Nine Nether Dragon Emperor

Then, they immediately sensed a pure energy—a majestic vitality—enveloping Kong Yu. All eyes turned to him.

Not long after, Kong Yu suddenly sprang to his feet, his eyes bright and spirited. He didn't look injured at all.

"Yu'er, are you all right?" Kong Mingfeng asked with concern.

Kong Yu wore a strange expression. "Dad, I think I'm about to have a breakthrough."

"What kind of technique is this?!"

"How did he manage that?!" a Guest Elder murmured from the side.

"Patriarch, that kid ran off! Should we give chase?"

Kong Mingfeng's expression shifted continuously as he wrestled with the decision. In the end, he shook his head, looking defeated. "Forget it. He saved my son's life, after all. Let him go."

As Kong Mingfeng departed, the remaining Guest Elders glanced at one another.

"Third Young Master, are we just letting him go like that?" With Kong Mingfeng gone but Kong Yu still present, the Guest Elders immediately questioned him. Judging by their expressions, they were all very unwilling to let the matter drop.

Kong Yu swept his gaze over them and spat out one word: "Scram!"

These cowardly dogs. When Ning Xuan was here, not one of them dared to even fart, but now they're acting tough. Keeping them in the family would only be a waste of resources!

"From now on, I don't want to see any of you again! If I do, I'll beat you every single time. Old Wang, close the gate!"

Leaving them with those words, Kong Yu walked back inside.

"Right away, Third Young Master!" The old servant reacted instantly and began to drive the men out.

Soon, the five Guest Elders were expelled from the Kong Family estate. Staring at the firmly shut gates, the five men looked at one another.

Suddenly, one of them slapped his hand on the majestic stone lion to the left. Then, not only was he stunned, but the other four were as well. The impressively majestic lion had crumbled into dust in an instant!

"Hu Ming, you've secretly mastered an incredible technique!"

"I never would have guessed you possessed such strength!"

"Haha, with this kind of power, you're not much weaker than Han Chuang, are you? And to think that brat Kong Yu actually kicked you out!"

"The man has no judgment! Hu Ming, from now on, you're our Big Brother. We'll follow you!"

After they regained their senses, all four showered Hu Ming with compliments. Their status as Guest Elders of the Kong Family had held great clout within the Realm Capital. They were respected wherever they went. If word got out that they had been kicked out, life would surely become difficult. But things were different now. With a single, casual palm strike, Hu Ming could turn a raw Divine Crystal into dust. Such strength would certainly be considered top-tier, even in the Realm Capital, a city teeming with experts. If they followed him, they could thrive just the same.

What the four of them didn't know was that Hu Ming was utterly baffled.

But I didn't even use any Element Force! Not me, not even Han Chuang, the number one Guest Elder, could do that. In fact, probably not even the strongest person in the entire Realm Capital could pull that off!

He certainly liked the idea of being their Big Brother. But without the strength to back it up, taking that position would just make him the first to die. Therefore, for the sake of his own survival, Hu Ming had no choice but to reveal the painful truth. "You've misunderstood. I haven't mastered some peerless divine technique. It shattered on its own; it had nothing to do with me."

But they clearly didn't believe him.

Seeing their disbelief, Hu Ming didn't bother explaining further. Instead, he turned his attention to the other raw Divine Crystal lion. "I knew you wouldn't believe me. Luckily, there's another one right here. Watch this…"

As he spoke, he laid another light palm on it.

Then, he himself was taken aback, because this raw Divine Crystal lion also crumbled to pieces.

Holy shit! What the hell is going on?!

Hu Ming looked at the powder on the ground, then at his own palm, utterly bewildered.

"Big Brother, you've got nothing to say now, right?"

"Hahaha, Big Brother, you're too modest!"

"Big Brother, let's go! We should head to the Drunken Immortal Tavern to celebrate!"

"Ahem," the last person said, lowering his voice and glancing around. "I think we should wait a moment." Then he whispered a name, "Ning Xuan!"

The other three caught on, their eyes instantly lighting up. That kid was carrying a huge fortune. If they could snatch it from him, they wouldn't have to worry about cultivation resources for a long time. Without delay, all four pairs of eyes turned to Hu Ming.

He was just about to refuse.

"Don't worry, Big Brother! That kid's greatest strength is his medical skill; his combat power is definitely limited. We can handle him when the time comes!"

"Right, right! A weakling like that isn't worthy of you making a move, Big Brother!"

"Big Brother, just give the word!"

Seeing the hopeful look in their eyes and finding their reasoning sound, Hu Ming let his greed get the better of him. He gritted his teeth and agreed.

The four were overjoyed. Immediately, the group of five set off without delay, speeding in the direction Ning Xuan had taken.

As for Ning Xuan, he was naturally heading toward the Jiang Family estate. In the Realm Capital, the Jiang Family was a household name, so he confirmed their location with a simple inquiry. Mounted on an exotic beast, Ning Xuan was in no hurry, advancing at a leisurely pace.

Soon, he entered the bustling city streets. The Gouchen Realm was prosperous and extraordinarily lively. Riding an exotic beast didn't seem out of place, as many others traveled in the same manner. High in the heavens, some people were even riding on the backs of flying creatures.

Ning Xuan quite liked this atmosphere, and he unknowingly slowed his pace even more.

Meanwhile, after giving chase, Hu Ming and his four companions immediately spotted Ning Xuan on his beast. Although the streets were crowded and filled with cultivators on mounts, even they had to admit that Ning Xuan stood out like a crane among chickens.

"Big Brother, should we make our move?" one of them quickly asked.

"No! Don't you dare start anything here!"

The looks the four of them gave him made him feel terribly insecure. But by this point, it was impossible to explain what had really happened with the statues.

If I can really get my hands on Ning Xuan's Divine Crystals, I, Hu Ming, could become a man above all others!

His mind raced, and he quickly found the perfect excuse. "Are you all idiots?! This is a crowded marketplace. If Ning Xuan spills the beans before we succeed, won't we end up with countless competitors?"

The four of them had a sudden realization.

"That's our Big Brother! Always so thoughtful!"

"We'll listen to you, Big Brother!"

"Since he's going to the Jiang Family, he'll have to pass through Two Realms Mountain. We just need to get there ahead of him and set up an ambush!"

"That's right! Big Brother, let's hurry!"

The five of them quickly reached an agreement and took a shortcut toward Two Realms Mountain.

The Gouchen Realm Capital's territory was vast. Legend had it that this land originally had no plains; a supreme expert with unparalleled power had moved mountains to create the capital. Later, that same expert achieved enlightenment on Two Realms Mountain and ascended to the heavens. The mountain has been preserved ever since. However, after this legend was passed down for millions of years, the perception of Two Realms Mountain among the people of the Gouchen Realm Capital had long since changed.