"Alright, you brat are ruthless, just don’t regret it later!"

Heiye Wuguang sneered, "You’re lucky today; coincidentally, the three geniuses of the Dark Clan are out for their respective trials. Otherwise, could Heiye Wuxing save you a few more times?"

After finishing his words, he quickened his pace and walked away.

Sometimes he even thought of himself as despicable.

The more people refused him, the more he insisted on making this brat his adopted son.

Moreover, Ling Xiao’s performance indeed made him increasingly fond of him.

Although he refused Heiye Wuguang, Ling Xiao still felt some pressure.

An Feitian was already difficult to deal with, let alone those three.

And he believed that the Eight Great Families all had top-notch geniuses.

Especially the Sha Clan, She Clan, and Sword Clan, which stood on equal footing with the Dark Clan.

Even without much thought, they wouldn’t be weaker than the Dark Clan.

"Boss, you don’t need to worry about what that old man said. After stepping into the Dark Clan, even the branch family members will encounter quite good opportunities.

Of course, opportunities also come as trials. Once you pass, just like when we entered the Upper Eight Immortals Mountain, we would gain immense benefits."

Lin Yang, being a Lin Family member,

and the Lin Family has quite a few disciples in the Upper Eight Immortals Mountain, he knew a lot that Ling Xiao didn’t, which was normal.

"I understand."

Ling Xiao nodded, "Let’s all work hard together."

"Yes, let’s work hard together!"

Lin Yang and Qing Luan Hua understood they didn’t possess Ling Xiao’s talents, but they didn’t want to lag behind and wanted to keep up with Ling Xiao as much as possible.

"Hmm?"

At this moment, Ling Xiao suddenly stopped.

Because an extremely peculiar aura emanated from ahead, causing his Twelve Divine Beast Throne within to stir slightly.

And that Child God Martial Soul emitted a strange power, seemingly resonating with the force ahead.

"Is that the Sacrificial Altar of the Dark Clan?"

Ling Xiao looked forward.

The Sacrificial Altar indeed looked like a Sacrificial Altar, standing tall like a massive treasure pagoda piercing the sky.

The altar was dozens of layers high, surrounded by gold and special metals.

It appeared very lavish.

But that was not the key point.

The key point was that the power resonating with the Twelve Divine Beast Throne originated from this Sacrificial Altar.

What exactly is it?

Ling Xiao didn’t know, but he believed it to be something good, potentially a treasure from the Xuanwu Continent.

He stepped into the Sacrificial Altar.

The power became clearer and more active.

Ling Xiao even felt the signs of another breakthrough due to this power.

Although he had just broken through to the First Cycle of the Yin-Yang Realm’s Second Layer Hell Peak Cultivation Level,

within this period, after sparring with several experts, his inner potential was continuously being unleashed.

The powers once dormant within him had been stimulated to surface.

While it seemed he wasn’t purposely cultivating, his cultivation level was indeed advancing.

This made Ling Xiao very content.

He decided to find a way to obtain the treasure within the Sacrificial Altar.

And he thought that it was likely the Dark Clan’s supreme treasure, the "Shadow Black Gourd."

Even though the name didn’t sound remarkable, at this stage, the Shadow Black Gourd as a Divine Spiritual Tool could greatly aid Ling Xiao.

It might even significantly increase his cultivation level.

But at the moment, he naturally dared not covet it.

He would seek opportunities!

Calming his mind, they, under the Dark Clan’s lead, offered sacrifices to the Dark Clan’s ancestors at the Sacrificial Altar.

With this, the ritual concluded.

Ling Xiao’s thoughts were quite simple.

If the Dark Clan treated him sincerely, he would sincerely treat the Dark Clan, elevating it to the strongest family within Eight Immortals Mountain.

But if the Dark Clan treated him poorly, he wouldn’t refrain from doing anything.

Though oftentimes cunning, he was fundamentally a straightforward and simple person.

To those who were good to him, he would be good in return.

To those who bullied him, he would retaliate a hundredfold, even a thousandfold!

After half an hour of intense rituals, the ceremony finally ended.

An Yexing looked at the ten experts present from the Dark Clan and said, "You have the right to adopt these as your own.

Now these three have already paid homage to the ancestors, becoming members of our Dark Clan.

However, if they wish to fully join the Dark Clan, they still need the acknowledgment of you ten individuals.

Proceed, claim whoever among them you wish as an adopted son or daughter, and they will directly enter the Inner Clan."

After An Yexing finished speaking, the scene fell into a dead silence.

In truth, many had their eyes on Ling Xiao, but Ling Xiao had offended An Hua Elder and injured An Feitian, the Young Clan Leader.

No one dared to openly oppose the Clan Leader and Grand Elder without discretion.

As for Heiye Wuguang, though he wished to adopt Ling Xiao, he knew the time wasn’t right; proposing it now would only result in a public rejection,

so he simply remained silent.

"Hmph, big brother, you might as well not waste any more time; these three are just useless. To become branch family members of our Dark Clan is already a grand fortune; to become part of the Inner Clan?

Impossible!"

An Hua Elder snorted coldly.

"Fine, since no one wishes to acknowledge any among you three, you will from today become branch family members of the Dark Clan.

As branch family members, you will need to perform some menial tasks, remember that."

As An Yexing spoke, a cold smile also flashed in his eyes.

Joining the Dark Clan and still daring to offend him, these three truly didn’t know their place.

While he wouldn’t go as far as to kill them, making life a bit difficult for them was within bounds.

Heiye Wuxing’s claim that he was petty truly hit the mark.

Having his son injured, how could he possibly do nothing?

"Alright, this Sacrificial Altar is not a place for branch family members; you may return to your quarters now. Tasks and menial work will be assigned to you in due time." 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

An Yexing smiled slightly, "However, there’s no need for you three to be disheartened. There is indeed a way to join the Inner Clan without recognizing an Inner Clan expert as your father or mother."

"What way?"

Ling Xiao couldn’t help but ask.

Becoming a member of the Inner Clan would undoubtedly be better, but he wanted to achieve it through his own efforts, not by attaching himself to others.

"Simply put, if you can gain the Shadow Black Gourd’s approval, learn the martial skills and secret technique contained within it,

then that’ll suffice,"

An Yexing smiled.

As he said this, many around him laughed.

Ling Xiao could see that the smiles of those people were mocking.

Heiye Wuguang couldn’t help but say, "Why bother tricking three children when the Shadow Black Gourd is our supreme treasure? Even earning a chance to communicate with it is tremendously difficult.

All Inner Clan disciples can, but branch family members only have one such opportunity per year.

Furthermore, among so many geniuses within the Inner Clan, only two in this generation have truly comprehended martial skills or secret techniques from the Shadow Black Gourd."