“Ancestor…” Xiao Yan gazed at Xiao Xuan, whose face bore a gentle smile, and an involuntary twinge of emotion rose in his nose.
“Refine and absorb it,” Xiao Xuan smiled faintly. With a slight flick of his finger, the brilliant glowing orb before him floated slowly downward, emanating a warm luster as if it were a miniature sun.
Xiao Yan stared at the radiant crystal ring suspended before him, sensing the boundless ocean of soul power contained within. In comparison to such immense spiritual might, even his own Soul King-level power seemed minuscule indeed. Forged from countless residual souls of fallen mighty beings, the Tianmu Spirit’s essence could only be described as terrifying beyond imagination.
“Ancestor, the glory of our Xiao clan shall be restored by Xiao Yan’s hands!” Drawing in a deep breath, Xiao Yan bowed deeply once again before Xiao Xuan, who hovered high above the heavens. With no more hesitation, he stepped forward through the radiant aura in a single motion. Instantly light flared, engulfing Xiao Yan’s entire body as he disappeared within.
High overhead, Xiao Xuan’s form appeared slightly translucent. Gazing fondly at the resplendent orb akin to a shining sun, a contented smile creased his lips. This younger descendant had exceeded expectations greatly—he might just succeed where even Xiao Xuan himself had failed so many years ago.
“There is still some time left. I hope you will emerge triumphant.”
Murmuring softly, Xiao Xuan seated himself cross-legged outside the luminous halo, eyes sweeping the terrain below with quiet detachment. Under that piercing gaze, all the nearby energy manifestations averted their gazes instinctively, retreating swiftly. Though tantalizingly potent to them, the soul essence was something none dared covet under Xiao Xuan’s looming presence.
Before Xiao Yan now stretched what appeared like an endless ocean—its turbulent waters roaring ominously as distant, soul-shaking roars echoed from unseen depths.
Suspense filled the half-heaven space where Xiao Yan hovered above this vast soul sea, shock writ plainly across his features. Though outwardly small, the crystal ring concealed an astonishing interior realm: the ocean itself had revealed through careful inspection to be composed entirely of condensed soul force. It was a first-hand encounter with such a terrifying expanse of spirit power—one vastly superior to his current Soul King-stage strength to the extent it dwarfed it pitifully.
“So terrifying is the Tianmu Soul,” Xiao Yan muttered, clenching his fist tightly, “that Ancestor was forced to ignite his very soul.” Now finally grasping why one as mighty as Xiao Xuan had employed self-sacrificial measures immediately—it must’ve stemmed from doubt even within him about prevailing against the Tianmu Spirit unscathed otherwise.
“With the Tianmu Spirit dispersed, these soul forces are now masterless treasures.” Xiao Yan swallowed hard, suppressing excitement rising from imagining how every powerful cultivator across the continent would lose reason if word spread of this find. Anyone capable of refining and absorbing such energy could reach horrifying new levels—if not ascend altogether to mythic status as an Emperor Soul.
This transformation bestowed upon him by Xiao Xuan held unparalleled gravity!
Tightening his fists resolutely, Xiao Yan hardened his determination. This moment demanded decisiveness; Xiao Xuan had staked everything for him, hoping merely to grant him greater odds to challenge the Hun Clan—an opportunity far too precious to waste idly amidst dwindling time.
“The flow of time differs here from that inside Tianmu.”
Lifting his head to scrutinize this strange domain, comprehension dawned on his face—remarkably, the density of soul essence around altered temporal progression. Effectively shrunk immeasurably relative to the larger Tianmu, time here lagged slower still.
The Soul Grave—a realm unmatched.
A deep exhale escaped Xiao Yan, steadying his mind at last. The extended moments provided a blessing rather than limitation—for had he mere weeks normally, mastering this vast ocean of pure soul energy would prove impossible.
He assumed the meditation pose mid-air and began descending gently to the water surface. Focused threads of his inner soul surged forth from his brow chakra, expanding swiftly. As Xiao Yan shouted lowly, they solidified into an ethereal silhouette hundreds of feet in height. Enshrouded within sat the figure, mirroring his posture.
From the towering soul projection seeped forth the fierce Heavenly Flame Lotus Fire until the apparition stood wholly cloaked in flame—a blazing entity of scorching intensity suffusing all surrounding space.
Crash! Crash!
With the flaming soul-image ignited, surging tremors rippled through the soul ocean beneath him. From directly underneath formed a whirlpool stretching a thousand feet wide—tremendous torrents of raw soul-force spiraled skyward in pillar-like shapes hurtling straight towards the colossal burning effigy.
Fwoosh!
Impact followed impact with violent thunder as streams slammed against the immolation-clad soul form. However, upon contact with the purifying fire, they reacted violently, spewing bursts of steaming mist upward like boiling vapor. Before long, clouds of dense fog shrouded the enormous soul apparition enveloped in infernal heat.
While formidable and vast, the soul sea bore traces of impurity—an amalgam accumulated over aeons from myriad shattered spirits devoured by the Tianmu Essence Spirit. Fortunately for Xiao Yan, aided as he was by the Lotus Flame, purification came easy enough. Such contaminations dissolved effortlessly amid its holy wrath—and further bolstered still by the presence within him of Xiao Yun’er, who ensured that each infusion became crystallized to perfection at her whim.
Across the boundless sea below, column after column erupted ceaselessly from the depths resembling titanic serpents springing up from abyssal fathoms to rain endlessly down upon the meditating fiery titan above. Explosions of white mist obscured sight of him while rivers of radiant golden luminescence began coursing along his massive frame.
To beholders afar, he resembled now no less than a celestial monolith straddling heaven and earth—a beacon crowned with ineffable might.
Such rapid advancement alone could leave multitudes astounded; yet, even so, relentless upheavals swirled violently upon the soul ocean as deafening rumbles rolled through all dimensions.
As Xiao Yan continued devouring soul energies unrestrained, his growing dominion swelled alarmingly—a tide of crushing authority inching closer toward a mythical peak.
One month passed since Xiao Yan entered the radiant circle.
And yet during these thirty cycles, neither any sign nor disturbance emerged. Outside the sphere, undisturbed silence reigned supreme—exactly as it had a month ago.
Xiao Xuan remained poised cross-legged near the boundary, eyes shut like an old monk absorbed in eternal contemplation. Yet unmistakably he had weakened: his shape dimmed daily, wrinkles deepened. Each day marked a step nearer to extinguishing embers drained fully.
Upon observing the fading form below, several entities grew visibly affected by poignant sorrow themselves. Nothing stirred empathy quite like witnessing the final chapter unfold for an immortal hero past glories—once unrivalled, yet diminished now into fragile age.
Suddenly Xiao Xuan’s eyelids twitched open slightly beneath snowy brows. He glanced lovingly at the orb, a waning warmth lighting his visage briefly. “Ah… my days draw ever near,” sighed the venerable guardian quietly above.
To Xiao Yan deep within the soul ocean, the lunar passage within Tianmu measured not thirty—but 365 days!
Still enthroned above the waters, his grandiose spiritual manifestation thickened substantially amidst those swirling veils. Near completion, the astral colossus had nearly achieved full materialization—standing identical yet amplified manifold times over from original stature—every feature mirrored faithfully atop his divine scale.
Breathing like distant tempests billowing clouds between his nostrils, the image commanded reverence with garments thrashing wildly atop waves. Emerging subtly but undeniably from his massive presence came an essence of rulership—an omnipotent lordship spanning all souls.
On arrival of the concluding twilight marking second months’ cycle inside the Tianmu tomb chamber, numerous entities murmured resigned sighs watching helplessly as the hovering elder faded almost transparently ghostlike.
Still motionless and unwavering, sheer obstinacy sustained his lingering presence—as stubborn willpower defied inevitable demise momentarily.
At last came a soft ripple through that nearly invisible figure, barely detectable within silent infinity.
“I suppose… I’ll not live to see you come out…” Xiao Xuan offered one parting smile tinged with mild disappointment.
“You’ll make our clan proud, young one—farewell…”
His eyelids drifted shut serenely; likewise went his fading silhouette—fleeting ever faster into nothingness.
BOOOOM!
But as the elder’s corporeal existence teetered on vanishing completely, suddenly all shook. The Tianmu realm convulsed violently as if responding to cosmic command—the pulse radiated rapidly, irresistible in its scope—bending every entity within its sweep into immediate prostration beneath incomprehensible authority!
Sensing the wave, Xiao Xuan’s fading gaze gleamed warmly—resplendent with peace and triumph.
Below countless enraptured observers arose the heralded announcement reverberating through air:
“Descendant Xiao Yan respectfully bids farewell to revered ancestor!”
Amid stunned gazes reaching toward eternity’s zenith burst a thousand-feet-tall embodiment wreathed in transcendental brilliance. Slowly kneeling solemnly onto a knee amidst clouds and stars alike, it paid its final homage to the dissolving figure above—a tribute worthy of gods or monarchs alike.
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