Chapter 474

Hearing Xiao Yan's slightly mocking words naturally stirred dissatisfaction among some Soul Clan disciples, but the Soul Clan, like the Soul Palace, was a place that valued strength; although Xiao Yan's cultivation realm was only Three-Star Dou Zun, his Soul Force was of the Heavenly Realm.

For other Dou Emperor families or those with strong Soul Force, it might not mean much—though far inferior to Sage Emperors—the Soul Clan possessed Soul Technique lineages, and Soul Force also represented a certain combat power.

With Xiao Yan's current Heavenly Realm Soul Force, even the Soul Clan's Nine-Star Dou Zun might not dare to oppose him.

"Ten Heavenly Elders of the Soul Palace"

"Only tenth? Then aren't the nine above each a Sage Emperor?!"

Feeling the surrounding gazes gradually fade, Xiao Yan finally began to examine himself.

"So this is what they call the Dou Emperor Bloodline?" Xiao Yan felt within the depths of his soul, where flowed a terrifyingly potent force.

Unlike other races, the Soul Clan's Clan Mark enhances Soul Force, for the Soul Clan's Dou Emperors were strongest in Soul Force—indeed, in ancient or even more distant primitive times, the Soul Emperor had his own cultivation system.

Xiao Yan's Clan Mark was golden, merely a standard Six-Star Bloodline Rank, yet even this Six-Star Bloodline Rank made Xiao Yan sigh in awe.

When you truly possess Dou Emperor Bloodline, you'll look down on those without it, just like Ling Quan does.

According to Xiao Yan's estimation, before reaching Dou Zong, the Six-Star Dou Emperor Bloodline grants cultivation with no bottlenecks—almost like launching a rocket, smooth and unimpeded; the first true bottleneck would likely be at Dou Zong.

Even at Dou Zong, it merely slows down—cultivation remains uniquely advantageous; below Dou Zong it's like cheating, above Dou Zong it's still genius-level, and with the Soul Clan's resources, you can't slow down even if you try.

Only at Dou Zun does it truly slow.

But this is Six-Star Dou Emperor Bloodline—what about Seven-Star, Eight-Star? What about Nine-Star and Divine-Star beyond that?!

Of course, cultivation speed isn't the most important thing; no matter how fast you are, there's a limit—just as Xiao Yan's Heavenly Rank Intermediate Burning Scripture grants him far greater speed than ordinary cultivators.

With just the Burning Scripture, Xiao Yan cultivates faster than ordinary people, but only by about tenfold.

Xiao Yan's current cultivation speed isn't merely tenfold faster—it also benefits from inherited resources and elixirs.

The true strength of Dou Emperor Bloodline lies in its connection to the Dou Emperor Family's legacies.

Xiao Yan looked down at his shadow and saw the Asura Shadow hidden within it; after absorbing the Dou Emperor Bloodline, this cursed thing finally revealed its divine might.

"No wonder Hun Lao Gui said his Asura Soul-Cleaving Technique was merely a side branch, fake." Xiao Yan clearly felt that after acquiring the Soul Clan's Clan Mark and Dou Emperor Bloodline, the thing had awakened—its power had grown!

The true Asura Soul-Cleaving Technique likely requires Dou Emperor Bloodline; Hun Lao Gui had counted on Xiao Yan obtaining it.

"Then the Emperor Seal Scripture must be the same." Xiao Yan sighed bitterly; techniques and cultivation methods created by Dou Emperors or their family's elites can only reach true potency in those with Dou Emperor Bloodline.

Xiao Yan hadn't forgotten: the first seal of the Emperor Seal Scripture requires Dou Wang, and also demands the opening of special meridians—for ordinary people, those meridians are sealed!

Back then, Xiao Yan endured excruciating pain for days to open them.

The Gu Clan had deliberately modified it; otherwise, ordinary people might not even be able to cultivate the first seal of the Emperor Seal Scripture.

Most terrifying are the Dou Emperor Family's cultivation methods: Six-Star Dou Emperor Bloodline is the baseline for cultivating the Emperor Soul Scripture, meaning Six-Star Bloodline grants no speed boost and makes mastering the technique no easier.

In short: ordinary trash, no cultivation bonus.

The higher the Dou Emperor Bloodline, the easier it is to master your clan's Dou Techniques and cultivation methods—perfectly suited, and cultivation feels like sudden enlightenment.

For example, Xiao Yan cultivates Heavenly Flame Three Mystical Changes fastest; fire-based Dou Techniques come easily—but the Emperor Seal Scripture and Asura Soul-Cleaving Technique crawl, and are fiendishly hard to perfect.

The fact that he still hasn't mastered the Five Seals Unified proves it.

Dou Emperor Bloodline isn't just the key to unlocking a mountain of gold—it's also the tool that determines how much gold you can dig out.

Imagine such a vital thing—how could any family possibly neglect it?

Even as Young Clan Leader, he'd wish every member of the clan had Dou Emperor Bloodline!

But now, giving the Xiao Clan Dou Emperor Bloodline would be useless—the Xiao Clan has lost even its legacy.

Xiao Yan looked up at the sky; having reached Heavenly Realm Soul Force, he could now see more—he saw through the false sky, beyond which lay endless Xu Kong Zhi Di, a world forged by supreme means.

"When I reach Sage Emperor, or even Peak Dou Zun with Heavenly Realm Soul Force, perhaps I can try creating a little world like the Flame Valley." Xiao Yan gazed at the sky, murmuring to himself.

Xiao Yan narrowed his eyes, gathering his spirit toward a location in the Soul Realm—he needed to retrieve something before returning to the Yan Alliance.

The Dou Emperor Bloodline was obtained through Mao Wu's power; the Soul Clan ritual came because he became a Ten Heavenly Elder; inclusion in the Imperial Pill Plan came because he won the Pill Gathering Champion.

In short, all of this was his due reward.

But one reward the Soul Clan has yet to pay.

For spirit refining, you pay first.

This is the unspoken rule among Alchemists on the Dou Qi Continent—even if you're the Soul Clan Clan Leader, you must abide!

In one step, a thousand li, Xiao Yan opened Space and headed toward a destination.

Though the Soul Realm was vast, Xiao Yan was already at its center and soon arrived at his target.

Amid the emerald, tranquil forest, life pulsed everywhere; within this grove stood an elegant courtyard.

As soon as he stepped into the courtyard, a breeze laden with life-force brushed his face—cool, damp, and deeply refreshing.

This was where the Soul Clan Clan Leader resided.

Within the courtyard, Hun Tian Di, clad in white robes, scattered fish food, appearing utterly relaxed.

The fish pond was simple and plain; the stones and carp were ordinary—no Nine Heavens Divine Carp capable of leaping the dragon gate, just common fish.

To outsiders, they might mistake it for the courtyard of some scholarly family.

"Heavenly Realm Soul Force… even with Emperor Soul Scripture's aid, breaking through its barrier isn't easy. You have some Qi Circulation." Hun Tian Di didn't turn, busying himself as he spoke.

"Indeed, a bit—I've died several times already without it." Xiao Yan shrugged, speaking calmly.

Now that he'd broken through to Heavenly Realm, he feared Hun Tian Di less—not because he could defeat or escape him, but because his value increasingly aligned with Hun Tian Di's interests.

When two parties' value and interests coincide, enemies can become partners.

The Yao Clan certainly had Alchemists superior to Xiao Yan—after all, the Yao Clan possessed vast Yao Emperor legacies and Dou Emperor Bloodline, and their Alchemist talent was certainly not weak.

But the Yao Clan's interests clashed with the Soul Clan's.

Walking to the fish pond, Xiao Yan looked down at the water—he saw his family's Tuoshe Ancient Jade lying in the pond, now covered in green moss; beside the Xiao Clan's Ancient Jade lay a shapeless green moss-ball—the Soul Clan's Ancient Jade.

"You leave such important things here?" Xiao Yan crouched, teasing the koi with his fingers, speaking casually.

"Only two—useless." Hun Tian Di scattered more fish food, smiling.

"True enough—Seven Dragon Balls with only six are useless."

"Seven Dragon Balls?"

Xiao Yan shrugged and did not answer the question.

Xiao Yan crouched down, staring at the reflections of the two men in the pond, finding it hard to imagine that one day the Soul Clan Clan Leader would stand beside the Xiao Clan Young Clan Leader, admiring the fish.

"I have already broken through to the Heavenly Realm Soul. Crafting elixirs with eight- or nine-color Pill Thunder should not be difficult. Once my cultivation realm improves further, I can challenge the Nine-Treasure Pill," Xiao Yan said.

Hun Tian Di set down the fish food and said softly, "The Nine-Treasure Pill is not what I seek."

"I know that," Xiao Yan slowly stood up and said, "To craft an Emperor Pill, you need at least two Golden Pill Alchemists, and your soul realm must reach the Imperial Soul. Without Imperial Soul, you have no right to touch an Emperor Pill."

Xiao Yan had been an Alchemist for so long that he understood some of the rules of Spirit Refining. For elixirs below Eight Grade, the requirements were not so strict; sometimes, with a bit of luck, one could even craft an elixir stronger than one's own Soul Force.

But crafting an Eight Grade Pill was different—it required Spiritual Energy, and controlling Spiritual Energy demanded a Spirit Realm Soul.

Although Xiao Yan had never crafted a Nine-Treasure Pill, after breaking through to Heavenly Realm Soul Force, he saw more—he could see this world, could see a wisp of the breath of heaven and earth.

A Nine-Treasure Pill was a Celestial Elixir, a fairy pill. One Nine-Treasure Pill could grant a mortal lifespan equal to heaven and earth—hundreds or even thousands of years, restore flesh to bones, revive the dead. Creating life itself was possible.

This was a power that stole from heaven!

And the Emperor Pill stood above the Nine-Treasure Pill! Such an elixir required soul force reaching the Imperial Realm.

But what the Emperor Pill required, Xiao Yan did not know—his knowledge of the Emperor Pill grade was a complete blank.

But he knew: to craft an Emperor Pill, one must possess an Imperial Soul. Even Heavenly Realm Great Perfection had no right to touch an Emperor Pill.

"When Void Devouring Flame reaches Imperial Soul, it can assist," Hun Tian Di said calmly. He had planned for a thousand years and was already fully prepared—only a little more was missing.

Xiao Yan shook his head and asked, "Is that enough?"

"With Void Devouring Flame aiding Hun Xu Zi, there might be some chance of crafting a Golden Nine-Treasure Pill. But if only Void Devouring Flame is present, I do not hold much hope."

Hun Tian Di smiled warmly at Xiao Yan beside him, saying nothing, waiting for Xiao Yan to reveal his true purpose.

Xiao Yan smiled faintly, a bright smile, and said, "I know all Dou Emperor Families are watching the Pure Lotus Demon Fire. If I can possess the Pure Lotus Demon Fire, I believe the success rate for crafting a Primitive Pill will satisfy you."

Hun Tian Di smiled and said plainly, "You want to borrow the power of my Soul Clan to seize the Pure Lotus Demon Fire?"

Xiao Yan shrugged and said, "It's not entirely that I need your Soul Clan's help—I'll seize it myself too. But I need intelligence: the location and timing of its descent, and I don't want unnecessary obstacles when the time comes."

"Is that all?" Hun Tian Di glanced at Xiao Yan, as if seeing through him—no one could hide anything from Hun Tian Di.

"You didn't come to me just for the Pure Lotus Demon Fire."

Xiao Yan looked up at the sky, then spoke slowly, "Is my Xiao Clan's Xiao Realm in your hands?"

Xiao Realm! The domain once owned by the Xiao Clan!

Every Dou Emperor Family possessed its own Little World—created by their ancestral Dou Emperor. Even the Grand Void Ancient Dragon Clan and the Heavenly Demon Phoenix Clan had theirs, passed down since ancient times.

It was home.

Through Yin-Yang Dual Flame, Xiao Yan had seen that when the Xiao Clan made their final stand, most of their clan members fought to the death, while others slipped away, using the distraction to relocate.

Xiao Realm, of course, could not be taken.

Xiao Yan did not know where Xiao Realm was, but after that battle, with the Xiao Clan wiped out, it was almost certain the Soul Clan had seized it.

This was the true price Xiao Yan demanded—he had promised his Ancestor to restore the Xiao Clan. The first step was to reclaim Xiao Realm.

Though he was not certain, he was ninety-nine percent sure it was under Soul Clan control.

"Xiao Realm... I haven't heard that word in a thousand years," Hun Tian Di's eyes flickered with a hint of something unusual. For a cultivator like him, a thousand years was long—unconsciously, the Xiao Clan had been extinguished for a millennium.

Hun Tian Di looked at Xiao Yan and smiled, "You've been to Xiao Realm."

"I've been there?!" Xiao Yan's heart jolted. When had he ever been to Xiao Realm? Then, a sudden realization struck him—he widened his pupils and exclaimed, "Tian Dian?!"

"Tian Dian is above Xiao Realm?!"

Who could have imagined that the headquarters of the Soul Sect, which made all of the Dou Qi Continent tremble, stood directly above the ruined Xiao Realm?

Hun Tian Di nodded, then swept his hand—the entire Yu Chi twisted. The next instant, the space before them became Tian Dian.

A Dou Zun's Space Wormhole warped space, shortening distance. But a Dou Sheng ignored spatial distance entirely—like an instant gate, open and you were there.

Of course, ordinary Dou Sheng could not cover the entire Dou Qi Continent. But this man was certainly not ordinary.

When Xiao Yan arrived again at Tian Dian, he looked down. His Heavenly Realm Soul Force pierced through the clouds. Only after reaching Heavenly Realm had he truly seen: beneath Tian Dian lay a barren wasteland.

When Xiao Yan saw this desolate wasteland, five words surfaced in his mind: Dead Civilization.

This was a world that once held glorious history and civilization. Xiao Realm had once been vast—a full continent. From ancient times to a thousand years ago, calling it an ancient civilization world was no exaggeration.

But now, this world was utterly dead. Once floating in Space, Xiao Realm had fallen from the void due to lack of maintenance. The entire world had shattered—far worse than Dan Realm.

Only traces of past human habitation remained. Buildings and structures had all been swallowed and erased by the power of Space.

From above, it was nothing but yellow earth ruins—endless yellow earth ruins, not a single spark of life. Violent Space currents lingered here, leaving no Life Force.

A thousand years ago, this place might have been green mountains and clear waters.

This was land already dead—even reviving it was unnecessary. If you had the resources and power, why not find a better land and create your own world?

Hun Tian Di also gazed at the shattered world below and said, "Once, Xiao Realm was not like this. Green mountains, clear waters, waterfalls and springs—it possessed Life Force no weaker than the ancestral lands of the Grand Void Ancient Dragons and other ancient demons."

"There," Hun Tian Di pointed to a spot, where faintly visible were several broken pillars and traces on the ground, "was once your Xiao Clan's Adult Yishi Guangchang."

That ceremony square had been destroyed—no power remained, and even if any had, the Soul Clan had long taken it.

"Where is my Xiao Clan's legacy?" Xiao Yan asked.

"All seven clans have it," Hun Tian Di sneered coldly.

During the great battle with the Xiao Clan, to block the Gu Clan, the Soul Clan sacrificed many Dou Sheng—several of its strongest were slain, and Hun Tian Di himself was wounded.

Severely weakened, the Soul Clan could not monopolize the entire Xiao Realm. The other Dou Emperor Families, without doubt, divided up Xiao Realm's resources together.

The Soul Clan was crippled; the Xiao Clan was destroyed; its people fled and hid. This vast Xiao Realm became a fat, unclaimed prize! The other Dou Emperor Families could not possibly resist.

"The Spirit Springs and Blood Pools went to the Ling Clan; the Kuang Ji and Magic Cores went to the Stone Clan; the Pill Fields and Elixirs went to the Yao Clan; the Secret Realms and Thunder Flames were split between the two clans; the Gu Clan took the Secret Realms where Xiao Realm and Ancient Realm intersected—such as Heavenly Tomb. Most of the Dou Techniques and Cultivation Methods became mine."

Though the Soul Clan had been severely weakened, it still took the lion's share. Hun Tian Di had no objection to Xiao Yan knowing.

Listening to Hun Tian Di's words, Xiao Yan could imagine how prosperous Xiao Realm once was—how magnificent its inner realms, secret caves, Kuang Ji, Pill Fields, and Spiritual Territories had been.

"Sigh," Xiao Yan sighed, withdrew his gaze, then turned to look behind him—at the vast, black Tian Dian.

No wonder when I arrived, this Tian Dian wasn't like other Hun Dian—it must be the only thing my clan managed to preserve. Xiao Yan wasn't surprised; when he first arrived, he'd already felt this Tian Dian was utterly unlike the other Hun Dian, for it had no Sacrificial Soul Altar.

Generally, Hun Dian were places where Venerables and Heavenly Venerables delivered the Soul Bodies they hunted, yet this Tian Dian had no entrances or exits whatsoever. The Ten Heavenly Venerables were already the highest rank; above them were only Deputy Masters—how could there be so many subordinates?

There was no need to establish Tian Dian at all.

No wonder the Dou Qi Continent could never find Tian Dian—it was merely symbolic. The establishment of Hun Dian began only after the annihilation of the Xiao Clan.

With the Xiao Clan gone, the Soul Sovereign began hunting Soul Bodies en masse to obtain Spiritual Soul Origins.

This place—the beginning!

When Xiao Yan looked again at the murals in the Tian Dian, he realized each mural depicted one man—engaged in Battle.

Battling the Ancient Dragon, battling the Ancient Heavenly Snake, finally battling a human.

If Xiao Yan wasn't mistaken, that man was the Xiao Clan's Dou Emperor—Xiao Potian!

(End of Chapter)