaven junior.
That furnace inside him is extraordinary, especially the two divine birds. The pressure from Ji Ning and the light of my rune eye were swallowed and refined by the furnace in an instant, without resistance!
Ji Ning and the kindly old Upper Rune General noticed Yue Ze's astonished expression and exchanged puzzled glances.
"Humph, Yue Ze must be regressing in skill. How could a mere junior leave him so flustered?" Ji Ning's sharp eyes gleamed with scorn.
The elderly general extended his spiritual sense, brushing against Yue Ze's, and a thought was transmitted. "Yue Ze, did you uncover the boy's origins?"
"This boy is shrouded in mystery," Yue Ze admitted. "Initially, I thought he was merely human, but his body contains a terrifyingly powerful furnace. It suppressed Ji Ning's pressure and devoured the golden light of my Insight Rune Eye!"
"A mysterious furnace in his body? Likely a bloodline talent. Have you ever heard of such a lineage?" the elder asked.
"Never. A bloodline so potent that it enables a mere Ninth Heaven cultivator to suppress Spirit Master-level power is unprecedented," Yue Ze replied, still astonished.
Ji Ning's expression shifted, her harsh demeanor finally giving way to unease. "No wonder this boy could withstand my pressure—it's due to his extraordinary bloodline."
The elderly general thought for a while, then infused spiritual energy into his eyes, activating his spiritual fetus within. From the fetus flowed energy that enhanced his sight, and he looked toward Ji Xia.
A towering furnace appeared, standing atop the snowy mountain within the boy's body. Two three-legged divine birds spiraled above it, their cries low but majestic.
The old general swiftly withdrew his gaze before the birds noticed him, dispersing the spiritual energy from his eyes.
Indeed, this furnace is no ordinary phenomenon. This boy must hail from a remarkable background, he mused.
Ji Ning retracted her pressure, and Zhao Wu and Fan Zhu collapsed like deflated balloons, gasping for air. Their clothes were soaked with sweat.
To Divine Realm practitioners, a Spirit Master was like a towering mountain compared to a small hill—an immeasurable gulf.
Yet Ji Xia stood unfazed, calm and collected as if nothing had happened.
The three Upper Rune Generals all focused their gazes on Ji Xia, making Zhao Wu and Fan Zhu grow increasingly anxious.
I hope the generals haven't discovered anything suspicious. If they realize that Qin Ji was the one who killed Ji Xiu and Lu Yuqi, while we stood by and even assisted him, the consequences could be catastrophic, Fan Zhu thought.
But if we survive this ordeal, it could deal a significant blow to the prestige of the Ji Xiu clan, opening opportunities for the Fan family.
The elderly general finally broke the silence. "May I ask where this young hero hails from?"
Ji Ning added, "You are Qin Ji, correct? What is your lineage?"
Both Zhao Wu and Fan Zhu were taken aback. They could understand why the elder, known for his tact, was polite to Ji Xia. But why would Ji Ning, infamous for her arrogance, adopt such a respectful tone?
Ji Xia's eyes flickered, and he smiled. "Greetings, esteemed seniors. I've long heard that Da Fu's Upper Rune Generals are unmatched powerhouses. Meeting you today confirms the truth of those rumors."
"I am Qin Ji, a wanderer from a distant eastern land. My people are few in number, numbering only around a thousand. We call ourselves the Great Xia Clan. Perhaps the three seniors have heard of us?"
The elder's aged face twitched. This boy's words were simple, yet the implications were profound.
A clan of merely a thousand people dared to call themselves "Great"?
How could such a small group survive the boundless wilderness?
A wanderer from the distant east?
Could this boy have crossed the Grand Sovereign Mountains?
With only Ninth Heaven cultivation, how could he have traveled through the wilds?
The elder, with a century of experience, suspected Ji Xia of fabricating a story. But then he recalled the boy's extraordinary bloodline talent, too real to be a lie.
How could someone like this possibly defeat the Spirit Ape Clan's young master, someone four Divine Realms above him?the elder thought.
After some contemplation, he sighed internally. Whether his claims about the Great Xia Clan are true or false, his bloodline alone marks him as someone exceptional.
The wilderness is vast and unpredictable, home to countless formidable clans. Even Da Fu, which rules within a thousand-mile radius, must tread carefully to avoid provoking calamity.
Having made his decision, the elder's expression softened, and he smiled warmly at Ji Xia. "To set out on a journey at such a young age, Qin Ji, you've put our younger generation to shame."
Ji Ning and Yue Ze also nodded at Ji Xia with goodwill.
Ji Xia returned their smiles, though his heart raced. I wonder what scenarios these old foxes are imagining.
But now that I've started this act, how do I keep it going?