CHAPTER 688: 688 COVERT MANEUVERS

A day later!

After another day of recovery, Yun Xiao, bearing the Ancient Dragon Taming Technique, had healed some of his injuries. However, early this morning, Lin Xuantian came over with an elder.

"Brother Yun Xiao, this is Uncle Qiao Guinong. His Meridian Refining Technique has already reached the Earth Rank Low Level. With his help, I guarantee you will be cured!"

With the elder brought by Lin Xuantian, a glint of secretive light flashed through his eyes, and then he introduced the elder to everyone - apparently this was the so-called chief Meridian Refining Master of the Lin Family.

However, at this moment, the face of the Meridian Refining Master Qiao Guinong showed a hint of surprise. Just a few days ago, when Lin Xuanhao had freshly carried Yun Xiao back to the Lin Family, he had come to check on him.

Back then, Yun Xiao was not only suffering from fractured bones all over his body, but his meridians were also shattered due to the fall from a great height. Even if he were to be saved, he would probably be nothing more than a crippled person unable to move, let alone cultivate Meridian Qi.

Yet, merely three to four days had passed, and as Qiao Guinong entered the room once more, the sight before his eyes almost made his jaw drop.

A person gravely injured and deemed virtually sentenced to death was now capable of sitting up from his bed. Moreover, the aura of Meridian Qi, although weak, did not resemble that of a fading existence. This truly was baffling.

Nonetheless, Qiao Guinong was indeed an Earth Rank Low Level Meridian Refining Master, whose Meridian Refining Technique might even be a few measures stronger than Ran Xing initially. After a brief moment of shock, he had regained his composure.

"Stretch out your hand!"

These words came out from Qiao Guinong’s mouth, and for Meridian Refining Masters like him, even Cultivators at the Peak of the Qi Seeking Realm standing before them wouldn’t receive undue respect.

In Qiao Guinong’s eyes, the young man in front of him appeared to be merely seventeen or eighteen years old - whether he was even as old as Lin Xuanhao was debatable, let alone the extent of his Meridian Qi Cultivation.

Yun Xiao’s physical body was severely damaged, but his Power of Soul was still immense. He had already sensed beforehand that this Qiao Guinong before him was an Earth Rank Low Level Meridian Refining Master, thus he showed no contempt.

After all, Yun Xiao’s Soul Power had only reached the peak of Spiritual Rank Advanced, and there was still a long way to go to reach Earth Rank Low Level, so upon hearing the instruction, he obediently stretched out his right hand.

"Hmm?"

The moment Qiao Guinong touched Yun Xiao’s wrist, his old face changed again, as Yun Xiao’s recovery was far quicker than he had imagined, and how it all happened was beyond his knowledge.

"Have you taken any powerful restorative items these past few days?"

Puzzled, Qiao Guinong directly voiced his question, which made Lin Xuanhao beside him reveal a hint of an odd expression, thinking that Brother Yun Xiao had not only not consumed any powerful restoratives, but he seemed to have not eaten at all.

"No?"

Seeing Yun Xiao shake his head, Qiao Guinong’s gaze grew even more puzzled, then after a covert glance at Lin Xuantian, a barely detectable aura was already released from his index finger, swiftly penetrating into Yun Xiao’s wrist with the speed of lightning.

Qiao Guinong executed all these actions very discreetly, believing that this seventeen or eighteen-year-old young man before him could certainly not sense his slight movement. Since this young man had disrupted the great young master’s plans, then he must not be allowed to live.

As previously mentioned, Lin Xuantian was highly ambitious, and if the legitimate heir of the Lin Family, Lin Xuanhao, stayed alive, he could never inherit the Lin Family. Thus, he wanted to use the opportunity of hunting the spotted bamboo leopard to end Lin Xuanhao’s life.

Since he harbored ambitions, Lin Xuantian knew that alone, his chances of success were not high, so he had gathered some allies, led by the chief Meridian Refining Master of the Lin Family, Qiao Guinong.

As someone not bearing the Lin surname, even though Qiao Guinong was a bona fide Earth Rank Low Level Meridian Refining Master, the Lin Family Head seldom involved him in major family affairs.

It can be said that Qiao Guinong’s and Lin Xuantian’s statuses were equally awkward; nominally, important figures in the Lin Family, but in reality, often excluded from major matters, making them promptly hit it off.

This time, since Yun Xiao ruined Lin Xuantian’s plans, the latter definitely wouldn’t let it go. Initially, when Yun Xiao was rescued and brought back, hanging on to his last breath and nearly to his end, Qiao Guinong hadn’t employed many strategies.

However, who would have thought that in just a short span of four days, that severely injured young man seemed about to be lively and bouncing soon. With Lin Xuantian’s order and his own face at stake, Qiao Guinong found it necessary to make a move, both logically and emotionally.

This was a special technique of Qiao Guinong, an Earth Rank Meridian Refining Master. Generally speaking, unless someone was an Earth Rank Low Level Meridian Refining Master, it was absolutely impossible to detect, so he was very confident.

"Eh? This old fellow is actually a Poison Vein Master?"

Unfortunately, with Yun Xiao’s Soul Power, how could he not sense that concealed aura, and immediately upon sensing it, he identified it as a special potent poison.

This potent poison, although not extremely fierce, seemed to be wrapped in a thin, barely existent aura that prevented it from erupting immediately.

In just an instant, Yun Xiao knew that the old man before him was up to no good, having committed such despicable deed of secretly poisoning yet not wanting to bear the blame.

The aura wrapped in severe poison was clearly the handiwork of this old man Qiao Guinong, intending to delay the poison’s immediate outbreak. This way, after the old man left, the severe poison could be triggered, thus disconnecting him from any responsibility.

Even afterwards, Qiao Guinong could claim that Yun Xiao was merely experiencing a brief revival, that his severe injuries from the day that descended from the sky hadn’t eased, and he died from the relapse—an ingenious plot indeed.

As for severe poisons, Yun Xiao didn’t pay them any mind at all. Not to mention the Golden Snake Worm in his body, even his own ability to resist poison was not something this concealed severe poison could affect.

Given that, Yun Xiao didn’t expose Qiao Guinong’s conspiracy on the spot. After all, not only is this man a low-level Earth Rank Meridian Refining Master, but he’s also a genuine peak Qi Seeking Realm powerhouse. In his wounded state, Yun Xiao was no match for him.

"It seems that this Lin Xuanting guy is not a good person either!"

From the methods of Qiao Guinong, Yun Xiao glanced discreetly at Lin Xuanting, surmising that the former was brought by the latter. To claim that there was no collusion between the two was utterly inconceivable.

"Well, with this young man’s recovery ability, he should be able to get out of bed in a few days!"

Qiao Guinong showed no sign of remorse for his wrongdoing, and after finishing everything, he calmly withdrew his hand. At this statement, Lin Xuanhao couldn’t help but beam with joy.

As for Lin Xuanting, a hint of joy also appeared on his face, but his joy was different from his brother’s—with one genuinely happy, the other feigning cheerfulness—all of which were observed by Yun Xiao.

Lin Xuanting and Qiao Guinong left in a hurry, seemingly afraid that staying here too long would lead to unnecessary trouble. So, shortly after, the two left the room directly.

"Xuanhao, I ask you, Lin Xuanting isn’t your real older brother, is he?"

The moment Lin Xuanting entered the room, Yun Xiao noticed the brothers looked nothing alike. Coupled with subsequent events, he suspected there was an undisclosed story, hence the question.

"Eh? Brother Yun Xiao, how do you know?"

At these words, Lin Xuanhao’s face showed surprise as he vividly remembered never displaying any signs that Lin Xuanting was merely his sworn brother. So how did Brother Yun Xiao guess it?

"Brother Xuanting is my father’s adopted son, but he has always treated me very well from childhood!"

Lin Xuanhao was still immersed in his childhood brotherly affection, completely unaware that such feelings had long since faded with the passage of time and the change in their statuses.

"Adopted son?"

Yun Xiao nodded. He had initially thought that these brothers, like the former Xuanyue Royal Family, were half-brothers from different mothers. Now it seems they aren’t even blood-related.

However, seeing the honest Lin Xuanhao, who seemed to have no suspicions about his older brother, Yun Xiao did not reveal the truth. He knew he was ultimately an outsider, and it was extremely indecent to try to drive a wedge between the brothers without any evidence.

"How can I devise a way to make Lin Xuanting reveal his true colors?"

Since Lin Xuanhao had saved his life, Yun Xiao wasn’t about to just let it slide. Moreover, since Qiao Guinong had already made his move—even though it was ineffective against Yun Xiao—he couldn’t just accept blows without returning them; it wasn’t his style.

And all of these things would have to wait until his injuries were healed. Yun Xiao did not know how many people in the Lin Family were in cahoots with Lin Xuanting, but with at least a peak Qi Seeking Realm Qiao Guinong, he currently wasn’t a match for him.

...

Time quickly passed, another three days went by!

In these three days, Yun Xiao felt better day by day, but every time he heard about Yun Xiao’s condition from Lin Xuanhao’s mouth, Lin Xuanting, on the surface, offered words of congratulations, but his heart was rather gloomy.

"Uncle Qiao, what on earth is going on? Wasn’t it supposed to be foolproof?"

Inside a certain courtyard, Lin Xuanting’s eyes, filled with doubt and dissatisfaction, stared at the Lin Family’s chief Meridian Refining Master, Qiao Guinong. The words he uttered also contained deep resentment, clearly questioning Qiao Guinong’s Meridian Refining Technique.

The reality that Yun Xiao was alive and could even go out to sunbathe contradicted his expectations, making Lin Xuanting furious. Although he was infuriated, Qiao Guinong was even more bewildered, not understanding why his usually infallible invisible severe poison was ineffective this time.

"Could that young man truly possess Immunity to Hundred Poisons?"