Chapter 425: Brother Xuan, Brother Yuan
"A dream… about me?"
Xiao Yuan looked stunned, gazing at Xiao Xuan's face—its smile tinged with complex emotions—completely confused.
"Hehe, yes. A dream about you. In the dream, you were my younger brother."
Xiao Xuan reached out and hooked an arm around Xiao Yuan's shoulder with a chuckle.
"Huh?"
Xiao Yuan's eyes widened in disbelief.
"My name is Xuan, yours is Yuan. Sounds like brothers, doesn't it?"
Xiao Xuan smiled warmly.
"Ancestor, that's a bit much, isn't it?" Xiao Yuan stammered, unable to process it all.
This entire day was going to shake his soul for centuries!
"Hehe, actually I got along quite well with the Ancient Clan's patriarch, Gu Yuan. When I dreamed of a younger brother named Xiao Yuan, I even wondered if it was him."
A touch of nostalgia crept into Xiao Xuan's voice.
"But later I realized I was wrong. That younger brother… couldn't even absorb Dou Qi."
His gaze returned to Xiao Yuan, heavy with meaning.
"What?"
Xiao Yuan was utterly speechless.
"Feels familiar, doesn't it? Just like your situation. And in the dream, you looked exactly like you do now!"
Xiao Xuan chuckled again.
"Back then, the clan thought—since you were the previous clan leader's son—you might not be a genius, but at least reaching Dou Zun should've been no issue. But your inability to cultivate troubled everyone deeply."
"Eventually, we discovered more and more of the younger generations—our children and grandchildren—had weakening bloodlines. The elders finally realized that our Xiao Clan's Dou Di bloodline was beginning to dry up!"
"My talent was truly remarkable. Like you, I had the Crimson-Gold Clan Crest… though it was a bit weaker than yours."
"After years of cultivation, I reached the pinnacle of Nine-Star Dou Sheng—standing at the very summit of the continent!"
"But you, incapable of cultivating, had reached the end of your life despite all the longevity pills we gave you."
"I had no other options."
"On your deathbed, you told me you came from a future Xiao family. But before you could finish explaining, you passed."
"After I personally laid my little brother to rest, a seed was planted in my heart."
"I would break through to Dou Di!"
"Only then could the Xiao Clan's bloodline be preserved."
"I knew it would be extremely difficult. But I had to try."
"If I didn't, the Xiao Clan was doomed to decline. A clan cannot survive without exceptional youths!"
"Just as I approached the threshold of Dou Di, I woke from the dream."
"I didn't know what the outcome would be. But I decided to leave a final card for the clan."
"I used a secret technique to gather most of the clan's bloodline into myself. Then I attempted the breakthrough to Dou Di."
"As expected, I failed."
"But just before failing, I had one foot in the Dou Di realm."
"In that moment, I split the Ancient Emperor Jade into two halves. One half contains that secret technique—and a sliver of my most refined blood essence from my peak."
Xiao Xuan looked to Xiao Yuan and smiled.
"Ancestor…"
Xiao Yuan fell to his knees, tears welling up.
"If not for your foresight, I'd still be an ordinary clansman. I, Xiao Yuan, offer my heartfelt thanks to our ancestor!"
He bowed three times and performed nine kowtows before Xiao Xuan.
So everything he had today… was all thanks to Xiao Xuan.
"Hehe, Brother Yuan, even if it was just a dream where we were brothers—seeing how far you've come makes it all worth it. I couldn't do it in the dream, but I've now made it real."
Xiao Xuan smiled and gently patted his shoulder.
Xiao Yuan was choked up, unable to respond.
"Of the Xiao Clan members I've known, there are few left. You're the closest to me now. Go on, call me Brother Xuan?"
Trying to lighten the mood, Xiao Xuan grinned and teased him.
"Brother Xuan!" Xiao Yuan finally chuckled through his tears.
"That's the spirit! I knew no one else could look so much like him. That dream had to mean something!"
Xiao Xuan beamed as he patted Xiao Yuan's shoulder.
"But… doesn't this mess up the family hierarchy?" Xiao Yuan asked awkwardly.
"Haha, who cares? I probably outlived everyone I once knew. Who's left to call me anything? Between you and me, no need for formalities."
Instinctively, Xiao Yuan went to bow again, but stopped under Xiao Xuan's gaze and sheepishly withdrew his hands.
"Alright, enough of that. Here—this is the complete version of the Heavenly Fire Three Mysterious Transformations, including the final step. Once you master it, you'll be able to fully awaken your clan crest and unleash its power."
As he spoke, a scroll adorned with fire runes appeared in his hand.
Xiao Yuan's eyes lit up. No more worrying about the side effects—this was perfect!
He took the scroll, sat cross-legged, and placed it to his forehead. A flood of information poured into his mind.
After a while, he opened his eyes, focused.
"Heavenly Fire Three Mysterious Transformations! First… Second… Third Form!"
In seconds, Xiao Yuan activated all three forms. His aura surged wildly.
Heat and fury coursed through him. Dou Qi rushed like a torrent, seeping into his bloodstream. Using his refined soul sense, he noticed something unusual—an energy flow racing toward his forehead.
Soon, golden-red light flickered at his brow. A natural clan crest began to take shape… then another line… and another!
When he reached the sixth line, a faint snap echoed from his body—and the lines began to fade.
Xiao Yuan opened his eyes in confusion.
"You've already drawn six of the nine strokes," Xiao Xuan said approvingly. "That's excellent for a first attempt."
"The final form of the technique activates the crest. It's always been in you, but activating it requires immense Dou Qi and precise control. It's difficult at first, but once activated, the rest will be easy."
Xiao Yuan nodded and focused again.
Heavenly Fire Three Mysterious Transformations!
The process was harder than expected. What seemed simple on paper proved extremely demanding.
But Xiao Yuan's mastery of spiritual force and flames as an alchemist gave him superb control. It was difficult, but not impossible.
Three days passed.
In the ancient hall, Xiao Yuan sat cross-legged, aura vast and refined. On his forehead, golden lines began to form—eight in total.
Xiao Xuan watched with a satisfied nod. Even in the old clan, such talent was rare.
Then, surprisingly, a ninth line started to appear.
Xiao Xuan blinked in disbelief.
"Trying for the ninth stroke already?"
But to his astonishment, the line flowed perfectly—no hesitation, smooth as water.
"Amazing… even better than me back then!"
With a final flourish, the golden crest blazed on Xiao Yuan's brow.
"Buzz!"
His blood surged, and a strange resonance echoed through his body.
"It's done," Xiao Xuan smiled.
Xiao Yuan opened his glowing golden eyes. His aura had risen to the peak of Four-Star Dou Zun. The clan crest shimmered briefly, then vanished beneath the skin.
"It's finally active," he exhaled. The crest was now part of him—his ultimate secret technique.
Xiao Xuan smiled warmly and gestured. A ball of light flew from Xiao Yuan's storage ring into his hand.
"Brother Xuan, I brought this from the energy crystal wall before entering the third level."
Within the light floated a crimson cocoon the size of a fist.
"The queen of the Ancient Devouring Insects. She's half-saint level. Luckily, she's dormant—otherwise, you'd never have made it through."
"If she had awakened, she'd have burrowed into your body, silently drained your Dou Qi, and no one short of a Dou Sheng could have removed her."
Xiao Yuan wasn't worried. With Yao Lao and now Xiao Xuan, he had backup.
"Help me out, Brother Xuan?"
"Hehe, this queen is troublesome… but her body is ideal for crafting the Ancient Insect Emperor Armor."
"It's a defensive Dou Technique. Once refined, it becomes a suit of armor that can even withstand half-saint level attacks."
Xiao Yuan nodded. He didn't need it—he had the Dragon Phoenix Ancient Armor—but it would be perfect for Xiao Yan.
"I'll handle the crafting," Xiao Xuan assured him.
"Not so fast, Brother Xuan! I've got more in store for you—I've come prepared!"
Xiao Yuan grinned, stopping him.
"Oh?" Xiao Xuan raised an eyebrow in curiosity.
(END CHAPTER)
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