A grand plaza was suspended in the sky, beyond the reach of clouds. Rising thousands of feet into the air stood a giant stone statute. A faint but imposing pressure exuded from its form. The entire Tian Tomb, as if shrouded in awe and intimidation, left numerous spectral essences feeling deeply terrified within their cores. Xiao Yan stood silently on this immense plaza before the colossal ancient Emperor statute. Gazing upward reverentially, Xiao Yan sucked in a calming breath, offered the sculpture a respectful bow, and then levitated slowly upward, pausing as he hovered near a small tunnel embedded in the statue’s chest. Covering the entrance to the tunnel were faint glowing patterns similar to tranquil water ripples.
These luminant waves appeared unthreatening, yet Xiao Yan dared not relax his watch. After all, the same seemingly frail light had effortlessly oppressed beings as formidable as Gu Yuan and Zhu Kun. At this moment, Mei Yi emerged from Xiao Yan’s shoulder. Clean Lotus Demon Flame rose and enveloped all of Xiao Yan’s figure. “It all lies on this action…” Xiao Yan murmured under his breath with decisive finality across his face. Summoning his resolve, he stepped forward and plunged right into the stone’s tunnel.
A humming reverberating throughout greeted him the moment he crossed though those feeble-looking light waves — immediately a sensation swept over his entire body, an intrusive scan. His every organ and even his soul felt as stripped bare and exposed. It was as if every secretive thought or action he’d ever had was laid plain. Nevertheless, despite enduring through such an intimate scan, the illumination didn’t seem to regard Xiao Yan with hostility. Concurrently, his world seemed to tilt sideways — darkness spun before his eyes, inducing a violent sense of whirling disorientation. As abruptly as it came, it stopped. Xiao Yan’s view changed utterly as he noticed his entirely novel flaming surroundings: brilliant, diverse fires surrounded his every direction in a magnificent panorama. There he stood within an ocean of blazing Infernal Fire. The blazing colors were vivid and beautiful, each a unique spectacle on display.
“The Infernal Fire Ocean…” Xiao Yan muttered to himself before gently reaching his hand forward and gathering an arc of vivid purple flame. The second he touched this flame, an overwhelming sense of familiarity coursed upward through his spine, forcing from he the whisper: “The Sanshan Flame!”
He ventured across this burning landscape composed entirely from strange, diverse flames. Oddly, as Xiao Yan advanced through his steps, waves of the flames seemed amble. Wrapping closely but non-aggressively around his body, a sign they accepted his presence cordially.
“It’s clear your physicality finds favor among the foreign infernos…”— all at once, an old voice carrying teasing laughter cut through flames.
Sensed the presence of unfamiliar essence, Xiao Yan’s heart fluttered briefly while raising his gaze forward beyond flame-lit space. There, a massive blossom formed out amidst fiery chaos from concentrated, dancing heat. Opening little by little it flowered its final unfolding revealing the outline of a robed silhouette sitting calmly, draped inside of its folds.
His attire dark and flowing, the elder bore no particular marks save for wild multicolored strands of wild silver hair. His wrinkled smile exuded an otherworldly, amused familiarity upon watching Xiao Yan.
Although Xiao Yan had seen visions, specters of this person, the truth in meeting real presence struck differently within him now. This… is truly Emperor Tushar. Despite it being but remnants or a lingering phantom’s presence alone, regardless, before him now sat none other than the most recent and fabled Dou Emperor known to the cultivation continent itself.
“Your follower, Xiao Yan, pays honor unto Emperor of the ancients!” Xiao Yan managed amidst the rising awe, performing a respectful bow acknowledging the elder’s revered status.
The aged flame emperor responded by softly grinning and waving one hand forward toward the flame fields beside. The fire rekindled itself forming a fiery blossom chair mid-flight before he uttered:
Sit.”
Without hesitating, he darted and assumed the offered fiery perch. Close proximity to such an elusive legend stirred his thoughts wildly within his mind and soul as it allowed him to realize, the radiant, colorful tresses dancing upon old Tusan’s brows flickered with their individual dancing flames—an identical number counted to precisely twenty-one.
“How stands Dou Continent today?” queried Tushar with kind eyes, smiling upon the youth.
“Sir, remains Dou Continent’s final known Doudi… Not since your time, has no peer followed your trail…” hesitated Xiao.
“I suspected as much…”
To this answer, rather than surprise, the Flame Emperor simply offered his silent acknowledging head nodding acceptance in kind reply.
“May I venture ask why?” The inquiring youth pressed. “It is told… ancient Dou Continent may lack vital forces of energy now unknown to modern lands and days.”
“Ah…” Tushar mused. “Your ancestral elder, insightful it seems. He did indeed step onto these forgotten truths. Your suspicion rings true indeed.”
“In ancient times this force borne through creation’s core essence itself was termed, ‘Primal Origin’. Only by channeling this Origin force could any breakthrough achieve the final Dou Emperor’s seal.”
“In its dawn each Realm of existence bore with its birth its first Origin force essence. Unlike replenishable resources though, with each expenditure of origin— it’s a permanent loss.”
He continued softly. “Risen Dou Emperors — those existing beyond this world’s limits consume massive quantities within the act of ascension. And as Origin dwindled from such endless withdrawal — inevitable was a cessation; where none born after could attain what once thrived.”
“So you see,” he finally explained gently before his audience stunned in realization, “modern Dou Continent remains devoid of Origin power. Thus it is why no modern cultivator can yet hope for transcendence into Dou Emperorhood.”
Xiao Yan managed a weak wretched chuckle at his realization. It all truly was ancestral fortune and descendants misfortune. The bygone ancients consumed all the Primal Origin, their careless enjoyment leaving only descendants to face and inherit its resulting aftermath.
“Your predecessor’s original embryo Pill, Emperor’s Blueprint, already obtained it holds now by the hands of evildoers slaughtering multitudes, harvesting essence, desecrated means to finally realize that Dou Emperor transformation.”
The Dou youth explained somberly before regaining his focus — this revelation changed little for the immediate peril. Whatever may come of such an explanation, he focused back to what matters here in the now — his challenge ahead stood blocking the impending rise of Hun Tiandi.
“The very Original Embryonic Pill,” Tushar observed lightly with a knowing half grin, still surveying, still pondering this one youth before him “carries within its core fragment echoes remnants of primal Origin force. If indeed this evildoer seeks perfection in alchemy… the conclusion, if it truly succeeds… then ascent into Dou Emperorhood, will perhaps be within grasp.”
“I see,” Xiao Yan’s heart dropped, calculating odds and the dire necessity he faced.
He bowed again then resolutely stated his purpose and plan, requesting his aid — for truly all of Dou Continent depended.
“It matters little what fate comes… I bear not attachments to fated events… Though you’re quite aware my own path…” The elder chuckled. “However… for reaching this place, you must have proved yourself worthy — therefore I shall pass my ultimate legacy into your keeping. By accepting it, you too may step forth onto that path… ascending to become the next Dou Emperor. “
“Thank you so very kindly, revered Elder!”
The youth’s excitement spilled from his lips joyfully.
Tushar only laughed, waving his response aside. Then with a simple motion reached suddenly — calling forth toward Xiao an energy, and as if yanked by cosmic strings, Xiao Yan’s shoulder shimmered before the air itself parted with Mei Yi’s essence emerging—its crimson aura condensing itself into miniature humanoid form now held by gentle hands of Tuse Elder.
“Ahhhh… long lost friend… Clean Lotus Demon Flame,” Tushar smiled softly into those cold, wary infant’s orbs — resentment flashing in their tiny reflections even if not fully understanding why, but knowing only it did.
But Tuse was unbothered by those angry eyes from Mei Yi. The Flame Emperor’s gaze turned then fully toward the young Xiao Yan and continued, “Your frame gives rise the lingering sense in I—a resonance. You cultivate a Flame-feeding Cultivation Technique, wouldn’t you? Such ancient and unique method.”
Shocked briefly at revelation and the Emperor’s awareness so effortlessly unveiled what many struggled to decipher—nodding in confirmation, the youth said nothing else further resisting this Emperor’s eyes.
“An exceptional method. The reason I rose to my eventual glory was partially by the strength of this very same process,” the elder mused with a nod and an approving expression.
Xiao Yan blurted out with surprise, exclaiming: So was it… Revered Sir who first formulated the Blazing Incantation?”
That shocking thought stirred deep inside him.
“Ahh, you’re mistaken actually.” Tusher chuckled warmly but corrected, “Though not originally my invention itself… when I first formed awareness, amidst wandering and confusion I first encountered such the cultivation scroll by happenstance… And my body and being began to shift somewhat from it — aiding me immensely throughout. The very one that authored… even I hold no identity to him, as much in curiosity over this scroll as yourself perhaps. But yes, in that we both have walked this same path, one might say that in spirit you and I — are perhaps somewhat brethren.”
Stupefied, Xiao Yan was dumbstruken, realizing now how profound indeed was this legendary Flame Emperor — he’d long revered it, thought it an unrepeatable treasure, but now even more unfathomable, whose origins might yet remain concealed.
“Huh,” murmured the senior being softly with fond laughter. “It’s been many lifetimes… since one such as you brought a conversation.”
With but a flick of his finger, the endless flaming oceans began shifting, reshaping themselves—coalescing into massive waves as a fiery dragon shaped essence soared from its midst. Rising it shaped itself gradually into one singular item midheaven—a lustrous sized lotus seed, ablaze within, radiating brilliant heat. A final treasure, one that encapsuated all he’d mastered throughout countless years.
“This lotus core holds within — my full legacy. What awaits you is determined entirely by one question… the path, and destiny, shall be your own forging now.”
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