Chapter 526

An attendant brought over a seat and placed it at the head of the right side.

Elder Yu expressed her thanks and then sat down.

She noticed a few figures sitting on both sides of the hall.

Qing Ling sat to Xiao Qing's left, with Qing Xuan beside her, and further to the right were Yao Lao, Xiao Xuan, and others.

She had seen all of these people in the intelligence reports; each one was a core figure of the Heavenly Court.

The hall fell silent for a moment.

Elder Yu was the first to speak, her tone carrying a hint of flattery as she said:

"I have long heard that the Heavenly Emperor defeated Maha Tian in the battle of the Holy Abyss, and your fame has shaken the Great Thousand Worlds."

"Seeing you today, it is truly well-deserved."

These words were neither too heavy nor too light; they expressed respect without appearing overly fawning.

Xiao Qing's expression did not change, and he smiled faintly: "Elder Yu, you flatter me."

"The matter concerning Maha Tian was merely a normal sparring match."

Elder Yu shook her head and said: "Heavenly Emperor, there is no need to be modest."

"Maha Tian is the most talented Young Clan Leader the Maha Ancient Clan has seen in ten thousand years, with a cultivation level of Late Stage Immortal Grade Heavenly Sovereign, and his Mohe Boundless Body is ranked eighth on the Sovereign Celestial Body list."

"For the Heavenly Emperor to defeat him with one sword while being at the Early Stage Immortal Grade Heavenly Sovereign, such a battle record has not been seen in the Great Thousand Worlds for thousands of years."

Her tone was sincere when she said this, without any hint of exaggeration.

Over the past half year, through information from various channels, she had long known Xiao Qing's battle record like the back of her hand.

In that battle at the Holy Abyss, Maha Tian did not lose unjustly.

She had watched the recorded footage sent back three times, and each time it had shocked her.

Xiao Qing did not decline again, merely nodding slightly, accepting the praise.

Elder Yu continued: "Although our clan resides in a remote corner..."

"We have heard that since the Heavenly Emperor returned from the Holy Abyss, the Heavenly Court has developed rapidly. The Eastern Region of the Western Heaven Continent has completely submitted, and the Nine Provinces Continent is changing with each passing day."

"That the Heavenly Emperor could establish such a Foundation in just a few short years is truly admirable."

Xiao Qing said with an unchanging expression: "Elder Yu, you flatter me."

"The Nine-Colored Heaven-Swallowing Python Clan has a long Inheritance, and with a Saint-Rank Heavenly Sovereign sitting in the clan, you are the true pillars of support for the Great Thousand Worlds."

"The Heavenly Court is newly established, and its Foundation is still shallow; in the future, there will be many things we will need to ask your clan for guidance on."

Elder Yu's smile deepened.

These words were well-spoken—they both flattered the Nine-Colored Heaven-Swallowing Python Clan and did not sound the least bit servile.

She had lived for thousands of years and had seen too many young Prodigies.

Some were arrogant and despotic, others feigned depth; those like Xiao Qing, who were neither servile nor overbearing and knew how to advance and retreat with propriety, were rare indeed.

The two exchanged pleasantries for a while.

The atmosphere in the hall gradually relaxed.

Elder Yu knew it was time to get to the main point.

She set down her teacup, turned her gaze to Qing Ling, who was sitting beside Qing Xuan, and her expression became solemn.

"Heavenly Emperor, the primary reason for my visit this time is to confirm the clan identity of Sage Qing Ling within the Heavenly Court."

Her voice was not loud, but it drew the attention of everyone in the hall.

Qing Ling's fingers tightened slightly.

Elder Yu continued: "Half a year ago, our clansmen on the Nine Provinces Continent sent back news..."

"They claimed that there is a woman in the Heavenly Court who possesses the Nine-Colored Heaven Swallowing Python bloodline, with a purity comparable to the royal family."

"This matter caused a stir within our clan—the Nine-Colored Heaven-Swallowing Python Clan has not seen a pure-blooded royal for nearly ten thousand years."

She paused, then said in an even more solemn tone: "If the news is true, it is a momentous joyous occasion for our clan."

"Therefore, the clan specially sent me here to verify it in person."

Xiao Qing's expression was calm, and he nodded slightly.

He did not respond, merely glancing at Qing Ling.

Qing Ling took a deep breath and stood up.

Everyone's gaze in the hall fell upon her.

Qing Ling walked to the center of the hall.

Elder Yu's gaze fell upon her, carefully examining the woman who had caused such a stir among the clan's high-level members.

She wore a pale-colored long dress, her appearance was elegant and refined, and she was surrounded by a faint nine-colored halo, giving her an ethereal temperament.

But what Elder Yu cared about most was not her appearance, but the faint, flickering bloodline aura within her.

Qing Ling took a deep breath and slowly opened her palm.

A bloodline mark interwoven with nine colors emerged from her palm.

The mark was not large, only the size of a thumb, but it radiated an extremely pure nine-colored light.

The nine colors flowed endlessly within the mark, blending with each other without a single trace of impurities.

As the mark appeared, a clear and heavy aura permeated from Qing Ling's body.

That was the unique bloodline pressure of the Nine-Colored Heaven Swallowing Python royal family.

Elder Yu's pupils contracted suddenly.

She stared at the mark, unblinking, her breathing becoming slightly rapid.

Her hand was trembling slightly.

For thousands of years, she had seen countless bloodline marks of her clansmen, but she had never seen one so pure.

This aura, this pressure, even that person in the clan was only comparable to this when they were young.

"It is true... it is true..."

Elder Yu muttered to herself, her voice filled with uncontrollable excitement.

She stepped forward half a step, carefully examining the mark on Qing Ling's palm, then raised her hand and took out a jade pendant engraved with a nine-colored python pattern from her sleeve.

The jade pendant was entirely emerald green, its surface flowing with a faint nine-colored halo, and in the center was carved a lifelike Nine-Colored Heaven Swallowing Python totem.

Elder Yu brought the jade pendant close to the mark on Qing Ling's palm—

The moment the two marks touched, the nine-colored halo on the surface of the jade pendant suddenly lit up, resonating with the bloodline mark on Qing Ling's palm.

The light was soft and clear, without any rejection; instead, it was as if old friends reunited after a long separation, blending together.

Elder Yu withdrew the jade pendant, took a deep breath, and calmed her emotions.

"Sage Qing Ling, this mark on your palm is indeed the bloodline mark of the Nine-Colored Heaven Swallowing Python royal family."

Her voice was exceptionally solemn as she said: "The aura is pure, without any impurities, and it matches perfectly with the pure-blooded royal bloodline in the jade pendant."

"You are indeed a pure-blooded royal of our Nine-Colored Heaven-Swallowing Python Clan."

Qing Ling stood there, looking at the mark on her palm, an indescribable feeling welling up in her heart.

She had grown up on the Dou Qi Continent since she was old enough to understand things.

She had always thought she was a member of the Seven-Colored Sky Swallowing Python clan, never imagining that she had such a connection to an ancient powerful clan of the Great Thousand Worlds.

"Elder, you flatter me."

Qing Ling said softly.

"But I have been on the Dou Qi Continent since I could remember, and I have never left that world."

"My clansmen, and the Inheritance I know of, are all related to the Seven-Colored Sky Swallowing Python."

"As for the Nine-Colored Heaven Swallowing Python of the Great Thousand Worlds..."

She shook her head and continued: "I have never heard of it."

Elder Yu was also somewhat confused.

Within their Nine-Colored Heaven-Swallowing Python Clan, although most were Seven-Colored, or even Eight-Colored clansmen.

Only those who possessed the Nine-Colored Heaven Swallowing Python bloodline could be called members of the royal family.

And among the royal family, they could be divided into ordinary royals and pure-blooded royals.

The ordinary Seven-Colored Sky Swallowing Python bloodline, although originating from the same source as the Nine-Colored Heaven Swallowing Python pure-blooded royal bloodline, had a bloodline hierarchy that was more than one grade lower.

Theoretically, it was impossible for a Seven-Colored Sky Swallowing Python clansman to have an atavistic Awakening and become a pure-blooded royal of the Nine-Colored Heaven Swallowing Python.

The gap between them could not be bridged by time.

"Perhaps it is an atavistic Awakening of the bloodline."

She deliberated and said: "In our clan's long history, similar examples have indeed occurred."

"Clansmen with thin bloodlines, under specific conditions, awaken the blood of their remote ancestors, with a purity far exceeding that of direct descendants."

"However..."

Elder Yu paused, not saying the second half of the sentence.

However, those examples of atavistic Awakening were all among clansmen who already possessed the Nine-Colored Heaven Swallowing Python bloodline.

For a Seven-Colored Sky Swallowing Python to have an atavistic Awakening into a Nine-Colored Heaven Swallowing Python royal—she had lived for so many years and had never heard of such a thing.

There had indeed never been a precedent for an atavistic Awakening into a pure royal bloodline.

Elder Yu suppressed the doubts in her heart, deciding to thoroughly check the clan's records after returning to the clan.

Perhaps in older records, she could find the answer.

If a Seven-Colored Sky Swallowing Python could also have an atavistic Awakening into a royal bloodline, then for the clan, the significance would be far greater than discovering a single pure-blooded royal.

Just then, Elder Yu's gaze inadvertently swept past Qing Xuan, who was sitting beside Xiao Qing, and her expression froze slightly.

Qing Xuan was wearing a light purple long dress today, sitting beside Qing Ling, her temperament graceful and calm.

She did not have as rich a bloodline aura as Qing Ling.

But Elder Yu still keenly captured a trace of faint fluctuation.

That was the unique rhythm of the Nine-Colored Heaven Swallowing Python bloodline; although faint, it was pure.

"Eh?"

She subconsciously stepped forward half a step, carefully sensing for a moment, and a look of surprise appeared in her eyes.

"I didn't expect that the Heavenly Empress also possesses the bloodline of our Nine-Colored Heaven-Swallowing Python Clan!"

Everyone in the hall did not feel surprised, because they all knew that Qing Xuan also possessed the bloodline of the Nine-Colored Heaven-Swallowing Python Clan.

Elder Yu said with joy:

"Although the bloodline aura on you is not rich, only reaching the level of an ordinary royal, it is indeed the bloodline of the Nine-Colored Heaven Swallowing Python."

"On this point, the jade pendant will not lie."

She brought the jade pendant in her hand close to Qing Xuan.

The nine-colored halo on the surface of the jade pendant indeed lit up again; although not as dazzling as when it resonated with Qing Ling just now, it was a genuine reaction.

Qing Xuan was silent for a moment, then slowly said: "I once had an fated opportunity and accidentally evolved from the Snake-People Tribe into an Eight-Colored Sky-Swallowing Python..."

"And because of Ancestor Qing Ling, I transformed again into a Nine-Colored Heaven Swallowing Python."

Elder Yu nodded, not pressing for more, as after all, everyone had their own secrets.

However, she was secretly delighted in her heart.

No matter how this bloodline came to be, both Qing Ling and Qing Xuan now had a definite bloodline connection with the Nine-Colored Heaven-Swallowing Python Clan.

This was undoubtedly beneficial for what she was about to do.

Having confirmed the bloodline, Elder Yu's expression became even more solemn.