Word Count: 3,932 Words
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Level-nine energy cores! Even for a One-Change Dou Venerate like Gu Qing Yang, a single core of this grade could significantly boost his cultivation. They were essentially crafted for peak 9-star Dou Venerates.
Xiao Yan had just obtained six of them, along with a large bag stuffed with energy cores of various levels! The windfall left him grinning so widely his mouth could barely close.
Yet even this wasn't his greatest profit. The true fortune lay in the vast amount of energy crystal layers Mao Wu had devoured!
Those crystal layers, which had originally blocked the passage, had transformed into tremendous nourishment and a monumental opportunity for Xiao Yan.
After absorbing the energy of the entire Heaven Demon Phoenix Wings secret realm, the Nihility Devouring Flame had already come extremely close to evolving into a Heaven Seed Flame. This time, it might even take that final step!
'This Heavenly Tomb really is a treasure trove. No wonder all the Dou God Clans fight to the death for a single slot to get in.' Xiao Yan couldn't help but sigh inwardly. The Dou God Clans were indeed Dou God Clans. Their secret realms and inheritances stood at the absolute peak of the Dou Qi Continent.
Those special energy cores were only the basics; anyone who entered had a chance to obtain them. But there were also hidden grand prizes. Right now, Xiao Yan had drawn precisely such a prize.
Of course, ordinary people simply lacked the means to claim this kind of reward. Without the power of the Nihility Devouring Flame, devouring these energy crystal layers would have been impossible. They wouldn't even have been able to handle the Ancient Devouring Insects and would have died in that passage in a matter of minutes.
The Ancient Devouring Insects had probably never imagined that Xiao Yan possessed the Heavenly Flame that countered them so perfectly.
This was the ancestor of all devouring powers!
Once Xiao Yan collected all the energy cores, he knew there would be no further chances to fleece the others. He sped up. The terrifying fire dragon roared forward through the tunnel, and he even broke into a run at the very front.
After several kilometers, everyone began to notice subtle changes in the energy crystal layers. Their expressions shifted as they sensed the exit drawing near.
'Almost out.' Xiao Yan sighed inwardly. The others were deeply wary of this crystal passage and wished they could leave as quickly as possible. He alone felt a twinge of regret.
Roughly a kilometer from the exit, his Heavenly State Spiritual Strength suddenly detected something unusual hidden within a nearby crystal wall.
'Hm? What's that?' His eyes flashed. The fire dragon's flames abruptly intensified, spitting out a blinding golden light that forced those following behind to squint and turn their heads away, unable to look directly at him.
In that instant, Xiao Yan's right hand shot out toward a particular spot in the crystal wall. Embedded there was a fist-sized, perfectly round object that emitted a faint red glow. From a distance, it resembled a strange cocoon!
He probed it briefly with Spiritual Strength but had no time for a detailed examination. With a thought, he immediately stored it in his Nihility Space.
BOOM!
His Dou Qi erupted. The energy crystal layer shattered on contact. Xiao Yan seized Xun Er's jade-like hand and stepped through the light barrier in a single stride, becoming the first to emerge onto the third layer.
The others rapidly shot out behind him.
When Xiao Yan steadied himself and lifted his gaze, a gray world stretched endlessly before his eyes. The land was a boundless expanse of ashen earth, hazy and monotone, like a cemetery that had expanded without limit.
Unlike the first two layers, the energy here was even purer. Xiao Yan also spotted stone monuments scattered across the third layer, each bearing carved text.
'So this is the true Heavenly Tomb.'
Many inscriptions had been blurred by the passage of years. From the look of them, no one had come here to pay respects for a very long time.
Rumor had it that in ancient times, the Heavenly Tomb had been a colossal cemetery. The first two layers were more akin to protective shells built to guard this third layer. Most of those buried here had been renowned figures of their eras.
But as the years flowed on, many once-mighty clans had long since fallen into decline. Some Dou God Clans had disappeared completely, like the Xiao Clan. If not for Xiao Yan, even Xiao Xuan's tomb would have been left unattended and forgotten.
"The Ancient Devouring Insects! They've chased us all the way out!"
Gu Qing Yang and the others' expressions changed drastically. Their bodies flickered back in swift retreat.
Buzz buzz!
A white tide of insects poured from the passage, blanketing the sky and earth. Yet just as these Ancient Devouring Insects burst through the energy crystal wall, their flight abruptly halted. Under everyone's astonished gazes, they exploded with a soft puff into clouds of white powder that drifted apart on the air.
The oppressive suppression of the third layer acted as a seal on the Ancient Devouring Insects. They could not set foot here.
"What are these Ancient Devouring Insects doing?" Everyone stared in confusion at the swarms that continued to charge out despite certain death waiting right ahead. Their brows furrowed one after another.
"Could it be they don't want us to escape?" someone said with a bitter smile.
"Even if that were true, they wouldn't be this desperate. This is nothing but suicide, and entirely meaningless suicide at that," Gu Qing Yang said, shaking his head with a frown.
While the rest puzzled over the sight, a thought stirred in Xiao Yan's mind. Could this be related to what I pulled out of the crystal wall earlier?
Before he could pursue the idea further, the Ancient Devouring Insects abruptly stopped their suicidal rush. The light barrier behind them slowly healed and solidified again, sealing the passage once more.
"Alright. Since we've reached the third layer, everyone should look after themselves. We'll meet again in two years," Gu Qing Yang said with a small smile. He cupped his hands toward Xiao Yan and Xun Er in farewell.
Xiao Yan swept his gaze over the crowd. The two Hun Clan members had, unsurprisingly, already fled far away. He had no intention of pursuing them. There were more important matters demanding his attention.
"Xun Er, I need to recover some Dou Qi first. Please stand guard for me." His face suddenly turned deathly pale, and his body swayed as if he might collapse at any moment. He dropped cross-legged to the ground in haste and began circulating his Qi Method.
Concern was clear on Xun Er's face as she immediately took up a protective position beside him.
The others took in the scene but did not intrude. One by one, they left the area to begin their own training journeys on this third layer.
For the prodigies of the Dou God Clans, only the third layer presented true challenge and danger. Here, the weakest energy bodies were at the 7-star Dou Venerate level and above. In other words, even the lowest-grade energy cores were level seven. It was extremely valuable to them.
An hour later, when everyone had traveled so far that even Spiritual Strength could no longer sense them, the color on Xiao Yan's face snapped back to normal. He slowly opened his eyes and found Xun Er watching him with a bright, knowing smile.
"Everyone's gone. Can Xiao Yan ge-ge tell Xun Er now?" Her luminous eyes sparkled as they rested on him. She had known he was pretending, but not why.
"Ahem. Xun Er, come closer. I'll show you something."
Puzzlement lingered in Xun Er's gaze, but she obediently leaned toward him. Xiao Yan reached into his Nihility Space and produced a baby-fist-sized, uneven transparent crystal.
"This is… the energy crystal layer condensed by those Ancient Devouring Insects?!" Xun Er's eyes widened. The crystal was unbelievably pure, its energy apparently refined to the utmost so that only the densest essence remained.
Her astonishment made Xiao Yan beam with smug pride. "Hehe, isn't your Xiao Yan ge-ge impressive?"
"Xiao Yan ge-ge, how did you manage this?!" Xun Er was genuinely amazed. The energy crystal layers had always been one of the Heavenly Tomb's greatest headaches. Each time, they had to be forcibly broken to enter the third layer, a process that devoured massive quantities of Dou Qi. And refining them had never been possible.
This time, they had even run into an energy storm that awakened the Ancient Devouring Insects, nearly getting everyone killed.
Xiao Yan chuckled. "My Heavenly Flame can devour and refine these crystal layers."
What disappointed him somewhat was that the Nihility Devouring Flame had still failed to evolve into a Heaven Seed Flame. To advance further, it now needed something other than pure energy. As a result, all the energy crystal layers it had devoured had been compressed into crystal stones like the one in his hand, ultimately benefiting Xiao Yan instead.
He flicked his wrist again. Over a dozen more crystal stones appeared in his palm. Mao Wu had consumed so much that it had naturally produced far more than a single stone.
"Xun Er, these are all for you. They should raise your cultivation quite a bit."
Xun Er looked at him offering so many and quickly shook her head. "Xiao Yan ge-ge, you need these more than Xun Er does."
Xiao Yan pointed back at the light barrier with a relaxed smile. "With this much available, are you really worried I won't have enough?"
Only then did Xun Er fully understand why he had deliberately pretended to be exhausted of Dou Qi and insisted on staying behind to 'recover.' He had been preventing the other Dou God Clans from interfering!
Human hearts were unpredictable. Even though Xiao Yan had obtained these resources entirely through his own strength, jealousy could easily drive someone to sabotage him out of spite.
"Xiao Yan ge-ge, you must be careful."
Naturally, Xiao Yan couldn't allow her to follow him back into the crystal layers. That place harbored terrifying creatures like the Ancient Devouring Insects. Who knew if something even more frightening might be lurking deeper within?
He nodded, then swept his hand through the air. Eleven puppets materialized around them.
"They'll protect you. If anything happens, I'll come out immediately." He pulled Xun Er into a tight embrace, holding her firmly against his chest.
Nestled in his arms, Xun Er's fingers curled into his robe, and her voice was low but unwavering. "If anything happens to Xiao Yan ge-ge, Xun Er will rush in to save you without hesitation."
Xiao Yan didn't respond with more words. He simply held her a moment longer, then released her gently. With eleven different Heavenly Flames at his disposal, he truly didn't believe these Ancient Devouring Insects could do anything to him.
He burned another opening through the crystal wall and flashed inside. This time, the response from within was completely different. The instant Xiao Yan stepped into the crystal layer, countless tiny white Ancient Devouring Insects hurled themselves at him with suicidal fervor.
In a mere breath, his entire body was wrapped in a dense mass of insects that resembled white sesame seeds, as if they intended to drain every last drop of Dou Qi from his body.
"So, what I obtained earlier should be your Insect Mother." Surrounded by the swarm, Xiao Yan remained unruffled. These mindless little creatures possessed no will of their own, only the instinct to obey their Insect Mother's orders. Against such foes, he had a perfect method prepared.
The moment his words faded, a low hum filled the air. His Spiritual Strength suddenly erupted, and a strange golden radiance flared from his body. This light was impossible to conceal. Bright golden threads shot out from the gaps between the swarming insects. Even though they had sealed him off completely, the golden brilliance seemed omnipresent, streaming through every tiny fissure.
That golden radiance wrapped Xiao Yan in an aura that felt both sacred and eerie, instinctively compelling submission.
As soon as the light appeared, the Ancient Devouring Insects began to slowly retreat. More and more of them withdrew back into the crystal walls.
'This Asura Soul Reaping Technique really is extraordinary. Truly worthy of being a High Tian Class Soul Technique.' Once all the Ancient Devouring Insects had retreated, Xiao Yan's form was revealed again.
He now appeared to be encased in a golden soul aura, like a divine being clad in light. From a distance, most ordinary people would probably be unable to stop themselves from kneeling and worshiping him as a god.
A golden cocoon, resembling an enormous silkworm chrysalis, floated quietly before him, its surface gleaming with dazzling luster.
Xiao Yan had cultivated the second face of the Asura Soul Reaping Technique to the minor level of mastery and finally understood its true function.
Just as the technique originally granted three powers, the three Asura faces each corresponded to one of those strengths.
The Evil Ghost Asura possessed powerful soul-reaping strength, while this sacred aspect embodied the soul illusion of Abyss Submersion!
Put bluntly, it functioned similarly to Qing Lin's Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils, dragging living beings into a soul illusion they could not tear free from and thereby seizing control of their souls!
The difference was that Qing Lin's Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils could only control serpent-type creatures, but such control persisted until death and could not be broken. Xiao Yan's technique, on the other hand, worked on all species regardless of race, limited only by the target's strength, and the control automatically dissolved once he stopped using the soul skill.
He didn't even need to drag every Ancient Devouring Insect into the soul illusion. Controlling their Insect Mother alone was enough.
'My luck really was excellent this time. This Ancient Devouring Insect Mother is currently dormant. Otherwise, a Half-Saint-level Insect Mother would have been enough to kill every last one of us.' After using the Asura Soul Reaping Technique to seize control of the Insect Mother, Xiao Yan couldn't help feeling a prickle of residual fear.
This tiny Insect Mother had actually reached the Half-Saint realm. Had it not been dormant, even with his Heavenly State Spiritual Strength and mastery of a High Tian Class soul technique, controlling it would have been nearly impossible.
Xiao Yan realized that after refining the Mysterious Yellow Flame, his fortune truly had improved.
Heavenly State Spiritual Strength, the Asura Soul Reaping Technique at minor mastery, and a dormant Insect Mother… none of the three could be missing, and by some miracle, he happened to have all of them.
'These Ancient Devouring Insects are truly good stuff. They can even absorb energy storms as terrifying as that one, and the crystal layers they secrete are unimaginably hard. An ordinary Dou Venerate can't even scratch them.' Xiao Yan unconsciously licked his lips.
Letting something this good go to waste would be a crime!
If he could raise these Ancient Devouring Insects, he would essentially possess a living tool for producing defensive crystal walls. On top of that, he could have the Nihility Devouring Flame refine those walls into energy crystal stones!
And he knew of a place filled with violent power no weaker than the Heavenly Tomb's energy storms. These Ancient Devouring Insects would be a perfect fit there!
Xiao Yan slowly closed his eyes. His Spiritual Strength surged once more, and a soul body identical to him, but with a far more divine bearing, quietly emerged from his body. This was the second face of the Asura Soul Reaping Technique!
The second face slowly opened its eyes. Twin beams of golden light shot from its pupils onto the Insect Mother. With a sizzling sound, the Insect Mother let out an eerie cry.
Buzzzzzzzzz!!!!
Countless Ancient Devouring Insects seeped from the crystal walls in all directions. They swarmed toward the Insect Mother, covering it layer after layer until they formed a massive white sphere.
Xiao Yan's lips curled upward in satisfaction at the sight of the self-packaged Ancient Devouring Insects. 'Not bad at all. The remaining two-plus years should be enough to raise the Asura Soul Reaping Technique to the major level. Once we leave, even if this Insect Mother awakens, I'll have more than enough strength to deal with it.'
He hadn't forgotten that he had conned six level-nine energy cores and six bags of assorted cores from the others. Having the Dou God Clans work for him like this felt almost too good!
He wrapped the white insect sphere in his Spiritual Strength and stored it away in his Nihility Space. Then he waved his hand.
A small black cat obediently jumped out from the Nihility Space and perched atop his head.
(≧≦)
"Refine all of these crystal walls," Xiao Yan said with a smile. "There's so much here. Don't waste any. Our future meals are riding on this."
These crystal layers had very likely accumulated for far more than just one hundred and twenty years. Some might have existed since ancient times. Each time the Heavenly Tomb opened, the Dou God Clan prodigies merely carved out a single passage. The crystal layers elsewhere had never been touched.
To Xiao Yan, these crystal layers had enormous value. Not only could they be used directly for cultivation, but they could also serve as high-level Rank 9 Monster Cores for refining pills.
Once one reached the realm of tier 9 pills, obtaining actual Monster Cores from Rank 9 Magical Beasts became exceedingly difficult. The energy sources for tier 9 pills typically had to be replaced with other items, such as Core Fire Beads. But Xiao Yan only had a single Core Fire Bead and one Monster Core from the Nine-Headed Heaven Serpent.
If he wanted to refine more tier 9 pills, he needed more suitable energy sources.
These long-accumulated crystal layers were just right!
Meow! (Roger!)
Mao Wu stretched out its paws and drew a deep breath. With a loud whoosh, it spewed black flames in every direction. The flames resembled a black hole, voraciously devouring the surrounding crystal layers.
Xiao Yan did not remain idle. He retrieved the energy cores he had extorted from the various Dou God Clan prodigies and began circulating the Emperor Soul Technique to absorb them, using their energy to further cultivate the Asura Soul Reaping Technique.
Fortunately, he had cultivated the Emperor Soul Technique. Otherwise, absorbing level-nine energy cores alone would have taken an extremely long time.
Within the light barrier, Xiao Yan sat cross-legged amidst a sea of black flames while the little black cat spewed an endless torrent of fire, frantically devouring and refining the crystal layers that had existed here for so many years.
A golden soul body enveloped Xiao Yan's form. Its radiant mouth opened slightly as it rapidly drew in the energy cores floating around him. One after another, the cores turned to ash and drifted away.
As the second face of the Asura Soul Reaping Technique greedily absorbed the energy, the golden soul light around it grew denser and more sacred. The second face, initially hazy and insubstantial like a mere soul shadow, gradually solidified, becoming more and more like a true entity!
Roughly a month later, Xiao Yan had finished absorbing all the energy cores he had swindled from the Dou God Clan members.
'A Tian Class Soul Training Method truly lives up to its rank. Whether it's boosting Spiritual Strength or refining objects, its speed is top-tier.' His Spiritual Strength had also improved somewhat while cultivating the Asura Soul Reaping Technique. But advancing within the Heavenly State was anything but easy. For now, he remained at the early Heavenly State.
He glanced at the Nihility Devouring Flame, which was still voraciously devouring the Heavenly Tomb's crystal walls. After confirming through Spiritual Strength that Xing Tian was also functioning normally, Xiao Yan took out a crystal stone that Mao Wu had finished refining and began cultivating his Dou Qi.
He intended to raise his cultivation further before going to seek out Xiao Xuan.
The Flame Mantra slowly circulated. The crystal's energy immediately transformed into streams that flowed into his body, following the Flame Mantra's pathways. They required almost no refinement as they melted into his limbs and bones, steadily raising his Dou Qi cultivation.
What Xiao Yan didn't know was that his every move within the passage had fallen under another's complete scrutiny.
…
In the deepest part of the Heavenly Tomb's third layer lay a forbidden land. The surroundings were as black as ink, the ambient light so dim it was almost nonexistent. Standing there felt like standing within pure void, stirring a nameless dread and confusion in the heart.
In that eerie place, a single massive stone monument stood alone. Isolated in the pitch-black region, it seemed solitary and eternal, radiating a sense of endless loneliness.
Four powerful characters were carved upon its surface: Tomb of Xiao Xuan.
Inside the space contained within the stone monument stood a man. His features were not especially handsome, but his presence carried a distinctive weight. Black hair draped over his shoulders. His ink-black pupils resembled deep black holes, filled with a strange wisdom that exerted a quiet, compelling charm.
This man was Xiao Xuan, the last Clan Head of the Dou God Clan's Xiao Clan.
From the moment Xiao Yan had stepped into the Heavenly Tomb, Xiao Xuan had sensed his arrival. Beyond the weak trace of Xiao Clan bloodline and the clan token Xiao Yan wore, there was also the Yin-Yang Twin Flame within his body!
When Xiao Yan had entered, he had been wearing the token of the Xiao Clan's Little Clan Leader.
'The Yin-Yang Twin Flame, my clan's Little Clan Leader token, and he has cultivated the Skyfire Three Mysterious Change… he is indeed one of my clan. But why does he have the Hun Clan's Dou God Bloodline? And that black Heavenly Flame… could it be the Nihility Devouring Flame?'
Xiao Xuan's eyes were unfathomably deep. Even he couldn't figure out what was going on!
Though Xiao Yan possessed Heavenly State Spiritual Strength—already exceedingly strong among his peers—Xiao Xuan had once been not only one of the Dou Qi Continent's foremost powers, but had also possessed an Emperor State soul!
Even now, with Xiao Xuan long dead and only a special projection that didn't even qualify as a remnant soul remaining in the Heavenly Tomb, Xiao Yan could not escape his perception.
Xiao Xuan's eyes narrowed, a fierce glint flashing across their depths. If Xiao Yan had been sent by the Hun Clan to deceive him into revealing the Xiao Clan's final inheritance, he would not hesitate to strike.
…
Meanwhile, Xiao Yan, cultivating within the light barrier, remained blissfully unaware that he had already exposed all of his secrets. He was completely immersed in the abundant energy of the crystal stones.
Time flowed quickly. In the blink of an eye, Xiao Yan had already spent a year inside the Heavenly Tomb, equivalent to two months in the outside world. Having absorbed a large number of crystal stones, his cultivation continued to climb.
Boom!
Xiao Yan's eyes snapped open. A powerful aura erupted from his body, the unmistakable presence of a 9-star Dou Venerate surging skyward!
'9-star Dou Venerate. These energy crystal layers condensed by the Ancient Devouring Insects truly are treasures.'