Chapter 255: Dou Emperor Bloodline
Hoo!
Xiao Yuan slowly came back to his senses from the overwhelming surge in strength. Feeling the considerable enhancement in his physical power and the immense Dou Qi flooding his Qi Reservoirs, he was brimming with clarity and energy.
Thanks to that drop of Heavenly Demon Phoenix essence blood and the awakening of his own bloodline, he had smoothly advanced to the Dou Zong realm—even without deliberate preparation.
The process was strange. Xiao Yuan hadn't guided anything consciously, but under the extreme heat inside his body, the latent Shaoyang Internal Flame had been drawn out. Catalyzed by the Heavenly Flame, it merged with his awakened bloodline, forming a golden-red flame.
The fusion of four flames transformed his originally bluish-brown fire into a dark-gold hue, looking mysterious and regal.
When he returned to awareness, Xiao Yuan saw both Xiao Yan and Yao Lao staring at him in a daze.
…?
Xiao Yuan blinked, then looked down.
His clothes were still intact, no impurities on his body.
So what were they looking at?
He looked up again—just as Yao Lao whooshed in front of him and peered closely at his forehead.
"Teacher?" Xiao Yuan asked in a small voice.
"You little rascal… how did you awaken a Dou Emperor bloodline?" Yao Lao's voice was filled with disbelief.
Hearing this, Xiao Yan's eyes widened as well.
"Dou Emperor bloodline???"
Xiao Yan didn't fully understand, but anything linked to the words "Dou Emperor" was bound to be extraordinary.
"Teacher, I only vaguely knew the Xiao Clan once had such a powerhouse, but that was eons ago. You know our family's current state—if we really still had a Dou Emperor bloodline, we wouldn't have ended up holed up in a small city in the Jia Ma Empire."
Xiao Yuan truly hadn't expected this.
By logic, the Xiao Clan's Dou Emperor bloodline had long been exhausted. After generations of decline, there weren't many talented members left.
Xiao Yuan's generation was decent, but aside from Xiao Yan and himself, most had talent barely enough to touch Dou Wang. With some luck, maybe Dou Huang.
But to go beyond that—Jia Ma Empire simply lacked the resources.
Xiao Yuan didn't even understand how the bloodline had awakened. He'd just sensed something unusual and decided to test it with the Heavenly Demon Phoenix's blood, thinking that if the bloodline really existed, it wouldn't let foreign essence take over. Surprisingly, it had awakened—and the golden-red hue suggested it wasn't just any bloodline, but a high-grade one.
"Teacher, what exactly is this Dou Emperor bloodline?" Xiao Yan couldn't help but ask.
Yao Lao didn't answer immediately. His old, murky eyes reflected a distant memory before he spoke:
"It's said that when someone reaches the Dou Emperor level, their bloodline transforms. Their descendants gain incredible benefits. In ancient times, there were many such Dou Emperor clans. Though they were human, their cultivation talent was unmatched.
In some rare cases, fortunate descendants might even inherit a portion of a Dou Emperor's power—but that depends entirely on luck."
As he spoke, reverence filled his voice at the mention of "Dou Emperor"—the pinnacle of all cultivators.
"In ancient times, many such clans existed. But with the passage of time, only eight are believed to remain—known as the Eight Ancient Clans. I'm not sure which they all are…
But Xiao Yan, that little girlfriend of yours likely belongs to one—the Gu Clan, one of the most prominent. That might mean your Xiao Clan… no, your Xiao bloodline might've once been part of those Eight. Otherwise, why would the Gu Clan send her to your family?"
Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan's eyes lit up.
Noticing, Yao Lao didn't withhold more.
"I know you want to find that girl, but I advise you to reach at least Dou Zun before thinking about it. The Gu Clan is filled with experts—even Dou Sheng level monsters.
Those at the Dou Sheng level stand at the very summit of the Dou Qi Continent. Their powers defy understanding—one sign of a Dou Sheng is the ability to open a livable space in the void itself."
Yao Lao sighed, admiration in his tone.
"That Gu Clan likely resides within the Ancient Realm—built and expanded over countless years by Dou Sheng ancestors. It could easily hold dozens of Jia Ma Empires."
Xiao Yan gasped quietly. Creating space? Could a person truly do that?
If a Dou Sheng was that terrifying, then what of a Dou Emperor?
Compared to that, the idea of bloodline transformation didn't seem so impossible anymore.
Still… if the Xiao Clan had long lost their Dou Emperor bloodline, how did his Third Brother awaken it?
Xiao Yan's eyes grew more puzzled.
"Teacher, you seem to know quite a bit about the Eight Ancient Clans… Could it be…?"
Though Xiao Yuan knew some things about Yao Lao, he couldn't reveal that—it was unexplainable.
"You really are sharp," Yao Lao chuckled. "Yes, I'm from one of the Eight Ancient Clans—the Yao Clan. But heh, I was cast out a long time ago. Coincidentally, my own Dou Emperor bloodline is nearly gone too."
He glanced at his two disciples and smiled, though the sadness in his eyes couldn't be hidden.
"Heh, then they were blind! With Teacher's alchemy skills, even among the Eight Ancient Clans, you'd be a top-tier talent!" Xiao Yuan snorted.
"Exactly," Xiao Yan added. "Missing out on someone like Teacher is the Yao Clan's loss—not yours. Because of that, Third Brother and I met you, and we'll become strong enough that they'll have no choice but to acknowledge you!"
"Ha… good disciples, good kids."
Yao Lao was moved. These two always knew how to warm his heart.
And more than anything, he believed they could reach heights he never could—true power!
After a moment, Yao Lao placed his hand on Xiao Yuan's shoulder and sensed the blazing blood energy. He nodded.
"Yes, that's definitely a Dou Emperor bloodline. And not a weak one. This will greatly speed up your cultivation, helping offset the disadvantage of your five Qi Reservoirs."
Yao Lao looked pleased.
Though the five Qi Reservoirs hadn't slowed Xiao Yuan much yet, that was only compared to normal cultivators.
Even with top-tier techniques and abundant resources, Xiao Yuan had only just reached Dou Zong. Among the Eight Clans, that wasn't particularly fast.
The stronger one grew, the more Dou Qi was required. Even with a high-tier Earth technique, he'd soon feel constrained.
But with the Dou Emperor bloodline awakened, at least he could maintain decent progress up to the Dou Sheng level.
That was the real benefit.
And then… there was the matter of the bloodline tattoo.
Eventually, Xiao Yuan would have to visit the Heavenly Tomb.
"As for why the bloodline awakened… I can only guess it's a case of atavism—bloodline reversion."
Yao Lao paused, then continued.
"In magical beasts, this happens more often. A beast with a trace of ancient lineage, given the right chance and luck, might awaken that bloodline—gaining ancient powers or even transforming.
But in humans? I've never really studied that…"
He shook his head, still amazed.
"Maybe it really is reversion…"
Xiao Yuan didn't overthink it. It wasn't a bad thing. One day, with an Emperor-grade pill, he'd break through to Dou Emperor and fully activate his bloodline. Then he'd figure out what to do.
For now—cultivation came first.
Speaking of which, there were two old men buried beneath Canaan Academy's magma waiting to be dug up...
Xiao Yuan raised a brow and smirked.
With things settled, Yao Lao and Xiao Yan returned to their own training.
Xiao Yan still had to study the Six Harmonies Flowing Ruler, and Yao Lao—having used a Heavy Xuan Ruler in the past—naturally joined him.
As for Xiao Yuan…
He needed to get used to his new Dou Qi.
His power had surged too fast lately. It was time to temper himself.
"You want to enter the bottom of the Heavenly Flame Refining Tower?"
The next day, in a bright study, Elder Su Qian stared at them in shock upon hearing the request from the two training maniacs.
Xiao Yuan and Xiao Yan exchanged a glance and smiled.
"Elder, though the energy there is wild, it's extremely pure. For cultivating fire techniques, it's as good as any sacred ground. And since the Fallen Heart Flame has been fully refined—and we both possess Heavenly Flames—we should be fine."
Su Qian frowned slightly, then sighed as he looked at their confident faces.
"Alright. But be cautious. That magma world isn't as calm as you imagine. If anything feels off, return immediately. I'll have elders posted nearby just in case."
"Thank you, Elder." Xiao Yuan and Xiao Yan cupped their fists gratefully.
"You two never stop, do you? Come on then."
Su Qian rose from his chair and led them out of the study.
They walked across the Inner Academy, eventually reaching the towering Heavenly Flame Refining Tower.
Since the Fallen Heart Flame had been subdued, only a thread of its flame remained to fuel the tower. The reduced effect meant fewer people used it now—those who remained sought tranquility more than power.
Still, the fire energy here was stronger than outside. The vast magma world below constantly emitted fire energy, which, though separated by hundreds of meters of ground, still leaked upward.
For cultivators of fire techniques, the tower remained valuable.
Ten minutes later, they reached the tower's lowest level. The gate had remained sealed ever since the Fallen Heart Flame's outbreak. Now that Xiao Yan had tamed it, the defenses had loosened—but access was still restricted.
"With the Fallen Heart Flame gone, we've had fewer worries. Before, we always feared it might erupt unexpectedly," Su Qian said, unlocking the giant iron gate. "You taking care of it saved us a huge headache."
Xiao Yan nodded silently, touched by Su Qian's thoughtful words.
"Don't worry, Elder. I'll do everything I can to ensure a new, everlasting flame for the tower."
At this, Xiao Yuan's expression grew oddly amused. If he remembered right, if not for him resolving the empire's crisis, Xiao Yan would've delayed that promise for a long time—leading to the Heart Flame here going out completely.
But now it was fine. Soon, he'd go down and collect that immature Fallen Heart Flame.
(END CHAPTER)
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