Chapter 285: The Greater World
Upon seeing Xiao Shaobei, Xiao Wen immediately bowed to the clan leader, displaying his respect. Xiao Wu, on the other hand, hesitated briefly before offering a somewhat reluctant salute.
Noticing this behavior, Xiao Shaobei subtly extended his soul power, which had reached the peak of the Heavenly Realm, into Xiao Wu's body for a closer inspection.
The moment Xiao Wu felt this intrusion, his expression darkened, and he glared at Xiao Shaobei with discontent.
"Clan leader, what is the meaning of this? Why are you probing my soul?"
Xiao Wu's outburst surprised Xiao Shaobei slightly. Judging from this reaction, it was clear that Xiao Wu's condition had worsened more than expected.
Diagnosing the Issue
Calmly smiling, Xiao Shaobei replied, "Don't worry. Xiao Yan mentioned you were tainted by a trace of a demon saint's residual soul. I'm simply checking to ensure you're alright."
Instead of gratitude, Xiao Wu shot an accusatory glance at Xiao Yan.
"Xiao Yan, I trusted you, but you tricked me into returning so the clan leader could interrogate me!"
He shook his head in frustration and turned to Xiao Shaobei.
"Clan leader, I assure you, I am perfectly fine. This checkup is unnecessary!"
Hearing Xiao Wu's stubborn words, Xiao Yan and Xiao Wen exchanged a heavy glance. The situation was becoming increasingly dire.
Xiao Yan subtly signaled to Xiao Shaobei, who nodded slightly, his smile unchanging.
"Xiao Wu," Shaobei said gently, "even if the trace of demon energy hasn't caused significant harm yet, it's better to eliminate any potential risks. Allow me to help you."
As he spoke, Shaobei extended his hand toward Xiao Wu.
Removing the Demonic Influence
"No! Stay away!"
Xiao Wu's expression turned feral, and he retreated quickly, his movements erratic.
However, before a mere half saint could escape a nine star Dou Saint like Xiao Shaobei, the clan leader's hand landed on Xiao Wu's shoulder with effortless ease.
"Release me!" Xiao Wu roared, his strength sealed by Shaobei in an instant.
Then, Shaobei's immense soul power surged into Xiao Wu's soul, illuminating every corner and uncovering the black tendrils embedded deep within.
This demonic energy had taken root like tree roots, spreading through Xiao Wu's soul. For an ordinary soul cultivator, removing it would have been impossible.
But to Xiao Shaobei, who possessed unparalleled soul power, it was a mere trifle.
With a burst of pure soul energy, the tendrils were obliterated, roots and all.
"Curse you! I will not accept this! I will not be defeated!"
A sinister, ghostly face momentarily appeared on Xiao Wu's face, its voice a venomous shriek. However, Shaobei's calm hum dissolved the apparition entirely, banishing it into nothingness.
Xiao Wu's Recovery
As the demonic influence disappeared, Xiao Wu's face turned pale, and he coughed up a mouthful of blood. Despite this, his eyes regained their clarity, and his demeanor returned to normal.
Realizing what had transpired, Xiao Wu's face stiffened. Memories of his previous behavior flooded back his defiance and disrespect toward both the clan leader and Xiao Yan.
Flustered, he bowed deeply to Shaobei.
"Thank you, clan leader, for saving me."
Xiao Shaobei waved dismissively, his tone light. "No need for thanks. Protecting the clan's emperor is your duty. Saving you is mine."
He turned to Xiao Yan and Xiao Wen. "It's fortunate you returned in time. Had this demonic energy taken deeper root in Xiao Wu's soul, it would have irreparably altered his personality within a year."
Hearing this, Xiao Yan and Xiao Wen exchanged glances, both relieved at their quick action.
Discussing the Demonic Threat
Shaobei then looked at Xiao Yan with a smile.
"From the way you've been speaking, it seems you've encountered some ruins related to the extraterrestrial demons during your journey. It's time you learned more about this matter. Follow me."
With a wave of his hand, space rippled, and Xiao Shaobei vanished, taking Xiao Yan with him.
When they reappeared, Xiao Yan found himself standing in a grand, ancient hall.
The Ancestral Hall
Towering stone pillars over a hundred feet tall supported the vast structure, while intricate carvings of mystical beasts adorned the walls.
The atmosphere was at once familiar and awe inspiring. Xiao Yan's gaze swept the surroundings, his heart racing as he recognized the man seated at the far end of the hall.
"Ancestor!"
Even Xiao Shaobei, the esteemed clan leader, bowed respectfully to the figure in green robes. Xiao Yan, despite his growing strength, quickly followed suit.
Though he could jest with Shaobei, Xiao Xuan, the legendary ancestor of the Xiao Clan, commanded an unparalleled level of reverence.
"No need for such formality," Xiao Xuan said with a warm smile, his gaze sweeping over Xiao Yan.
A Legendary Presence
As Xiao Xuan's eyes landed on him, Xiao Yan felt as if his entire being had been laid bare.
After a moment, Xiao Xuan nodded approvingly.
"Excellent," he said with a smile. "In just over a year, you've grown to the brink of Dou Zun. Even more impressive, you've collected four types of Heavenly Flames."
Xiao Yan humbly replied, "Without the privileges granted to me as the clan's emperor, I wouldn't have progressed this quickly."
Standing to the side, Xiao Shaobei couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy. It had been ages since Xiao Xuan last praised him.
Xiao Xuan chuckled but soon grew serious.
"Tell me, Xiao Yan. During your journey, have you encountered traces of the extraterrestrial demons?"
At this, Xiao Yan's expression turned grave.
"The extraterrestrial demons' power at their peak was terrifying," he said. "Even a mere branch of the Soul Demon Clan wiped out the entire Spring God Sect. And the Yin Yang Evil Saint's ruins... they suggest that the demons had at least two Dou Di level experts in their ranks."
The Truth About the Source Qi
Hearing this, Xiao Shaobei's face grew solemn. Xiao Xuan, too, nodded thoughtfully before speaking.
"You are correct. The extraterrestrial demons were unimaginably powerful. Their invasion was one of the reasons the Dou Qi Continent's Source Qi began to fade."
He continued, his tone grave.
"The reason no one can ascend to Dou Di today is the depletion of Source Qi. Without it, even those at the peak of nine star Dou Sheng cannot break through."
Both Xiao Yan and Xiao Shaobei listened intently, their expressions heavy with the weight of this revelation.
Xiao Xuan's next revelation left both Xiao Yan and Xiao Shaobei visibly shocked.
"The disappearance of the world's Source Qi is directly related to the extraterrestrial demons," Xiao Xuan said.
Hearing this, Xiao Yan and Xiao Shaobei's faces turned grim.
They had already understood that the extraterrestrial demons were immensely powerful, but this revelation suggested their strength exceeded even their most terrifying imaginations.
Seeing their reaction, Xiao Xuan was not surprised. He continued explaining calmly.
The Link to a Greater World
"Approximately 49,000 years ago, the Dou Qi Continent was connected to a much vaster world. That world's scale and grandeur were said to surpass the Dou Qi Continent tenfold or even a hundredfold."
"The ancient records refer to this vast expanse as the 'Great Thousand World.' Among the ancient experts of the Dou Qi Continent, it was simply called the 'Upper Realm.'"
Hearing this, Xiao Yan's expression showed sudden realization.
Indeed, various clues in history had hinted that a more advanced and powerful world existed beyond the Dou Qi Continent one capable of producing experts stronger than Dou Emperors.
"But today," Xiao Shaobei interjected, "the so called 'Upper Realm' has disappeared from all records of the Dou Qi Continent."
Xiao Xuan nodded slightly and then revealed a shocking truth.
"The extraterrestrial demons were a force so terrifying that even the Great Thousand World trembled at their presence."
A Cataclysmic Invasion
Xiao Yan and Xiao Shaobei couldn't help swallowing nervously.
If the Great Thousand World was vastly superior to the Dou Qi Continent, yet the extraterrestrial demons could shake it to its core, their power must have been unimaginable.
Ignoring their astonishment, Xiao Xuan continued.
"Forty nine thousand years ago, the extraterrestrial demons invaded the Great Thousand World in full force, unleashing an apocalyptic calamity."
"This catastrophe was not confined to the Upper Realm. Many of the Great Thousand World's subsidiary planes were also targeted. Among them, the Dou Qi Continent was one of the strongest, ranked in the top three among the countless subsidiary planes."
"The Dou Qi Continent's strength drew the demons' attention, and one of their major clans led a coalition of demon forces to invade."
Xiao Xuan's expression grew solemn.
"The resulting war shattered the Dou Qi Continent. Numerous Dou Emperors fell, and countless ancient legacies were lost forever. While we ultimately achieved a bitter victory, the cost was devastating. Even the connection to the Upper Realm was severed."
Aftermath of the War
"The destruction of the link to the Upper Realm," Xiao Xuan continued, "marked the beginning of what the ancient records call the Era of Isolation."
"During this time, many ancient paths of cultivation, such as formations and inscriptions, declined. Only the paths of Dou Qi and alchemy survived."
"Moreover, the world ceased to produce Source Qi. From that point on, Source Qi became finite, and with every use, it diminished further. Without Source Qi, reaching the Dou Emperor realm became virtually impossible."
"This is why, after the final Dou Emperor, Tuoshe Ancient Emperor, no new Dou Emperors have emerged. My own breakthrough, I must admit, was a stroke of fortune rather than deliberate effort."
Xiao Xuan's words carried a tone of lament, but their implications left Xiao Yan and Xiao Shaobei shaken to their cores.
Lingering Demonic Threats
Xiao Yan, regaining his composure, asked, "Ancestor, if the demons were defeated, why have remnants like the Soul Demon Clan still appeared in recent history?"
Xiao Xuan sighed lightly and shook his head.
"After the Era of Isolation began, the extraterrestrial demons were not completely expelled. Many remnants remained, continuing to infiltrate the Dou Qi Continent. While the outside demons could no longer locate our world, the ones left behind were still fearsome. Even after their forces dwindled, they retained more than ten Demon Emperors."
"In the millennia that followed, the people of the Dou Qi Continent waged a relentless war against these remnants. Over time, the demons, cut off from reinforcements, became like rootless weeds slowly withering away."
"This prolonged war reached a turning point with the emergence of Tuoshe Ancient Emperor, who personally defeated the last Demon Emperor. However, this victory came at a tremendous cost."
"After Tuoshe Ancient Emperor's disappearance, the remaining demonic forces were eventually eradicated. Three thousand years ago, the final vestiges of the extraterrestrial demons were wiped out by the Purifying Lotus Saint."
Xiao Xuan's voice carried a note of sorrow.
"These battles claimed countless heroic lives and extinguished many ancient legacies. What remains of the Dou Qi Continent today is but a shadow of its former self."
A Sobering Revelation
As Xiao Xuan spoke, Xiao Yan and Xiao Shaobei could only remain silent, overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of the history he described.
This was a saga of unimaginable destruction, where countless Dou Emperors fell, and ancient traditions disappeared into oblivion. It was also a testament to the terrifying strength of the extraterrestrial demons.
Even Shaobei, a nine star Dou Saint, was left speechless, his thoughts heavy.
Xiao Xuan, noticing their somber expressions, smiled faintly.
"I've only given you a broad overview. There are many secrets still hidden within this history. It's up to you to uncover them on your own."
His tone grew serious as he looked directly at Xiao Yan.
"You are close to breaking through to the Dou Zun realm. When that time comes, I will temporarily revoke all privileges and assistance you've received from the Xiao Clan."
"From the moment you become a Dou Zun until you reach Dou Sheng, you will walk alone. This will be your trial by fire."
Xiao Xuan's gaze bore into Xiao Yan's.
"True strength is forged in the crucible of life and death. Xiao Yan, do you accept this challenge?"
(Chapter End)
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