A trickle of purple-red blood slowly flowed out from the circle, gradually gathering. After a moment, a thumb-sized, purple-red rhombic crystal quietly solidified and then swiftly ascended, transforming into a beam of purple-red light that brutally shot into Xiao Yan’s heart! As the purple-red rhombic crystal shot into Xiao Yan’s heart, his body violently trembled, but fortunately, the crystal, though seemingly substantial, mysteriously merged directly with his heart, finally coming to rest at its center. Threads of purple-red light radiated out, making the heartbeat even more powerful. *Boom!* The instant the purple-red rhombic crystal entered the heart, the blood pool outside erupted, spraying blood mist that filled half the grand hall.
Xun’er sat cross-legged beside the blood pool, where the drifting blood mist dissipated automatically before it reached her, yet her gaze remained fixed on Xiao Yan, who was still tightly closed-eyed in the pool. Her hands clenched tightly from anxiety.
“Phew…” Beside her, Xiao Xuan exhaled deeply, a joy verging on ecstasy flashing in his eyes. He rubbed his hands together fervently, muttering, “It succeeded… It really succeeded…”
“Elder Xiao Xuan.” Seeing Xiao Xuan’s reaction, Xun’er finally relaxed her tense heart and called out hurriedly.
Hearing Xun’er’s call, Xiao Xuan quickly calmed down, smiling at her and saying with relief, “It succeeded. The three bloodlines have finally merged smoothly…”
Receiving Xiao Xuan’s confirmation, a smile finally graced Xun’er’s tightly strung face for the first time in a month. The weight in her heart also fell away, as the many changes in this month had been too intense for her composure. Even the slightest mistake could have led to an unacceptable outcome.
Wiping the cold sweat from his forehead, Xiao Xuan, though worried, could not let his own fears subside. Xiao Yan was the only hope for the revival of the Xiao clan, the lone sprout he cherished more than anyone else. If Xiao Yan had any mishaps here, he would become the true culprit of the Xiao clan.
“Though the ancient bloodline and the dragon-phoenix bloodline are small in quantity, they successfully merged. However, this new bloodline’s power is not enough to permeate Xiao Yan’s entire body. Therefore, it can only be placed deep in his heart, to be nurtured gradually. Only when this new bloodline’s power can circulate through all his blood vessels will true mastery be achieved. Whether he can then break through to Dou Sheng and enter the realm of Emperor, no one has seen for a thousand years, is up to Xiao Yan’s fortune,” Xiao Xuan said, gazing at Xiao Yan in the blood pool.
Xun’er nodded slightly. Though the new bloodline was minor, it could serve as a seed. Now planted, all that was needed was time for it to grow into a towering tree. When that happened, the entire Dou Qi Continent would tremble because of him.
“Next, we wait for him to fully absorb the energy I’ve left behind. This will take a while. In the meantime, you should stay here and cultivate. The energy here is the most concentrated in Heavenly Tomb, so it will have good effects.”
Looking at the blood pool, where waves of dense, nearly substantial energy were continuously pouring into Xiao Yan, Xiao Xuan understood that Xiao Yan had already started absorbing the energy he left behind.
“Mm.” Xun’er nodded, her beautiful eyes watching Xiao Yan in the blood pool for a while. Reassured by seeing nothing amiss, she closed her eyes and re-entered her cultivation state.
Seeing Xun’er in her cultivation, Xiao Xuan smiled and, looking at Xiao Yan, murmured, “This boy has quite some charm…”
As the former head of the Xiao clan, Xiao Xuan well understood that those with divine bloodline from the ancient races rarely felt special attraction to the opposite sex as they matured. Thus, he found it somewhat surprising that Xun’er could feel this way about Xiao Yan.
However, unknown to him, their feelings had been brewing since they were children…
After resolving the bloodline issue, Xiao Xuan stepped back, knowing that what followed was entirely Xiao Yan’s responsibility. Helping further would be counterproductive.
As Xiao Xuan said, Xiao Yan’s absorption of the left-behind energy would take some time. Weakened from blood loss, Xun’er quickly entered cultivation, so the hall fell silent again. Over the years, Xiao Xuan had grown accustomed to such solitude, feeling no loneliness…
In this desolate setting, time flowed like sand, swift and inexorable…
A year passed quietly in this ancient, silent hall…
During this year, Xun’er spent most of her time cultivating. The energy here was the most abundant in Heavenly Tomb, allowing her to reap significant gains: her depleted bloodline power mostly recovered, and her aura even slightly strengthened. At her level, progress was slow, but the rate improved considerably in the tomb.
Occasionally, when she awoke from her cultivation, Xun’er watched Xiao Yan, who lay motionless like a statue in the blood pool. A year passed without Xiao Yan opening his eyes, as endless energy poured into his body. Despite the terrifying influx, his aura remained stable, which Xun’er found unsurprising—she knew the real explosion would come with the final surge of energy.
Xiao Xuan, too, never left the blood pool. Watching it clear as Xiao Yan absorbed the energy, his smile grew, for this was the only gift he could offer Xiao Yan now.
Time continued to pass, but the increasingly clear water suggested the energy was being absorbed. Eventually, after a year and a half, the last vestige of red faded, and the water returned to its original clarity.
When the last energy surged into Xiao Yan, both Xiao Xuan and Xun’er, sensing the change, opened their eyes, staring at Xiao Yan in the pool.
Xiao Yan remained motionless, even his breath was steady. But with their strength, they could sense the terrifying volcano-like energy within him.
*Boom!* The pool, previously calm, suddenly exploded, shooting a massive jet of water that cascaded down like a torrential rain.
Ignoring the rain, Xiao Xuan and Xun’er kept their eyes fixed on Xiao Yan.
“His aura is surging!” Suddenly, Xiao Xuan’s face twitched, and he spoke.
*Boom!* Right after, a vast aura burst from Xiao Yan, rapidly growing…
“Six-star Peak… Seven Stars… Seven-star Peak… Eight Stars…”
Sensing Xiao Yan’s relentless rise, Xiao Xuan and Xun’er grew more serious.
“He’s at nine stars now…”
In less than ten minutes, Xiao Yan’s aura leapt from six to nine stars, and it showed no signs of stopping.
“Almost at the peak of nine stars…”
After two more minutes, concern crept onto Xun’er’s face. If Xiao Yan stalled here, his chances of becoming a Dou Sheng would be slim.
Xiao Xuan was relatively calm, but his furrowed brow revealed his unease. Under their tense watch, Xiao Yan’s aura surged to the peak of Dou Zun.
“Brother Xiao Yan, if you don’t stop, you’ll get stuck at this level,” Xun’er said anxiously, clenching her hands.
Xiao Xuan’s face was solemn. If Xiao Yan couldn’t resist the allure of sudden power, his achievements might end here. Losing his true nature for short-term gains would hinder his future.
“Xiao Yan, you are the last hope of the Xiao clan. Don’t disappoint me…”
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