“Are you of the Xiao Clan?” The large, ghastly cleaver, reeking of a pungent, bloody aura, halted abruptly just a few inches above Xiao Yan’s head. The Bloodblade Saint, his eyes wide with fear, stared at Xiao Yan’s forehead, his voice tinged with astonishment. The Great Heaven Creation Palm, which Xiao Yan was rapidly condensing in his palm, also paused due to the Bloodblade Saint’s bizarre reaction. His brows furrowed slightly as he gently tapped the ground with his foot, rapidly retreating. “How did you know?”
The Bloodblade Saint’s gaze was fixed on the center of Xiao Yan’s brow, where a faint, indistinct clan symbol had appeared earlier. It had now completely vanished, but he knew that this symbol was not unfamiliar to him. In his distant memories, this symbol seemed to be a terrifying nightmare.
“Aren’t all the members of the Xiao Clan dead?” The Bloodblade Saint muttered, his eyes involuntarily sweeping towards the depths of the Heavenly Tomb, a deep hint of fear flashing through them.
“What’s going on?” Gu Qingyang and Xun’er appeared by Xiao Yan’s side at this moment, gazing at the Bloodblade Saint who had suddenly stopped. They murmured in confusion.
“I’m not sure…” Xiao Yan shook his head, but he still did not let down his guard. The strength of a half-sage was overwhelming. Even with their combined forces, it was a difficult task to face him. If they were not careful, it was very possible for all of them to fall here.
Upon hearing this, Gu Qingyang and the others furrowed their brows. This Bloodblade Saint, though now only an energy form, still possessed the intellect and memories of his former life. What could possibly make him so wary?
“This young man is actually from the Xiao Clan. With that person’s all-seeing abilities, they must have sensed his presence when he entered here. If I kill him, I would surely be hunted by that person in the future.” The Bloodblade Saint’s eyes flashed rapidly. After a moment, the overwhelming, bloody aura that enveloped his body gradually receded. With a wave of his hand, the ghastly cleaver disappeared. He looked at Xiao Yan and the others, saying with a sense of reluctant acceptance, “Go. Consider yourselves lucky this time!”
Seeing this, Xiao Yan and the others were stunned, looking at each other in confusion, not understanding why he had suddenly changed his mind.
“Head west from here. Within this crevice lies the convergence of many powerful entities. Traveling this way should allow you to avoid the interference of others and reach your destination.”
“Thank you, senior.” Xiao Yan and Gu Qingyang exchanged glances before respectfully bowing to the Bloodblade Saint. They slowly retreated, their Dou Qi still in a state of readiness. When they saw that the Bloodblade Saint made no further moves after they had retreated over a hundred meters, they finally breathed a sigh of relief and swiftly turned around, dashing away.
The Bloodblade Saint watched as Xiao Yan and the others quickly left. He curled his lips, looking towards the depths of the Heavenly Tomb and muttering to himself, “Hmph, you owe me one. I expect to be spared next time you come to clear the place.”
“That guy is truly bizarre. He was full of murderous intent just a moment ago, and now he’s being nice…” Amidst the vast expanse of swirling energy mist, several figures darted swiftly across the ground. Gu Hua glanced behind them, frowning as he spoke.
“He seems to have recognized me as a member of the Xiao Clan,” Xiao Yan replied, his gaze vigilant as he scanned the surroundings.
“Whenever your aura surges, the symbol of the Xiao Clan appears on your forehead. He is a top expert, how could he not recognize it?” Gu Qingyang smiled.
“What?” Xiao Yan halted, his face filled with shock as he turned back. “What do you mean, a clan symbol?”
“Don’t you know?” Seeing Xiao Yan’s more puzzled expression, Gu Qingyang and the others were equally confused. “This clan symbol appears only for a brief moment before disappearing. You shouldn’t have a clan symbol, as it requires the power of bloodline. But the bloodline of the Xiao Clan has almost been completely depleted.”
Xiao Yan furrowed his brows. How could he not know himself? On his forehead was only a flame mark, and this mark had gradually faded after he successfully consumed the Bone Spirit Cold Flame. Other clan symbols had never appeared.
“When my aura surges, it’s because I’m using the Three Profound Changes of Heavenly Fire. But what does this have to do with the clan symbol of the Xiao Clan?” A myriad of questions flooded Xiao Yan’s mind, but he found no answers, making his brows furrow even more tightly.
“The Bloodblade Saint clearly feared something other than the clan symbol of the Xiao Clan, as it holds no power.” Xiao Yan thought swiftly, “So, what made him let us go must be something else, and this thing is related to the clan symbol of the Xiao Clan…”
But what within the Heavenly Tomb was related to the clan symbol of the Xiao Clan and could intimidate a half-sage like the Bloodblade Saint?
“Xiao Xuan!” Xun’er suddenly whispered. Upon hearing this, while Xiao Yan remained calm, a chill ran down Gu Qingyang’s spine. Xiao Xuan had been dead for so long. How could he instill such fear in the Bloodblade Saint?
“The Heavenly Tomb is extremely peculiar. If someone like the Bloodblade Saint can survive in another form and retain their intelligence, then isn’t it possible that the esteemed Xiao Xuan, who once reached the peak of Dou Sage, could still exist?”
Gu Qingyang and the others were speechless, then looked at Xiao Yan. Despite his calm expression, they could see that his heart was in turmoil.
“Let’s go. Once we reach our destination, these mysteries should be solved…” Xiao Yan said softly. His speed suddenly increased, turning into a blur of black as he plunged into the dense energy mist. Behind him, Xun’er and the others exchanged glances and quickly followed.
On the way, Xiao Yan and his companions followed the route described by the Bloodblade Saint. Along the way, they encountered more and more powerful energy bodies, some even stronger than the Bloodblade Saint. Fortunately, within the narrow passage, they successfully avoided being detected and faced no obstructions.
“We should be in the deepest part of the Heavenly Tomb now.” In a rocky area, Xiao Yan and the others used the terrain to rest momentarily. Gu Qingyang looked towards the dark depths, pondering.
“No wonder this is the most dangerous place in the Heavenly Tomb. The energy bodies around here are truly terrifying. Even a Nine Star Energy Body can only serve as a guard.”
“In such a place filled with powerful beings, we realize our own weaknesses. Though we are revered by the younger generation in the ancient world, here we are like ants, even speaking carefully.”
The others could only smile wryly. This place was not meant for them, and it was a surprise they had made it this far.
“At our current speed, we should reach the tomb of Xiao Xuan recorded in the ancient texts soon…” Xun’er said softly, looking at Xiao Yan.
“The path has been smooth so far, thanks to the Bloodblade Saint, but it’s indeed too perilous. We should leave early.”
Xiao Yan nodded slightly, urging them to continue.
“Alright.” The others agreed, getting up.
As they prepared to set off again, a soft sound of wind breaking was heard, and two black figures landed on a nearby boulder, looking down at them with mocking eyes.
“Xiao Yan, you’re moving much too slowly…” The cold, mocking voice made their faces change. They looked up, seeing the two figures, their faces growing grave. “Hun Ya, Hun Li!”
“Hah, who do we have here? It’s just you two homeless dogs. Have you finally found the courage to show up?” Gu Hua sneered unapologetically.
While Gu Hua spoke, Xiao Yan, his face dark, discreetly made a gesture. These two, Hun Ya and Hun Li, had been avoiding them. There was no way they would dare to confront them openly. Their sudden appearance must have a reason, and it was likely ominous.
“Rest assured, you will be the ones running like stray dogs soon…” Hun Ya smiled strangely, then he and Hun Li slowly backed away. As they did, two old men in gray robes, their faces somber, appeared like ghosts before them.
“Dou Saints?” As the two gray-clothed elders appeared, a sense of imminent danger rose in the hearts of Xiao Yan and the others!
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