Chapter 432: Leaving Seclusion
As Xiao Yan's aura gradually stabilized, both Xiao Xuan and Xun'er finally let out a sigh of relief. A three-star leap in power—thankfully, it was still within Xiao Yan's control.
Xiao Yuan also nodded slightly. Nine-star Dou Zun… it was within expectations.
After this, the time would soon come to visit the Bodhi Ancient Tree.
Having stronger power would definitely help.
When Xiao Yan's aura fully settled, his tightly shut eyes—closed for a year and a half—finally began to tremble. Under the three pairs of watchful eyes, they suddenly opened!
Shiiing!
The moment his eyes opened, two crimson-gold beams of light shot out like substance, blasting directly into one of the towering stone pillars inside the hall—shattering it to powder with a deafening boom.
The golden gleam slowly faded, but a faint crimson-gold hue now lingered in Xiao Yan's originally black eyes, giving them an eerie, almost demonic look.
Hoo…
A stream of scorching hot breath escaped from his throat as he exhaled. Feeling the endless, oceanic Dou Qi coursing through his body, an incredible sense of elation surged within him.
"Haha, magnificent!"
Xiao Yan laughed loudly. With a slap of his palm against the water, his body shot out from the blood pool and landed gracefully beside it. His tall figure stood upright as a tremendous, overwhelming aura burst from his body like a tidal wave.
"Congratulations, Brother Xiao Yan."
Xun'er smiled radiantly as she saw him return successfully.
Stretching lazily, Xiao Yan casually clenched at the space before him—and tore out a spatial dent with his bare hand. Feeling the vast strength surging within, he was confident that if he faced Gu Yao again, he could defeat him in under ten exchanges without even using Dou Techniques!
A nine-star Dou Zun—he now truly stood on the same level as the top talents of the ancient clans!
"Many thanks, Ancestor!"
Xiao Yan turned toward Xiao Xuan, swept his sleeve, and dropped to his knees, bowing solemnly.
Regardless of bloodline status, for Xiao Xuan's lonely wait and sacrifice to preserve the last drop of Xiao Clan's bloodline—he was deserving of such reverence.
Xiao Xuan smiled warmly, helped him up, and said, "I didn't do much. Most of this was your own effort."
Xiao Yan paused, then looked up in surprise—Xiao Xuan had returned to his youthful, carefree appearance?
"What's with that look? You really thought a little lost blood essence could age Brother Xuan that much? He was messing with you. Right now, his condition is better than that teacher of yours who used to suck Dou Qi from your ring."
Xiao Yuan shook his head and explained.
"Huh?!"
Xiao Yan was dumbfounded.
This ancestor... was really something else!
"If both of you reach the Emperor tier, the dormant bloodlines of the Xiao Clan will be revitalized—and even stronger than before. This is the one true hope of the Xiao Clan's revival."
Xiao Xuan's tone suddenly turned solemn.
Xiao Yan nodded silently, his hand touching his chest. He could faintly sense the strong, rhythmic beating of his heart. Each throb caused ripples throughout his entire bloodstream.
"Also, be wary of the Soul Clan. I've dealt with them before—they're a mysterious and sinister bunch. Even when the Xiao Clan was at its peak, we could only maintain a stalemate against them. Among the Eight Ancient Clans, the Xiao Clan was once the strongest, followed by the Gu Clan. But the Soul Clan… they were the strangest."
"In my view, the Soul Clan may be stronger than even the Gu Clan."
Xiao Xuan's expression grew heavy. During past conflicts with the Soul Clan, even with many allies, the Xiao Clan rarely gained the upper hand—proof of the Soul Clan's hidden strength. What puzzled him most was that, despite their ancient lineage, they had never shown signs of bloodline decline.
Hearing this, Xiao Yan and Xun'er looked uneasy. Xun'er knew better than anyone how strong the Gu Clan was. To hear that the Soul Clan might surpass even that—it was hard to accept.
"The Gu Clan may be the most stable of the Eight Clans, but the Soul Clan's mystery is unmatched. Very few people truly understand them."
Xiao Xuan sighed. Seeing the furrowed brows of the two, he waved it off.
"Anyway, until you reach Dou Sheng, be extremely careful. You carry the Tuoshe Ancient Emperor Jade. The Soul Clan might not know which of you holds it, but Xiao Yuan is strong enough to protect himself. You, on the other hand, still need time—so be vigilant."
Xiao Yan nodded. He knew the enmity between the Xiao and Soul Clans ran deep. There was no way they'd let him go… and no way he'd let them off either.
"You've been inside the tomb for two years. In about one more year, you'll be automatically transported out. Spend this year refining your power and adapting to your new strength."
Xiao Xuan patted Xiao Yan's shoulder, then produced a scroll covered in fire-patterns.
"This is the complete version of the Three Mysterious Transformations of Heavenly Flame. It includes the final step that allows you to cultivate the Clan Mark. With the mark and your bloodline, you can unleash its true power."
Xiao Yan's eyes lit up. The Clan Mark—at last, it would be his!
"Your cultivation method is powerful—though not the highest I've seen, its growth is terrifying. Gaining strength by devouring Heavenly Flame is a path that walks the edge of a blade—dangerous but domineering."
Xiao Xuan laughed.
"In my time, I controlled three Heavenly Flames by sheer power. I didn't refine them. At that level, even Heavenly Flame could be forcefully suppressed."
Xiao Yan nodded with admiration. That level of mastery was truly frightening.
"You probably won't need another cultivation method. But these Dou Techniques will help you. Spend this year learning them well."
With that, Xiao Xuan touched Xiao Yan's brow. A vast stream of information poured into his mind.
Xiao Yan nodded, said nothing more, exchanged a glance with Xiao Yuan, spoke briefly with Xun'er, then sat down and pressed the scroll to his forehead—beginning the transfer of its contents.
"Three Mysterious Transformations of Heavenly Flame—First, Second, Third!"
He began cultivating the Clan Mark.
Half a year later—
"I've finally succeeded!"
Xiao Yan let out a long breath. A crimson-gold Xiao Clan Mark now appeared on his forehead.
Standing up, he cracked his joints with a satisfied smile. After half a year of training, not only had he formed the Clan Mark, but he'd also regained perfect control over his Dou Qi. He now truly embodied the power of a nine-star Dou Zun!
"Alright, time to train in Dou Techniques. Yuan and I will take turns assisting you."
Xiao Xuan grinned, grabbed Xiao Yan, and threw him into a space rift.
Xun'er watched as the bewildered Xiao Yan disappeared, and shook her head with a smile.
She had a feeling—Brother Xiao Yan was in for it!
Sure enough, every time she opened her eyes afterward, she saw Xiao Yan being pounded by Xiao Yuan and Xiao Xuan in turn.
Heaven-tier Dou Techniques were flung around like they were free samples.
Xiao Yan came to fully appreciate their terrifying power.
And with that, his combat strength grew rapidly!
Another half-year passed—
"Hehe, time to leave, huh? Time really flies…"
Xiao Xuan looked wistfully at his own tombstone.
Gu Qingyang and the others had already been forcefully expelled by Xiao Yuan using the power of the Heavenly Tomb.
Xiao Yan also sighed. Three years had passed in the blink of an eye. While only half a year had passed outside, they had truly undergone three years of grueling training.
"It's a blessing to the Xiao Clan that our ancestor can leave with us!"
Xiao Yan said with a smile.
Xun'er's eyes shone as well. Though Xiao Yuan never explained, she knew it was thanks to him that Xiao Xuan could leave.
Xiao Xuan raised his hand, and a dark ball of light appeared. He tossed it to Xiao Yan casually.
"Take it. This is the Ancient Insect Emperor Robe. It can be stored in your body and manifest as ordinary clothing. Though it requires Dou Qi to maintain, it can defend against any attacks below Half-Saint. It's also the very thing that trapped you in the crystal wall."
Curious, Xiao Yan caught the dark orb and felt its smooth, silk-like texture.
"Drip a drop of blood into it, and it will merge with your body."
Xiao Xuan reminded him.
Xiao Yan followed the instruction. The orb melted into liquid and seeped into his palm.
A strange energy spread across his skin like a web. With a thought, black light emerged and quickly condensed into a simple-looking black robe.
"So this is the Ancient Insect Emperor Robe… remarkable."
Xiao Yan touched the robe. Though it looked soft, it felt incredibly firm.
"Hehe, back in ancient times, this was standard gear for many top experts. Especially those refined from the Insect Queen—it's rarer than Heaven-tier Dou Techniques. You're lucky Yuan got this for you."
Xiao Xuan stroked his beard and laughed.
Xiao Yan nodded. Xiao Yuan had told him about the Insect Queen.
The robe's Dou Qi consumption was minimal for someone with a Heaven-tier cultivation method, so he could keep it active continuously—making it a perfect defense against sneak attacks.
"Alright, let's go. It's been ages since I saw the outside world!"
Xiao Xuan looked to Xiao Yuan.
"Let's move."
Xiao Yuan snapped his fingers. Space around them rippled violently, and a portal opened before them.
Xiao Xuan transformed into light and entered Xiao Yuan's Soul-Nurturing Ring.
Xiao Yuan stepped in first. Behind him, Xiao Yan and Xun'er followed, hand in hand.
In the lush mountain range, many figures hovered in the sky, all staring intently at a swirling patch of space.
Shhh!
The space tore open, and figures began emerging.
"It's the Lei Clan. Seems they made it out safely."
Two figures appeared first. Their aura was clearly stronger than six months ago—they had benefited greatly from the tomb.
"The Yan Clan's out… and the Gu Clan's five members too. All their auras have improved!"
One by one, more people emerged. Most of them had grown stronger than when they entered.
But the biggest gains clearly went to the Gu, Lei, and Yan Clans—thanks to Xiao Yuan, every one of them had ascended a full star in power.
The Yao and Shi Clans were less fortunate. Only one from the Shi Clan broke through, while the rest had only minor improvements.
Then people started to notice—
Where were Xiao Yuan, Xiao Yan, and Xun'er?
Moments later, as some Gu Clan elders began to worry, a space gate opened—and the three of them stepped out.
Under countless stares, the trio looked around, inhaled the fresh air, and smiled. After three years in the oppressive tomb, the outside world felt dazzling.
(END CHAPTER)
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