Chapter 21: Preparing the Tenth-Birthday Banquet: The Ring Grandpa Appears

Looking at Xiao Chen, who had fainted from rage.

All the Jun family youths in the combat arena shuddered.

Jun Xiaoyao’s strength was formidable, and his tongue was no less sharp.

In just a few words, he enraged Xiao Chen to the point of nearly dying on the spot.

Jun Xiaoyao sighed faintly, speechless.

What he said was indeed the truth.

Generally speaking, someone like Xiao Chen, blessed with fate, after having his cultivation stripped and his talents stolen, would usually experience a sudden explosion of potential.

He would encounter one miracle after another, then grow steadily, sweeping all before him.

In that light, Jun Xiaoyao was truly doing Xiao Chen a favor.

“Someone, throw him beyond the mountain gate,” Jun Xiaoyao waved his hand.

Soon, Jun family guards arrived and dragged away the unconscious Xiao Chen.

At that moment, Jun Zhantian’s figure suddenly materialized from the void.

“Grandfather,” Jun Xiaoyao nodded slightly.

He had long sensed that Jun Zhantian and the clan elders were watching him from behind.

“Xiaoyao, do you know the saying: wild grass cannot be burned away, and spring wind brings it back to life—you must uproot the weed entirely,” Jun Zhantian’s expression grew grave.

He feared Jun Xiaoyao might develop the habit of arrogance and underestimating enemies.

Letting an enemy go like this is hardly a wise decision.

“Heh, Grandfather, rest assured—I have my own plan,” Jun Xiaoyao smiled.

Did Jun Xiaoyao not understand the principle of uprooting the weed?

But now, Xiao Chen was nothing more than a blade of grass to him—harvested whenever needed.

Jun Xiaoyao had only harvested the dragon qi so far; he had barely tapped into Xiao Chen’s fate value.

Harvesting him crop after crop—wasn’t that more profitable?

When he finally had no harvest value left, Jun Xiaoyao would naturally swat him like a fly.

“As long as you have a plan, that’s enough. Such a minor figure can’t stir up any waves. You still have a year to prepare,” Jun Zhantian said.

Jun Xiaoyao nodded faintly.

What Jun Zhantian meant, of course, was his tenth-birthday banquet.

At that time, the Jun family would invite forces from all across the Huangtian Immortal Realm—it would surely be a grand spectacle watched by all.

Even his maternal clan, the ancient family Jiang, would send representatives.

And his mother, Jiang Rou, had long wanted to wed the Jiang family’s jewel to Jun Xiaoyao.

Moreover, the Jun family would announce his status as Sequence Zero at his tenth-birthday banquet.

At that time, the Jun family would surely be shaken to its core, and every sequence would react.

That was why Jun Zhantian wanted Jun Xiaoyao to prepare.

“Grandfather, rest assured—I will not let you, Mother, or the Eighteen Ancestors down,” Jun Xiaoyao said firmly.

He had not forgotten that there would be a chance to sign in at the banquet.

The reward he received then might greatly boost his cultivation.

“Of course I trust you,” Jun Zhantian smiled in satisfaction.

After the commotion subsided, Jun Xiaoyao returned to Tiangong to fully refine the dragon qi.

Bai Yuer also temporarily stayed in Tiangong.

She had received a small portion of the dragon qi, along with her own Vermilion Phoenix Divine Fire.

Bai Yuer’s talent and strength would surge dramatically.

Most importantly, she was now utterly devoted to Jun Xiaoyao—his imprint was etched into her soul and body.

Even if Jun Xiaoyao ordered her to die, she would not hesitate for a moment.

In contrast to Jun Xiaoyao’s abundant gains,

Xiao Chen was now in dire straits.

He slowly opened his eyes to find himself outside the Jun family mountain gate.

“Cough… cough…”

Xiao Chen struggled to rise, his body covered in wounds, internal injuries, shattered meridians, and broken bones.

He was utterly pitiful.

Many cultivators had gathered outside the mountain gate to watch the spectacle.

After all, Xiao Chen had entered the Jun family with great arrogance just moments ago.

Now, he had been thrown out in such disgrace.

“Has the Qinglong Ancient Kingdom’s crown prince been stripped of his cultivation?”

“Probably. He’s like a dog.”

“Who told him to be so foolish? Daring to provoke the Jun family’s divine son? His betrothed probably ran off too—serves him right!”

The surrounding cultivators sneered and mocked him with contempt.

Xiao Chen clenched his fists tightly and walked away step by step.

Once out of sight of the crowd, he looked to the sky and roared, pounding his fists repeatedly against the ancient trees before him.

“Damn it, Jun Xiaoyao! If I have even the slightest chance, I will repay today’s suffering a thousandfold!”

As Xiao Chen roared, his blood unknowingly soaked into the coiled-dragon ring on his finger.

“Are the descendants of the Qinglong Ancient Kingdom all as spiritless as you?”

Suddenly, an ancient voice rang out.

“Who’s there?” Xiao Chen scanned the surroundings.

But the next moment, his gaze fell upon the coiled-dragon ring on his finger.

The ring suddenly flashed with green light.

Immediately, a spectral figure of an old man in a green dragon robe appeared before Xiao Chen.

“You… you are…” Xiao Chen stared wide-eyed at the old man.

The old man had two dragon horns on his head.

In a daze, Xiao Chen felt as if he had seen this old man somewhere before.

“Heh, have your descendants already forgotten me?” The green-robed, horned elder smiled.

“You’re… the founding ancestor of the Qinglong Ancient Kingdom—Qinglong Shangren!” A sudden flash of insight struck Xiao Chen, and he drew a sharp breath.

He finally remembered.

This old man’s appearance matched exactly the statue of the founding ancestor standing in the Qinglong Ancient Kingdom’s imperial palace!

And according to historical records, this founding ancestor, Qinglong Shangren, was a Semi-Sovereign!

Just half a step away from truly entering the Sovereign realm!

What an immensely powerful realm—only one step from true Supreme Sovereignty!

“I, Xiao Chen, Crown Prince of the Qinglong Ancient Kingdom, pay homage to my Ancestor!” Xiao Chen’s face flushed with excitement, his whole body trembling.

He never imagined the coiled-dragon ring from his mother’s heirloom contained the soul of the founding ancestor.

Truly, heaven never closes a path!

Qinglong Shangren looked at Xiao Chen and spoke: “I awoke several years ago and sensed you were the current vessel of Qinglong’s fate. I’ve been supplying you with magic power and resources—but still, you lost to that Jun family divine son.”

Hearing this, Xiao Chen’s face twisted with cold hatred. “Ancestor, why didn’t you just strike down Jun Xiaoyao back then?”

“Hmph, foolish! Had I acted then, neither you nor I would have left the Jun family!” Qinglong Shangren snapped coldly.

He had actually been quite satisfied with Xiao Chen’s performance—until now, when his heart had become chaotic.

“Ancestor, you’re a Semi-Sovereign! Can’t you even make the Jun family hesitate?” Xiao Chen asked, unwilling to accept it.

Qinglong Shangren shook his head. “Even if I were at my peak, I couldn’t harm the Jun family in the slightest. Ancient families are far more complex than you imagine.”

“Then… I’ll never be able to avenge myself…” Xiao Chen gritted his teeth.

He himself was ruined, and Qinglong Shangren couldn’t help him.

“Don’t lose heart. You are the vessel of fate—the Qinglong Ancient Kingdom still needs you. I won’t let you end like this,” Qinglong Shangren said.

“Ancestor, please aid me! I’ll pay any price!” Xiao Chen’s voice was resolute.

Qinglong Shangren’s eyes gleamed with approval and pulled out a green scroll.

“Though your meridians and cultivation have been destroyed, misfortune and fortune are intertwined. This semi-sovereign technique, the Qingtian Hualong Scripture, was once my own cultivation method—I shall now pass it to you.”

“Qingtian Hualong—no destruction, no rebirth!”

Hearing this, the despair in Xiao Chen’s eyes reignited with hope.

He seemed to awaken anew, his fighting spirit soaring!

“Jun Xiaoyao, your greatest mistake was being too arrogant and complacent—you spared my life!”

“This grudge, I, Xiao Chen, will repay a hundredfold!”