Chapter 158: The Inheritance Pagoda

"Eldest Senior Brother is exceptionally skilled in both swordsmanship and formations; anything we know, he knows as well."

As he spoke, Min Chengjun couldn't help but recall the scenes of their shared youth. "Junior Sister also possessed remarkable talent in swordsmanship. Back then, she used to chase after Eldest Senior Brother every single day—if her swordsmanship hadn't been formidable, I doubt they would have had anything to talk about at all."

Listening to her Second Uncle's teasing tone, Ji Jiuxuan found it hard to imagine how her parents had ever become Dao companions in the first place. Judging from the scenes she had previously witnessed within the spiritual core formation and her first moments upon waking up in this world, they had appeared deeply and affectionately in love!

"Uncle, I remember the *Anecdotal Records* stating that my parents were profoundly devoted to each other." And he was the doting-husband type, which seemed rather different from what her uncle was describing.

True to his reputation for harboring a great potential for gossip, Min Chengjun chuckled, "That was only because your mother was capable. As for Eldest Senior Brother, him falling in love was like an iron tree finally blooming."

Before long, they arrived outside Yunxuan City. Along the way, the gossip Ji Jiuxuan had heard was overwhelmingly sweet, leaving her feeling quite dizzy.

Yunxuan City was vast. Compared to Liangzhou City, which she had seen before, the architectural style here was much bolder and more unconstrained. The earth was an ancient, earthy red, and even the towering city walls exuded a rugged, majestic grandeur.

Min Chengjun put away the flying boat, enveloped Ji Jiuxuan in his spiritual energy, and produced a token. As spiritual power flowed through it to activate the token, the surrounding environment shifted abruptly.

Noticing the three grand characters "City Lord's Estate" inscribed on the building before her, Ji Jiuxuan was momentarily stunned. Did they just bypass the main gate entirely and enter straight in?

If someone with ill intentions possessed such a token, wouldn't it be terribly easy for intruders to slip inside?

Min Chengjun smiled and explained, "City Lord Qi gave this to me years ago. Tokens of this kind are few in number. They lead directly to the entrance of the City Lord's Estate, which saves a great deal of time."

Judging by the fluctuations of the surrounding barrier, Ji Jiuxuan guessed that even though this token allowed direct entry, the authorities within the city would undoubtedly be alerted the moment the spatial transmission occurred!

Shortly after, the gates of the City Lord's Estate creaked open, and an elderly man with a white beard appeared on the threshold, emanating an aura of profound tranquility.

"Ah, Nephew Min has arrived. Please come right in. The City Lord has been wondering when you would get here."

Min Chengjun bowed respectfully to him, and Ji Jiuxuan hurriedly followed suit.

"Third Elder, how have you been keeping lately?"

With that, he led Ji Jiuxuan toward the grand entrance.

"Well, well, well, still the same as always." The Third Elder smiled warmly, his gaze shifting to Ji Jiuxuan. "This must be Shanyuan's granddaughter, I presume?"

"Greetings, Third Elder." Ji Jiuxuan was unfamiliar with the exact seniority hierarchy, so addressing him simply as the Third Elder was clearly the safest choice.

Min Chengjun nodded in agreement beside her.

The smile on the Third Elder's face deepened. "Good, good, she has grown up to be this tall."

***

Soon enough, they met the City Lord, Prince Jingbei, whose territory encompassed the entirety of Yunxuan City. The current Prince Jingbei was Qi Shanyuan's eldest paternal brother, making him an elder of direct bloodline to Ji Jiuxuan.

The Third Elder led them straight into a reception hall—not the one typically used for entertaining ordinary guests, but a private chamber within the estate where members of the inner circle discussed important matters.

Upon stepping into the hall, Ji Jiuxuan caught sight of the person waiting ahead. Seeing that familiar, smiling yet naturally imposing face, she couldn't help but smile back.

The expressions on the faces of the two men were striking in their similarity.

The time Ji Jiuxuan had spent in Qi Shanyuan's company was not insignificant, and coupled with the distinct traits of the Qi family, their signature smiles caused even Min Chengjun, who had followed behind, to inwardly marvel at the sheer potency of their hereditary traits.

Judging by the man's appearance and attire, Ji Jiuxuan quickly deduced his identity. She offered a respectful bow and greeted, "Grand Uncle."

This form of address had been suggested by her maternal grandfather before their departure, accompanied by a reassuring, smiling piece of advice: "Prince Jingbei will certainly adore our little Jiu, so don't be nervous."

Qi Yanli looked at the clever and lovely young girl before him and smiled in return. "You must be Ah Jiu, correct?"

Min Chengjun bowed. "Greetings, Senior Uncle."

"Ah, Nephew is here as well. How has your master been lately?" Qi Yanli's attitude toward Min Chengjun was equally warm. The natural authority he usually carried was completely restrained, giving him an approachable, benevolent demeanor.

"Master is doing very well. Recently, he has often spoken of you, Senior Uncle."

In his heart, Qi Yanli held deep concern for his younger brother. His brother's Dao companion had passed away early, and his only child along with his son-in-law had tragically perished in a distant land, their remains still unrecovered.

The fact that Qi Yanwei and Ji Minghuai were still alive had been strictly kept secret by Qi Shanyuan and the others; to ensure their safety, they had chosen to conceal the truth.

Consequently, when facing Ji Jiuxuan, Qi Yanli's heart was tinged with a profound sense of protective pity.

After some pleasantries, Ji Jiuxuan received yet another generous assortment of gifts.

Qi Yanli led them directly to the ancestral temple. Gazing up at the towering inheritance pagoda ahead, he looked at Ji Jiuxuan with a solemn expression and said, "Child, whether you can enter or not depends entirely on your own abilities."

Her second grandfather had mentioned previously that Ah Jiu possessed a heavenly fire-attribute spiritual root. Prior to this, the Elder Council had already deliberated on the matter, and everyone hoped that the young girl's Qi family bloodline concentration would meet the threshold for the inheritance, thus drawing her closer to the Qi family.

A heavenly spiritual root holder would undoubtedly be an immense asset to the clan.

They would spare absolutely no cost in cultivating her.

Ji Jiuxuan looked toward the testing formation up ahead. Pricking her finger with a trace of spiritual power, she watched as a droplet of blood fell onto the formation, causing the entire array to flare brilliantly.

Crimson mist transformed into red spiritual energy, growing increasingly dense as it was enveloped by a radiant golden glow.

***

Ji Jiuxuan watched the changes unfolding before her. Although the system had mentioned it beforehand, she couldn't help feeling a trace of nervousness deep down.

Gradually, the formation enveloped her entirely, and the red light emanating from the spirit crystals embedded within the array grew so intense that it nearly filled the stones to the brim.

Ji Jiuxuan vanished from within the formation, having been directly transported into the inheritance pagoda.

Standing aside, Qi Yanli, Min Chengjun, and the Third Elder were struck with a mixture of astonishment and delight.

A result so close to the maximum value, paired with such extraordinary aptitude—even within the present-day Qi family, only the City Lord's eldest grandson had ever tested with a comparable level of talent.

Since Ji Jiuxuan's result was practically off the charts, she would undoubtedly receive the utmost importance and backing from the Qi family in the future. Just like Qi Shanyuan, who back then had tested with nearly full affinity for the metal attribute on his maternal side, eventually inheriting his mother's family's legacy and rising to become the sect leader of the Xuantian Sect.

Min Chengjun, however, considered the implications from a broader perspective. If Ah Jiu's bloodline affinity on the Qi family side was nearly at maximum capacity, then the concentration of her bloodline on the Ji family side became rather intriguing.

Yet, geniuses in this world manifested in diverse ways. Since the Ji family members were also renowned for their fire-attribute spiritual roots, perhaps Ah Jiu's bloodline concentration from the Ji family was equally potent!

Such a scenario was by no means unprecedented.

At that moment, he actually found himself looking forward to it. If her bloodline concentration on both sides proved exceptionally high, then in the future, anyone daring to move against Ah Jiu would have to think twice before facing the relentless wrath of two colossal, formidable clans.

Upon entering the inheritance pagoda, a deep, resonant voice echoed through the space: "Welcome, my descendant."

Within the vast, formless void ahead, a burly, ruggedly handsome man slowly opened his eyes and looked at Ji Jiuxuan. A fiery red radiance enveloped his entire body, and the fire spiritual energy materialized around him, radiating an overwhelming aura of majesty.

This was the very first time Ji Jiuxuan had ever perceived such a dense concentration of the fire element. Her internal cultivation technique reacted as though it had stumbled upon a sumptuous feast, desperately yearning to devour those spiritual delicacies as it frantically absorbed the surrounding ambient energy.

The circulation speed was astonishingly fast, startling even the spiritual phantom residing within her.

Fortunately, Ji Jiuxuan faced no danger whatsoever, so the phantom remained still, watching everything unfold quietly from the spatial depths of her storage ring.