Chapter 423: Xiao Xuan!
As the dark red silhouette raised his head and cast a questioning gaze at him, Xiao Yuan's lips twitched. You've been dead for hundreds—maybe thousands—of years. Who the hell would remember your name?
Sigh... so no one remembers after all. It's an unpleasant feeling. I'll just end this quickly—my Bloodblade can hardly wait.
The self-proclaimed Bloodblade Saint gave a disappointed shake of the head and subtly shifted his foot.
The moment his foot stirred, Xiao Yuan's face changed dramatically. Activating Three Thousand Lightning Movement, he blurred into a shadow, vanishing from his spot.
Shing!
A flash of blood-red light tore through the space Xiao Yuan had just occupied, carving a deep trench into the ground.
"Oh?"
A surprised voice echoed from the void. Then, Xiao Yuan felt that eerie gaze lock onto him, making his skin crawl.
What terrifying speed. So this is the difference between a half-saint energy entity with some remaining consciousness and an ordinary Dou Zun…
Sweat rolled down Xiao Yuan's brow as he rapidly retreated. Were it not for his incredibly sharp soul perception, that strike would've landed.
He quickly formed a hand seal and shouted:
"Mountain-Splitting and Sea-Reversing Seal! Earth-Flattening and Heaven-Sinking Seal!"
Twin dazzling seals formed in his hands, then shot toward the Bloodblade Saint. Xiao Yuan had developed this dual-seal casting method through in-depth research of the Emperor's Seal Art. Though he could stack all four seals at once, this two-seal method had the speed advantage.
"Petty tricks."
With a sneer, the Bloodblade Saint swung his ghostly blade, tearing through space. Twin crimson arcs ripped both seals apart and the residual blade energy shot toward Xiao Yuan, only to be scattered by a Heavenly Thunderfire Step shockwave.
Boom!
The ground beneath him shattered from the blast. At the same time, magma erupted beneath the Bloodblade Saint's feet with devastating force.
"Hmph!"
He merely snorted, then stomped the magma column back into the earth. The intense heat melted nearby boulders like wax.
Damn...
Watching the Saint brute-force his way through the Earth's Core Flame, Xiao Yuan felt a headache forming.
Emperor's Seal Art: Quad Seal Stacking!
With lightning speed, he conjured a brilliant crystalized imprint.
Clang!
The Saint responded with a blood-red whirling blossom of blade energy. It met the crystal imprint and both disintegrated in a massive explosion.
"Heh... You're not a true Dou Saint yet. Not even a full half-saint."
Xiao Yuan wiped some sweat, smiling cheekily.
"You dare mock a Saint? Insect!"
The Saint snarled. His fist clenched and thrust forward—blood energy shaped into a roaring tiger, charging ferociously.
"Grand Void Fist!"
Xiao Yuan calmly activated his bloodline. Violet-gold dragon scales sprouted across his body. Gathering physical and Dou Qi strength into his punch, he met the tiger head-on. The shockwave gouged a meter-deep trench through the ground.
"Oh? You've got some skill... even a connection to the ancient Taixu Dragon Clan!"
The Saint was visibly surprised by Xiao Yuan's scaled form.
"Bloodblade Windrend Slash!"
Impressed but ruthless, he launched another attack—spinning into a crimson whirlwind that fractured space itself into gaping black voids.
Boom! Boom!
Ferocious slashes forced Xiao Yuan back, smashing him into a stone outcrop that crumbled under the impact. Still, his tough physique kept him unharmed.
The Saint reappeared before him, blade raised. Xiao Yuan's face hardened.
"Heavenly Fire Triple Transformation! One! Two! Three!"
His Dou Qi surged. Even if not a full Dou Saint, Xiao Yuan's layered transformations pushed him to peak Threefold Dou Zun. He needed more than raw power to challenge a half-saint—he needed strategy.
Just as the blade was about to fall, it suddenly halted a foot above Xiao Yuan's head.
The Saint stared at the center of Xiao Yuan's forehead.
A moment later, his eyes widened.
"Xiao Clan's blood crest?! You're from the Xiao Clan?!"
The blade hovered, unmoving. The Saint's shocked voice trembled.
Xiao Yuan paused, puzzled, then cautiously stepped back.
"Yeah... so?"
The Saint's eyes fixated on the crimson-gold mark on Xiao Yuan's brow. That aura… it was unforgettable, like a nightmare from the past.
"Weren't the Xiao Clan… wiped out?"
His voice was barely a whisper, eyes flicking toward the tomb's depths with visible dread.
"If I kill this kid and 'he' finds out… I'm done for."
The blood aura around him slowly receded. The blade vanished. He gave Xiao Yuan a reluctant look.
"Fine. Consider yourself lucky today."
Xiao Yuan blinked, then frowned. The name "Bloodblade Saint" sounded familiar.
"West of here, there's a rift between several strong entities. Travel through it—you'll avoid most confrontations and reach your destination safely."
The Saint waved him on.
"Thank you, Senior," Xiao Yuan replied, bowing respectfully. Then he paused mid-exit.
"Would you be willing to accompany me? I'm headed to my ancestor Xiao Xuan's tomb. I'm not strong enough alone. If you could guard me, I'd inform my ancestor of your help."
The Bloodblade Saint's jaw dropped. This brat's got nerve…
But the offer was tempting. That "evil star" Xiao Xuan—feared even now—wasn't unreasonable. Gaining his favor might ensure smoother days ahead in the tomb.
Alright… I'll take him.
Xiao Yuan latched onto his new "escort." With the Saint leading the way through narrow corridors between powerful energy domains, they avoided confrontation altogether.
"At our current pace, we'll reach his tomb very soon," the Saint muttered with reverence. Clearly, even he feared Xiao Xuan.
"Thanks, Senior. You've really helped us out!"
The Saint grunted in reply—but then stopped.
Two gray-robed elders had silently appeared ahead.
Dou Saints!?
Chills ran down Xiao Yuan's and the Saint's backs.
"What the hell are these things!?"
The elders locked eyes with Xiao Yuan.
"So... the Xiao Clan isn't extinct after all."
That voice dripped with contempt.
Xiao Yuan scowled. Soul Clan…
"Enough talk. Kill him and leave. We're too close to 'that place.' Delay is dangerous."
The other elder frowned, stepping forward. Ripples of space erupted with each step.
He opened his mouth and spewed black mist—forming a thousand-foot-long dark serpent. Its tail lashed out, tearing the void into dust.
Xiao Yuan's face darkened.
This is the might of a Dou Saint…?
"Retreat!"
The Bloodblade Saint paled and grabbed Xiao Yuan with a sweep of his robe, retreating at full speed.
"Why are we running?"
Xiao Yuan could already feel his bloodline resonating with something deep ahead. They were close!
"Damn it! Where did those bastards come from?! If they kill you here, I'm screwed! Don't bleed on me!"
The Saint cursed and bolted faster.
"A mere half-saint dares to defy us?"
The Soul Clan elders sneered and chanted in unison:
"Seal!"
Suddenly, the Saint froze mid-air. His face contorted in terror—he was paralyzed!
"Foolish meddler…"
The elders smirked, forming blades of void. A fatal blow was about to fall—
Shing!
Their attack halted inches from the Saint's chest.
"Who's there?!"
A calm, ancient voice echoed from the void:
"So the Soul Clan still dares linger in the Heavenly Tomb…"
"Xiao Xuan?!"
The Soul Clan elders paled in horror.
"Xiao Xuan?!"
Xiao Yuan's body shuddered. His bloodline surged uncontrollably—the resonance unmistakable.
Before all eyes, the air rippled—and a man in a pale blue robe silently appeared.
There were no flashy phenomena, yet the moment he stood there, the entire world seemed to whisper one truth:
This man could destroy everything with a single step.
"The Soul Clan… such revolting blood."
His face was not overtly handsome, but unforgettable. Long black hair draped his shoulders. His dark eyes were deep like the void, exuding wisdom and soul-piercing power.
(END CHAPTER)
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