Word Count: 3,988 Words
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Although Xiao Yan and Xun Er had been inside for nearly a year, most of the energy cores Xiao Yan had obtained had gone toward cultivating the Asura Soul Reaping Technique. He had actually devoted relatively little of them to his Dou Qi cultivation.
He slowly opened his eyes and let out a long breath. Surging Dou Qi rippled within his pitch-black pupils, almost tangible. When he moved his palm, faint lines appeared in the surrounding space. His aura was, without question, far more formidable than before.
'9‑star Dou Venerate. These energy crystal stones really are treasures.'
Xiao Yan rose to his feet. The old saying was true: where there is danger, there is opportunity. Who could have imagined that the solidified light barrier that had troubled the Dou God Clans for millennia, together with those terrifying Ancient Devouring Insects and their Half-Saint-level Insect Mother, would bring him such fortune?
A proud smile curved his lips. This was an opportunity no one else could touch.
First, they didn't have a Seed Flame of the Nihility Devouring Flame. Second, almost no one entering the Heavenly Tomb could possibly subdue the Ancient Devouring Insect Mother the way he had.
By now, the Nihility Devouring Flame had already returned to his Acceptance Soul, and the light-barrier passage to the third layer was completely clear. Every crystal layer along it had been devoured and refined.
He had only used a portion of the crystal stones to raise his cultivation, still leaving a considerable amount. This was, after all, the Heavenly Tomb's accumulation over countless years; there was no way merely advancing by one star could exhaust it.
'Time to get out and stretch my muscles.' Xiao Yan stretched lazily and rolled his neck. Constantly remaining in seclusion to cultivate was not his style.
Besides, he hadn't forgotten that the real prize here was still the inheritance left behind by his ancestor.
When he stepped out of the light barrier, he saw Xun Er already waiting in front of it. The aura of his breakthrough to 9-star Dou Venerate had leaked through the barrier, and she had naturally guessed he was about to emerge.
"Xun Er, you've reached peak 9-star?" Xiao Yan probed her cultivation and couldn't help his note of surprise.
"Thanks to the crystal stones Xiao Yan ge-ge gave me." Xun Er smiled sweetly and took the initiative to lace her fingers through his large hand.
After being apart for so long, Xiao Yan had naturally missed her. He reached out to gently stroke her cheek. "Silly girl, even without me, you have plenty of ways to reach the peak of 9-star."
He could already guess that now that Xun Er had fully stepped into the Divine Grade bloodline, she would soon begin receiving certain legacies left in the Gu Clan by Emperor Gu, inheritances that only a Divine Grade bloodline could obtain. When that time came, her strength would soar by leaps and bounds and grow even more astonishing.
If he didn't work hard, she would definitely pull far ahead of him. He might joke about hiding behind her to eat soft rice, but that was only talk. Deep down, Xiao Yan still wanted to be the one to shield Xun Er from the wind and rain.
"Come. Let's go to the depths of the third layer and let the ancestor see my wife. We'll see if the old man is satisfied."
Xun Er's cheeks flushed a soft red. She shot him a shy glare, then lowered her head and whispered, "Mm."
With a wave of his hand, Xiao Yan summoned the Yin-Yang Twin Flame. The black and white fish hovered before him, slowly gliding forward to lead the way. For once, the twin fish were reliable. They finally reacted and seemed to know where Xiao Xuan's tomb mansion lay.
Under their guidance, Xiao Yan and Xun Er walked in a single direction. The deeper they went, the more Xiao Yan marveled at the Heavenly Tomb's wonders. The outermost area had been a gray, hazy expanse. Now, however, the world had become verdant mountains and clear waters. As far as the eye could see, mountain ranges rose and fell, coiling and crouching like dragons and tigers.
The ambient natural energy maintained banks of drifting mist throughout this undulating landscape. Giant trees pierced into the clouds and waterfalls plunged from lofty heights. For a time, Xiao Yan couldn't even tell whether this was a tomb or a great primeval forest.
If not for the occasional coffins and tombstones in auspicious geomantic spots, he would never have imagined this was a cemetery at all!
Some tombstones were empty. In others, Xiao Yan could sense enclosed spaces, with faint but powerful auras leaking out from within. He and Xun Er even saw figures in ancient robes sitting cross-legged, as if silently waiting for something.
These experts, without exception, were all incomparably strong. Not only did they possess tremendous power, they had also preserved a measure of intelligence. 9-star Dou Venerate-level, level-nine energy bodies stood like guards around the tomb mansions.
'Could these people be waiting for a chance at resurrection?!' Xiao Yan's heart trembled. He had once resurrected Venerable Tian Huo, who had been reduced to a lone soul body.
Venerable Tian Huo had at least still possessed a soul body, albeit a very weak one. The figures in this Heavenly Tomb, however, didn't even qualify as soul bodies; they were more like threads of soul information.
They resembled the spiritual imprints left within Dou Technique scrolls, except the Heavenly Tomb was too special, projecting these fragments in a unique way.
This Heavenly Tomb was like an enormous Dou Technique scroll. How could these people possibly be resurrected?
With only a segment of soul information, not even Xiao Yan could bring them back to life.
"Xiao Yan ge-ge, we should have truly entered the depths of the Heavenly Tomb. In life, anyone qualified to set up a monument here was a remarkable powerhouse," Xun Er said softly.
"Mm. In ancient times, this Heavenly Tomb was probably a kind of secret realm. As long as one was strong enough, they could arrange to have their burial here and continue existing in this special way. Only after the Dou Gods collectively vanished did the later Dou God Clans occupy it." Xiao Yan nodded. He had already noticed some clues. Many of the characters carved on these tombstones were ones he couldn't recognize at all.
It was entirely possible that some of the people buried here dated back to unimaginably distant eras.
"Jie Jie Jie, Xiao Yan, the two of you are far too slow."
The cold, strange laughter made Xiao Yan's expression darken at once. He snapped his head up toward two distant figures, his face sinking. "Hun Ya, Hun Li!"
He and Xun Er exchanged a glance, each seeing solemnity in the other's eyes. With their combined strength, how could these two have the guts to appear openly before them? Something was definitely off. Since they dared to show themselves, they must have a trump card.
Hun Ya's lips twisted into a strange smile as he and Hun Li slowly retreated. As they stepped back, two gray-robed elders with gloomy expressions appeared before them like ghosts. Such methods were absolutely not something a Dou Venerate could display!
The moment these two gray-robed elders appeared, an indescribable sense of danger exploded in Xiao Yan's heart.
"Dou Saint energy bodies?!"
He and Xun Er instantly circulated their Dou Qi. Neither of them would ever have imagined Hun Ya and Hun Li could actually find Dou Saint energy bodies to assist them. Weren't most energy bodies supposed to have almost no consciousness left?
"These two elders should be Dou Saints of the Hun Clan who, after dying, preserved a bit of awareness here in the Heavenly Tomb, very likely through some Secret Method," Xun Er said in a low voice.
In life, these two energy bodies had indeed been Dou Saints. Now, though, they were dead. They didn't even count as true soul bodies, just lingering strands of energy, little better than puppets obeying dormant commands.
On the other hand, that wasn't so strange. If Xiao Xuan could leave a contingency behind, allowing Xiao Yan to use the Yin-Yang Twin Flame to find his tomb mansion, then it was only normal for the Hun Clan to possess similar methods!
The sinister look in Hun Ya's eyes intensified when he saw Xiao Yan's changed expression. He let out a cackling laugh. "Jie Jie Jie, so what if you're impressive, Xiao Yan? My Hun Clan is the mightiest power on the Dou Qi Continent!"
Xiao Yan ignored Hun Ya's taunts. His gaze remained firmly locked on the two gray-robed elders. Though their bodies looked no different from living people, their eyes were filled with a cold indifference, almost completely devoid of light. Clearly, they were only following orders left behind long ago.
"The Xiao Clan… has not been completely wiped out?" In the heavy silence, one of the gray-robed elders let his indifferent gaze pause on Xiao Yan.
"Senior Hun Diao, the Xiao Clan no longer exists. Their Dou God Bloodline has completely dried up. But this fellow has outstanding talent and has climbed to this height entirely through his own strength. If we don't eliminate him now, he might become another Xiao Xuan," Hun Ya said respectfully.
"He didn't rely on bloodline strength?" A trace of surprise flickered across the eyes of the elder named Hun Diao. He nodded. "In that case, he truly should be erased."
A glint passed through Hun Diao's eyes as his gaze fixed onto Xiao Yan like a vice.
On the other side, Hun Li added, "That woman has the Gu Clan's Divine Grade Bloodline."
"Oh? Then both can die here today."
Hun Ya and Hun Li continued to retreat, evil smiles spreading over their faces. "Xiao Yan, you're definitely dying here today!"
Xiao Yan only shrugged and shot the pair, who had fled a safe distance away, a helpless glance. "The two of you think far too highly of these old relics."
"What?!"
"Dou Saint energy bodies are indeed powerful, but if you were going to find some, you should at least have found higher-level Dou Saints. Two who only reached one or two stars in life, now reduced to energy bodies with a mere fragment of their awareness and power left… you really think they can kill me?" His eyes went hard as terrifying Spiritual Strength erupted from within him.
"Early Heavenly State Spiritual Strength!!"
"How has his Spiritual Strength gone up again?!"
Hun Ya and Hun Li turned ashen. When he fought Gu Qing Yang, Xiao Yan's Spiritual Strength had only just stepped into the Heavenly State. Now it had clearly advanced once more!
The two Hun Clan elders also sensed the strength of Xiao Yan's Spiritual Strength, and a trace of solemnity flashed in their eyes. Though they didn't have much consciousness left, their remaining instincts let them feel a hint of danger.
Heavenly State Spiritual Strength was still only Spiritual Strength and was far from reaching the level of a Dou Saint. What puzzled them, however, was that something hidden deep within Xiao Yan's soul made their hearts tremble!
"Xun Er, can you hold the other one for a while?" Xiao Yan asked through a voice transmission.
A sharp gleam flashed in Xun Er's eyes. She turned her head toward him. "I won't let the other one disturb Xiao Yan ge-ge."
Buzz!!
Seven-colored light suddenly burst from her forehead, illuminating the entire space. As Xun Er activated her seven-colored Clan Mark, her Dou Qi cultivation surged endlessly. In the blink of an eye, it surpassed even Gu Qing Yang's previous might and shot directly to Two‑Change Dou Venerate!!
Feeling how terrifyingly her Clan Mark boosted her by two full changes in one breath, even Xiao Yan had to silently admit his respect. The Dou God Bloodline really was outrageous!
The increase in cultivation alone rivaled a Tian Class Secret Technique. And he knew that raising cultivation was only a side effect. The Gu Clan's Dou God Bloodline also amplified the power of one's Dou Techniques!
Looking at her now, he wasn't entirely sure who was actually 'holding off' whom.
Once he was certain Xun Er could manage, Xiao Yan locked his gaze on Hun Diao. His hands flashed through a series of seals as he activated the Skyfire Three Mysterious Change, merging six Heavenly Flames in pairs. His own cultivation did not rise as dramatically as Xun Er's; it only climbed a bit higher than peak 9-star, barely counting as half a change. It didn't even quite reach a full one.
But there was nothing to be done about it. Who could blame him when his Dou God Bloodline didn't even reach Grade 1?
With a low hum, Xiao Yan felt his bloodline heat and boil. A faint mark flickered briefly on his forehead before vanishing.
The Ancient Phoenix Wings and Dragon Phoenix Ancient Armor unfolded at once as terrifying Heavenly Flames roared to life around him. He let out a cold laugh. "If you were still alive, I'd turn and run. But a mere energy body wants my life? You're daydreaming!"
He stopped wasting words and went straight on the attack. His right foot slammed down with a thunderous boom as the ground caved in, dirt and stone spraying everywhere. He exploded forward, a long trail of flame stretching out behind him toward Hun Diao.
Hun Diao let out a cold snort. "Do you really think early Heavenly State Spiritual Strength alone is enough to defeat me?"
"Lock!"
His shout was icy. He clenched his palm in Xiao Yan's direction, and the space around Xiao Yan solidified in an instant. Heavenly State Spiritual Strength might be impressive, but in the Hun Clan it was hardly rare. Anyone who reached the Dou Saint realm possessed it!
If he had still been alive, someone of Xiao Yan's strength would never even have qualified to stand before him!
Xiao Yan felt the space around him solidify and his eyes narrowed. Dou Qi raced wildly through his body, surging together in his right hand as terrifying worldly power poured in.
'Great Heaven Creation Palm!' He roared inwardly and thrust his palm forward.
A humming filled the air as the black spot on his right hand suddenly expanded. A gigantic black sphere of energy swelled out with a booming roar, like an inflated balloon violently colliding with everything around it.
Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack!!
The Great Heaven Creation Palm slammed into Hun Diao's Space Lock, and the violent clash of power ravaged the entire mountain range. Shockwaves of energy blasted earth and trees into the air.
Crack! Crack!
Hun Diao clenched his hand and compressed the space even more. Yet the more he squeezed down on the Great Heaven Creation Palm, the stronger its backlash became. The two forces continued wrestling, one trying to crush this 'balloon,' the other trying to swell and explode.
Hun Ya and Hun Li's faces went ghost-pale as they watched Xiao Yan's Great Heaven Creation Palm deadlock against Hun Diao's Space Lock.
Xiao Yan's strength was far beyond what it had been a year ago!
If Gu Qing Yang met this 9-star Dou Venerate Xiao Yan again, he probably wouldn't even need the Flame God Seal!!
"How did he become this strong?!"
"Damn it, he must have obtained some huge opportunity!"
They of course had no idea that Xiao Yan had not only swindled their energy cores but had also obtained a massive amount of crystal-stone energy, raising his strength by an entire star.
BOOM!
Just as shock surged in their hearts, a blinding light burst out from within the frozen space. Terrifying energy exploded, sending violent waves gouging through the sealed area.
"Explode!"
The Great Heaven Creation Palm detonated with a deafening roar. The horrifying spatial turbulence shredded Hun Diao's condensed space in an instant.
"A bit of skill, but a Low Tian Class Dou Technique alone isn't enough." A cold sneer crossed Hun Diao's impassive face. He opened his mouth, and roiling black clouds flooded out.
Amid a chorus of thunderous roars, the clouds condensed into a colossal black python thousands of feet long. Its Spiritual Strength instantly locked onto Xiao Yan hidden in the void. The giant tail swept out with a force that even space could not bear; earth and void crumbled wherever it passed.
Even with only an energy body remaining, a Dou Saint was still a Dou Saint!
A thunderous crash shook the sky as Xiao Yan, hiding in the void, was struck head-on. His body exploded apart, and a terrifying lightning storm swallowed the giant serpent whole.
"A clone?"
"Whether it's enough or not, you're staying here today." Xiao Yan's icy voice rang out from behind Hun Diao as a blazing heat suddenly appeared.
With a sharp crack, Xiao Yan erupted into his most powerful state. The Dragon Phoenix Ancient Armor and Ancient Phoenix Wings flared under the stimulation of his Heavenly Flames. His foot descended like a mountain, stamping down hard. The ground detonated with a deafening boom as Hun Diao was stomped straight into the earth, leaving a massive crater!
"Ancestor!!" Hun Ya and Hun Li shrieked. They had assumed that summoning two Dou Saint-level energy bodies would allow them to easily kill Xiao Yan. Never had they imagined his strength would rise again!
'This is only one short year. If Xiao Yan spends the full three years in the Heavenly Tomb…' Both felt a chill at that thought. They absolutely could not let Xiao Yan walk out of here alive!
"Xiao Clan brat, take my palm!" Hun Diao flashed in front of Xiao Yan like a ghost. With a harsh shout, countless wailing souls gathered around his palm as he struck out with incomparable speed!
The blow looked very simple, merely one palm that had condensed a Dou Technique without any fancy variation. Yet this was a palm launched by someone who had once been a Dou Saint. That single strike alone made Xiao Yan's heart sink and his scalp prickle.
An elite Dou Saint was terrifying to this extent!
"Ha!!" Xiao Yan roared. The Ancient Phoenix Wings behind him let out a piercing cry as the enormous wings of flame transformed into a blazing bell that wrapped around him, meeting the incoming palm head-on.
BOOM!!
The surrounding world trembled. The Ancient Phoenix Bell was nowhere near enough to withstand the blow. Hun Diao's palm blasted straight through it, and overwhelming Dou Qi poured down.
Even with his arms crossed to guard himself and the Dragon Phoenix Ancient Armor protecting his body, Xiao Yan still spat a great mouthful of blood as he was slapped straight out of the sky.
A tremendous crash rang out as the earth at the point of impact split open into countless fissures. Xiao Yan's body was driven deep underground.
"Good!!"
"The ancestor is invincible!"
Hun Ya and Hun Li were ecstatic at the sight of Xiao Yan bloodied and fallen, failing to notice the grave expression on Hun Diao's face.
Shattered stone flew aside with a clatter as Xiao Yan pushed himself up from the rubble. He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and raised his head toward Hun Diao in the sky. Though he looked a bit bedraggled, the Heavenly Flames around him were already rapidly healing his injuries.
Hun Ya and Hun Li's cheering cut off abruptly. He had taken a direct palm strike from a Dou Saint energy body and still hadn't died!
"What a powerful physical body!" Hun Diao's expression changed greatly as he watched Xiao Yan's caved-in chest and blood-streaked arms swiftly knit back together.
He knew very clearly what kind of power his palm contained. Though he lacked even a tenth of his former strength and had little consciousness left, a single strike from him could still instantly kill some of the weaker Half-Saint-level energy bodies.
Yet Xiao Yan, someone who had only squeezed his way to peak 9-star Dou Venerate by relying on a Secret Technique, had actually taken his palm head-on and lived!
This physical body was terrifying!
Even the energy bodies watching from afar frowned slightly. Xiao Yan's strength had already exceeded their expectations.
Had the Dou Qi Continent undergone some world-shaking transformation for such a monstrous genius to appear?
"I'd like to see how long you can last." A savage gleam flashed in Xiao Yan's eyes. Though he did have a cooperative relationship with the Hun Clan, to be precise, he was only cooperating with Hun Tiandi.
Since someone from the Hun Clan had attacked him, there was no reason for him to be polite. He wasn't a member of the Hun Clan!
With a shout, Xiao Yan's Heavenly Flames erupted to their absolute peak as he charged straight at Hun Diao.
Energy bodies were just that: energy bodies. They couldn't circulate Qi Methods to recover Dou Qi. In fact, they had no Dou Qi within their bodies at all. All of their attacks relied on drawing in and condensing the energy of the world. The only thing these Dou Saint energy bodies truly retained was a Dou Saint's degree of control.
If he dragged things out long enough, they would simply dissipate on their own.
With a whoosh, he swung the Heavy Xuan Ruler down in a brutal arc. The blow carried an overbearing momentum, as if he had hoisted an entire mountain and hurled it.
"Die!" Hun Diao's face changed dramatically. He roared and punched out toward the Heavy Xuan Ruler.
For a time, Xiao Yan actually fought on equal footing with the Dou Saint-level energy body. Though he was at a disadvantage, with the protection of the Dragon Phoenix Ancient Armor and the Three Thousand Burning Flame, the now-hollow Hun Diao found himself unable to kill Xiao Yan in a single move. Instead, Xiao Yan fought like someone with an undying body, growing fiercer the longer the battle dragged on!
"Ah!! You've forced my hand!"
Finding himself helpless against someone who, in life, he wouldn't even have spared a glance—a mere Dou Venerate ant—Hun Diao's eyes twisted with ferocity.
A spark of Dou God Bloodline light suddenly flared within his body.
His blood Qi exploded, and for an instant it felt as though he had retrieved a sliver of his former strength!!
"Zero Domain Heaven Seal!"
The surrounding world shook. The sun and moon seemed to dim. All light vanished as if the world itself had gone dark. It was as though every trace of energy of the world was draining away, pouring into the Heaven Seal forming in Hun Diao's palm.
"Go to hell!!"
He thrust out his palm. That hidden trace of Dou God Bloodline was his final trump card. He was, after all, a dead man whose retained awareness depended entirely on that bit of Dou God Bloodline. Once consumed, his strength would plummet. In the end, he would either be reduced to a mere guard for other Dou Saint energy bodies or be torn apart and devoured by them.
Facing Hun Diao's killing blow, Xiao Yan's expression carried a hint of calm expectation.
He swiftly pulled out a white sphere from his Nihility Space and hurled it toward the descending Heaven Seal. With a thought, the Ancient Devouring Insects within the white sphere awakened, secreting layer after layer of energy crystal.
"Those are Ancient Devouring Insects!!"
With a deafening boom, the sphere of insects actually blocked that strike. All of the Dou Qi energy contained in the Heaven Seal was continuously devoured and converted into crystal layers!!
"I told you… you're staying here today."
A roar surged through Xiao Yan's heart as ghostly light and golden light erupted from his soul at the same time.
Asura Soul Reaping Technique—Sacred Demon Severance!