Son-in-law Heaven Emperor Xiao Yi

"Who are you, really?"

Xiao Yi narrowed his eyes, intently staring at the figure that had reappeared before him.

Dressed in black, his hair and beard were both white.

His face, wrinkled like the bark of a withered tree, was capped by an exceptionally bright pair of eyes that radiated a starry brilliance, fixated on Xiao Yi.

The man was none other than Xiao Yun!

Xiao Yun slightly smiled and bowed respectfully to Xiao Yi, hands clasped in a formal gesture, his voice grave, "I am your third disciple, Xiao Yun!"

Xiao Yi narrowed his eyes.

They were both intelligent people, and many things didn't need to be spelled out.

The implication of Xiao Yun's words was clear: no matter what his identity was or where he came from, the fact that he was Xiao Yi's direct third disciple would never change.

It signified that he had secrets that he could not reveal.

At the same time...

It also demonstrated his stance to Xiao Yi.

I am your third disciple; you don't need to be wary of me!

Xiao Yi raised an eyebrow; from the first time he met Xiao Yun, he had felt a sense of familiarity. But no matter how he investigated, Xiao Yun seemed to have appeared out of thin air.

There was no trace of his past to be found.

After a moment's hesitation,

Xiao Yi asked in a deep voice, "What matter brings you back to me?"

When Xiao Yi was reprimanding Ye Heng and the others, he had noticed that Xiao Yun seemed to have something on his mind, which was why he had specially waited in the annex.

Xiao Yun hesitated, first bowing respectfully to Xiao Yi and then said gravely, "Master, when you recruit disciples in Southern State three months from now, if you encounter a person named Zheng Cheng, I hope you can spare his life!"

"Hmm?"

Xiao Yi was startled and frowned, "Zheng Cheng? Who is he?"

Xiao Yun replied, "His identity is inconvenient to disclose, but he comes from an extraordinary background. I beseech you, Master, to spare his life!"

Seeing the earnestness in Xiao Yun's demeanor.

Xiao Yi's brow furrowed slightly, and his thoughts raced as his eyes flickered. Who was Zheng Cheng? How could Xiao Yun be certain that Zheng Cheng would appear three months from now?

And why would he think that Xiao Yi would kill Zheng Cheng?

"Master, if Zheng Cheng dies, the entirety of Southern State will face great calamity..." Xiao Yun's voice carried a tinge of urgency, as if it took all his strength to utter those words.

As soon as he finished speaking,

his body suddenly trembled, his face instantly turned pale, and he vomited a mouthful of fresh blood.

His aura weakened drastically.

Xiao Yun swayed, about to collapse, but was luckily caught by Xiao Yi's timely intervention. Feeling Xiao Yun's pulse, it was weak and powerless, an ominous sign of life drawing to an end.

Xiao Yi's expression changed and took out a bundle of dragon essence to place into Xiao Yun's mouth. He then channeled the power of the divine seal into Xiao Yun's body.

This divine power was countless times stronger than the innate power of the great masters of the Longevity Secret Realm.

Under the augmentation of divine power,

The energy of the dragon essence was gradually absorbed by Xiao Yun's body.

The pallor in his face restored some Qi-blood.

The nearly depleted life force within also revived somewhat, but it was still evident that Xiao Yun had aged further, causing Xiao Yi an inexplicable heartache.

It felt as if a close family member had been injured.

"Thank, thank you, Master, for granting me dragon essence..." Xiao Yun, with a tremulous effort, got up, offering a weak smile and bowed his gratitude to Xiao Yi.

"How do you know this is dragon essence?"

Xiao Yi's eyebrows knitted slightly, for dragon essence was an innate divine ability that Little Lin had formed after breaking through the Longevity Secret Realm, and he had not divulged it to anyone in the Xiaoshanhe Institute; yet, Xiao Yun recognized it?

Xiao Yun smiled without a word.

Xiao Yi frowned, aware from their interactions over time that if Xiao Yun was unwilling to speak on a matter, even holding a knife to his throat would be futile. He thus refrained from pressing further on the dragon essence and instead inquired, "What exactly is wrong with your body?"

This near-exhaustion of life force, he had only seen it in the elderly on their deathbeds.

With Xiao Yun's cultivation, such a condition should have been impossible!

Xiao Yun gently shook his head; he was unwilling to delve further into the topic and earnestly said, "Master, you must remember my words, under no circumstances should you harm Zheng Cheng's life!"

Zheng Cheng?

Again, Zheng Cheng?

Just who is this Zheng Cheng?

To make you care so deeply. You keep warning and reminding me as if you're afraid I'd take his life.

Sigh!

Looking at the pale and weak expression on Xiao Yun's sincere face, Xiao Yi exhaled a long breath of turbid air and said in a deep voice, "I promise you, as long as this Zheng Cheng you speak of hasn't done anything too outrageous, I will not make things difficult for him!"

Xiao Yun opened his mouth but knew that Xiao Yi agreeing to this was already the limit.

He sighed softly and said, "Thank you, Master."

Xiao Yi waved his hand, "Go back and rest for now, you don't need to set off with us this evening!"

Given Xiao Yun's condition, if he were to leave with him for special training, he would likely die within three days.

Xiao Yun respectfully said, "Thank you, Master!"

With utmost respect, he maintained his posture of salute, slowly backing away until he reached the door, only then did Xiao Yun turn and leave.

Staring at Xiao Yun's retreating figure, Xiao Yi's brows slightly furrowed, his eyes filled with confusion and doubt, "Who, exactly, are you?"

......

The Nantian Dynasty.

Nantian Wen sat indifferently on the dragon throne, gently tapping his fingers on the table surface, the thudding sound echoing in the spacious hall.

Each sound seemed to carry magic power, synchronizing the heartbeats of everyone with its rhythm.

In the hall.

Nantian Bao knelt on the ground, head bowed, as large beads of cold sweat rolled down and dripped onto the floor, creating a crisp sound that reverberated within the hall.

"Hehe..."

Suddenly, Nantian Wen let out a light chuckle; his tapping fingers paused, and his leisurely voice came through, "Interesting, truly interesting… The combined forces of my Nantian Imperial Guards, Nantian Holy Institute, the holy land of Nantian, and over a hundred prestigious family experts are unable to compete with a green, inexperienced youth?"

His voice seemed calm, and there was not much fluctuation in his tone.

But it was this calmness,

that caused the hundreds of high-ranking officials and powerful ministers in the hall, who held sway over the land, to kneel trembling on the ground, filled with trepidation.

"Your Majesty, please calm your anger!"

"We are incompetent, we humbly beg for Your Majesty's punishment..."

The officials cried out one after another.

"Calm my anger? Calm what anger? With what shall you appease my anger?"

Nantian Wen spoke teasingly, his cold gaze sweeping over the officials.

Among the crowd.

Nantian Bao hesitated momentarily before looking up at Nantian Wen and said, "Your Majesty, Xiao Yi has announced that he will openly recruit disciples at the Xiaoshanhe Institute in three months. I believe we could send experts to..."

"Oh? Is that so?"

Nantian Wen raised an eyebrow, his eyes briefly closing before reopening, and he spoke calmly, "Deliver my imperial decree, instruct Jin Yuhui to take inner disciples of the Nantian Holy Institute, and in three months, make a trip to Xiaoshanhe Institute."

After a pause,

Nantian Wen had vanished from sight, but his voice still echoed in the hall, "In three months, I expect to hear no more about Xiao Yi or Xiaoshanhe Institute..."

"Long live the Emperor, long live, long live!"

The officials chanted in unison.

At the same moment...

A similar scene was also occurring in places like the holy land of Nantian, Changsheng Sect, and elsewhere.

Nearly all eyes in Southern State were trained on the Daqian Dynasty, with countless powerhouses and forces looking forward to what would happen in three months.

As the entire Southern State was shaken by the Xiaoshanhe Institute's public disciple recruitment, in the boundless void, a Flying Boat broke through the sky, precisely entering the realm of Southern State.

Aboard the Flying Boat.

A youth stood with his hands behind his back, untouched by the raging winds around him, his eyes slightly narrowed as he muttered, "Southern State? I wonder if there's anyone here worthy of the young master drawing his sword..."