Chapter 516: Entering the Heavenly Tomb

Seeing this scene, Mang Tianchi also let out a soft sigh, his voice brimming with unmistakable envy—he, as a member of the Lei Clan, knew full well how vital this so-called Divine-Star Bloodline was to an ancient race.

Gu Qingyang and Hun Li both wore expressions of stunned shock, for they knew that unlike Hun Feng and Hun Yu's Divine-Star Bloodlines, Xun Er's was purely natural—not cultivated!

Seeing this, Xiao Yan couldn't help swallowing hard, muttering to himself: "I won't get beaten up at home anymore, right?"

Xiao Yan's face was pale, whether from excessive depletion or panic—he didn't know. If Xun Er were to hit him, would kneeling reduce the number of blows?

Gu Qingyang, with his Nine-Star Dou Di Bloodline, was already this strong—what would a Divine-Star Bloodline be like?!

Xiao Yan wasn't stupid; he knew perfectly well how vast the gap between Nine-Star and Divine-Star was. The greatest difference wasn't enhanced talent or combat power—it was heritage!

If Xiao Yan himself had a Divine-Star Bloodline, it wouldn't matter much—his cultivation would just be faster, since the Xiao Clan was gone and the Emperor Inheritances long lost; he'd merely possess a Divine-Star Bloodline with nothing to back it.

Just imagine—Gu Qingyang, with his Nine-Star Dou Di Bloodline, wielded the Emperor Seal Technique and was already this powerful—what would a Divine-Star Bloodline achieve?!

Moreover, Xiao Yan knew that, like the Soul Sovereign, the Soul Emperor's Soul Cultivation Technique, Emperor Soul Scripture, required Six-Star Dou Di Bloodline just to barely practice the upper volume, and Eight- or Nine-Star to access the lower volume.

But the complete Emperor Soul Scripture was a Heavenly Rank Advanced Grade Soul Cultivation Technique—could the Soul Emperor's own technique really be only Heavenly Rank Advanced Grade? Xiao Yan refused to believe it.

Xiao Yan knew the Emperor Soul Scripture must exist further—but the true version could only be practiced by the Clan Leader—or more precisely, by those with genuine Divine-Star Bloodline, for it was a technique beyond Heavenly Rank!

Xiao Yan didn't know about other Dou Emperor Families, but at least the Soul Sovereign and Gu Clan must possess Emperor-level techniques and Dou Techniques—yet these were inaccessible to ordinary people, even Gu Qingyang couldn't practice them.

Thus, what the Divine-Star Bloodline represented was immense—it represented the sole inheritance of the entire Dou Emperor Family!

Xun Er already possessed the Golden Emperor Burning Heaven Flame—what else could the Gu Clan not give her?!

Xiao Yan's Flame Scripture was powerful, Buddha Fury Lotus was powerful, the Elemental Fire Dou Techniques, Dragon Phoenix Ancient Armor, Heaven Phoenix Wings, and the incomplete Flame Emperor Seal were all immensely strong—but compared to Emperor Inheritance, they were nothing.

"Thank goodness I defeated Gu Qingyang," Xiao Yan couldn't help feeling relieved—he was currently weaker than Xun Er, or rather, weaker than Xun Er with her Emperor heritage—but he surpassed all his rivals, and that was different, wasn't it?

He was the only one!

He grinned.

But Xiao Yan didn't undervalue himself—he was merely weaker for now; if he could evolve the Flame Scripture to Heavenly Rank Advanced Grade or even beyond, who knew? Then Buddha Fury Lotus would evolve into an Emperor-level Dou Technique!

"This Flame Scripture might be the inheritance of some Dou Emperor," Xiao Yan rubbed his chin, beginning to suspect its origin.

But unfortunately, the Medic Sovereign who obtained the Flame Scripture was gone—he had no one to ask.

The golden pillar shot straight into the sky; after a long while, it slowly dissipated, finally condensing into a thread of Golden Light that reentered Xun Er's body. Only then did she slowly open her beautiful eyes—but she showed no surprise at the surrounding silence, instead fixing her calm gaze on the ecstatic Elder Tong Xuan before her.

Gu Qingyang and the other commanders all felt bitterness in their mouths—not everyone had the courage to challenge Dou Di Bloodline, like Xiao Yan did.

Gu Qingyang openly admitted he lacked the courage to challenge a Divine-Star Bloodline.

Though they had harbored suspicions before, when those suspicions became reality, even they found it unbelievable—after all, a Divine-Star Bloodline hadn't appeared in the Gu Clan for a thousand years.

"Truly a Divine-Star Bloodline… Truly!!"

Under Xun Er's gaze, Elder Tong Xuan murmured excitedly twice, then gradually calmed down. He smiled at her, then his expression turned solemn. With both hands respectfully extended, he gently clenched the empty air before him.

As his hand clenched, a seven-colored dragon pen appeared in his grasp. The moment the seven-colored pen materialized, every Gu Clan member's face lit up with reverence.

Watching the seven-colored dragon pen, Mang Tianchi exhaled softly, murmuring.

"The Seven-Colored Heaven Emperor Pen—the thing the Gu Clan hasn't used in a thousand years—is it finally being brought out?"

Elder Tong Xuan held the seven-colored dragon pen with solemn respect, his heart brimming with excitement—the Seven-Colored Heaven Emperor Pen, unused by the Gu Clan for a thousand years, was finally being opened!

Gripping the Seven-Colored Heaven Emperor Pen tightly, Elder Tong Xuan's gaze turned to Xun Er, as if seeking her approval. Seeing this, Xun Er gave a slight nod, then gently closed her beautiful eyes.

Seeing Xun Er's nod, Elder Tong Xuan's expression grew grave. Vast energy erupted from his body, flooding the air. His hand tightened around the Seven-Colored Heaven Emperor Pen, his arm swiftly moved, and intricate patterns rapidly formed beneath his palm. As the pen danced, one by one, seven-colored Clan Marks appeared on Xun Er's smooth forehead.

Watching the rapid depletion of Elder Tong Xuan's Dou Qi, Xiao Yan's gaze turned serious—this Seven-Colored Heaven Emperor Pen was likely even higher-grade than Gu Qingyang's Yín Lóng Zhàn Jǐ. Though not a weapon, its value probably surpassed even Nine-Star artifacts!

"It must be a Dou Emperor's artifact."

Under everyone's gaze, Elder Tong Xuan finally completed the Seven-Colored Clan Mark. When the mark was finished, even this Senior Semi-Sage's face turned pale.

The seven-colored glow lasted only a moment before fully retracting into the Seven-Colored Clan Mark on Xun Er's forehead. Even the mark itself, as it subtly trembled, gradually vanished—this Clan Mark would not show unless its owner deliberately summoned it.

Ignoring the stares of the crowd, Xun Er stepped forward and returned to sit before Xiao Yan, her hands behind her back, eyes gleaming with pride. She blinked, bent down, and asked: "Brother Xiao Yan, how's that?"

Seeing Xun Er act like she'd aced an exam and was showing off, Xiao Yan rolled his eyes helplessly, then gently stroked her hair: "Next time I meet a bad guy, I'll hide behind you."

Xun Er covered her mouth and laughed: "Fine—this time, Xun Er will protect Brother Xiao Yan."

With that, they rose. Since the show was over, it was time to leave. Xun Er linked arms with Xiao Yan and chatted merrily as they departed from the Yishi Guangchang.

Watching Xun Er and Xiao Yan so affectionate, many were filled with envy, pounding their chests in frustration. But remembering Xiao Yan's terrifying power, they could only harbor envy, jealousy, and hatred—daring not utter a word.

Even though Xun Er was a Divine-Star Bloodline, exalted beyond measure, even the stubborn old elders of the Gu Clan now fell silent. After all, no matter how precious her bloodline, once she reached Dou Sage, it would stabilize—could they really expect her to remain unmarried?!

The sun dipped low, a pale, glowing orb hanging slantwise on the horizon, releasing its final warmth upon the land. Xiao Yan now knew—the sun was artificial, requiring vast amounts of Dou Qi to sustain it at regular intervals.

With a soft click, Xun Er quietly opened the door of the small house and stepped in, smiling at Xiao Yan, who had just opened his eyes on the bed: "Brother Xiao Yan, how's your injury?"

"No major issue—just excessive depletion. With your Golden Emperor Burning Heaven Flame helping, what could possibly go wrong?" Xiao Yan smiled warmly.

Xun Er cast him a seductive glance, carried a basin of water to his side, wrung out the towel, and wiped the grime from his face.

"Sigh—if we were at the same level, the battle wouldn't have been so hard—even a Nine-Star Peak Dou Zun should've been easier." Xiao Yan sighed—real battle never considers age or cultivation realm; there are no "what ifs."

That Xiao Yan won this confrontation was already astonishing.

Xun Er nodded with a smile: "If I were at the same level as Brother Xiao Yan, I wouldn't be your match."

Hearing Xun Er's words, Xiao Yan naturally didn't believe her, then asked: "By the way, when does the Heavenly Tomb open? I heard the Xiao Clan's ancestor, Xiao Xuan, has a tomb inside?"

It wasn't surprising Xiao Yan was eager—after seeing the true power of the Emperor Seal Technique, his desire for Po Cangqiong grew even fiercer. If he guessed right, Po Cangqiong was likely an Emperor-level Dou Technique left by the Xiao Clan's Dou Emperor, requiring Dou Di Bloodline to activate.

If he could obtain an Emperor-level Dou Technique, he'd be set! He just didn't know if Ancestor Xiao Xuan had left him any inheritance.

"The Heavenly Tomb will open in about two days—I'll definitely secure a spot for you, Brother Xiao Yan," Xun Er said firmly. She knew the old men were always finding excuses to withhold the quota from the Xiao Clan.

Xiao Yan smiled, gently pinched her nose, and teased: "You haven't even married me yet, and you're already thinking about doing your husband's work?"

Hearing Xiao Yan tease her, Xun Er pouted: "This quota belongs to the Xiao Clan anyway, and you only need one—they're being unreasonable if they won't give it to you."

"If they truly refuse, I'll get it for you, Brother Xiao Yan," Xun Er's eyes flashed with coldness—some things were her bottom line, and could not be crossed.

"Thank you, Xun Er."

Gently rubbing the soft, jade-like hand in his palm, Xiao Yan whispered.

Xun Er smiled softly, her slender waist swaying gently as she leaned against Xiao Yan's shoulder, cheeks flushed, eyes half-closed, greedily inhaling the warm, comforting aura that calmed her soul.

Gazing at the jade-like figure in his arms, Xiao Yan's heart warmed; he gently wrapped his arms around her supple, boneless waist and buried his head in her smooth black hair, breathing in its faint fragrance, as if all his fatigue of these days had quietly vanished.

Of course, neither Xun Er nor Xiao Yan yet knew that because Xiao Yan had decisively defeated Gu Qingyang, his spot in the Heavenly Tomb had already been confirmed.

After seeing Xiao Yan's injuries stabilized, Xun Er did not stay long—after all, she had just obtained a brand-new Seven-Colored Clan Mark and needed to nurture and cultivate it.

After Xun Er left, Xiao Yan sat cross-legged in cultivation, recalling today's battle.

"The Flame Emperor Seal isn't fully formed yet, and the Rank of the Five Wheel Fire Method is still too low." Xiao Yan recalled how, when he activated the Flame Emperor Seal today, the celestial phenomenon differed from the beast spirits summoned by his Five Wheel Fire Method—the five massive beast spirits resembled strange, humanoid creatures with beast heads.

It was as if the blood-red lion forged from Myriad Beast Spirit Flame had appeared in the celestial phenomenon as a lion-headed, human-bodied entity seated cross-legged atop a red lotus, forming strange hand seals.

All the beast spirits had an eerie, sinister aura, their eyes tightly shut—because, like Buddha Fury Lotus, activating the Flame Emperor Seal required immense Soul Force to stabilize.

This proved that Xiao Yan's Flame Emperor Seal was not yet fully complete.

"Maybe I should revise the Five Wheel Fire Method too—the Spirit Flame beast spirits could use some changes. Ugh, my head's itching—am I growing a brain?" Xiao Yan shook his head violently.

Xiao Yan had always intended to develop the Flame Emperor Seal; after all, Xun Er had given him the Emperor Seal Scripture long ago, urging him to study it deeply—and today, by chance, he had managed to activate it.

Perhaps the ability of Huangyan was to enhance such "chance encounters," allowing Xiao Yan to use it at this most crucial moment.

It could only be called "good fortune."

But now, without that feeling, it was hard for Xiao Yan to activate it again, let alone fully refine it into a Dou Technique.

"Take it step by step—start with the Five Wheel Fire Method. I'll probably need to consult Old Yao about this—he might have insights." Xiao Yan waved his hand, deciding to leave the matter to the Heavenly Flame Sovereign.

Give him a Chengzun Spirit Pill, and the Heavenly Flame Sovereign wouldn't refuse me! A pill can make even a donkey turn the mill!

Time passed quickly; two days vanished in the blink of an eye.

During these two days, no one from the Gu Clan disturbed Xiao Yan and the others; this quietude was greatly appreciated—but it could not last. When the morning light of the third day spilled across the horizon, an unusual atmosphere spread through the Shan Mai, enveloping Xiao Yan and the others.

"Brother Xiao Yan, today is the day the Heavenly Tomb opens." Standing before the bamboo hut, Xun Er gently knocked and smiled.

With a creak, Xiao Yan pushed open the door and saw the breeze stirring Xun Er's long black hair, which cascaded down to her slender willow waist—exquisitely beautiful.

"Brother Xiao Yan, let's go, wu!"

Xiao Yan seized her slender waist and kissed her deeply, fiercely—unseen for a day felt like three autumns; it had been two full days.

Xun Er, too, had missed him dearly; the two embraced and kissed deeply.

"Brother Xiao Yan, stop being a rogue—the time's running out!" Xun Er's cheeks flushed crimson, her beautiful eyes brimming with affection; she gently pushed him away, breathing rapidly—if they delayed further, they'd be late.

"Hehe, what rogue? I'm kissing my own wife—that's not being a rogue, that's showing affection." Xiao Yan grinned, his skin as thick as armor.

Xun Er sighed and stepped back, gesturing with her hand to summon a Heavenly Horse, then riding with Xiao Yan toward the Ancient Tomb.

"Brother Xiao Yan, the entrance to the Heavenly Tomb lies deep within the Gu Saint Shan Mai—normally, it's a Forbidden Land of the Gu Clan, off-limits to outsiders; it opens only when the Heavenly Tomb awakens," Xun Er explained.

"Oh." Xiao Yan hugged her from behind, listening.

"Within the Heavenly Tomb, there are dangers—it holds the graves of countless ancient powerhouses. Though their Spiritual Souls have long vanished, due to the tomb's miraculous nature, their former energies have taken on their original forms. These energy bodies possess immense offensive power and retain the Dou Techniques they used in life—very hard to deal with." As she spoke of the Heavenly Tomb, Xun Er's expression grew slightly grave. "So, if you encounter an overly powerful energy body, avoid it if you can. It's said that some powerhouses, whose strength in life was extraordinary, even their energy bodies possess a degree of intelligence—some have even become a kind of strange lifeform."

"Huh?! A lifeform formed from the dead?" Xiao Yan pondered. If one's strength in life was great enough, combined with the Heavenly Tomb's mystery, such strange phenomena could arise.

"The Heavenly Tomb has three layers. The energy bodies in the first layer are mostly Dou Zun below Star Three, drifting aimlessly without awareness—relatively easy to handle. The second layer's energy bodies reach Star Three Dou Zun and above, up to Star Eight. The third layer holds true Dou Zun Di Feng, and even some powerhouses who reached the Dou Sage rank in life. Generally speaking, few dare enter the third layer unless they're certain of success—it's far too dangerous," Xun Er said slowly.

"Is my ancestor Xiao Xuan's Tomb Mansion also in the third layer?" Xiao Yan asked.

"It's said to lie in the innermost reaches of the third layer—but even within the Gu Clan, very few dare enter there. I fear there are several powerful energy bodies that were once Dou Sages," Xun Er said helplessly—the Heavenly Tomb was dangerous, after all.

"Dou Sage… that's troublesome." Xiao Yan frowned slightly. He might dare to fight a Semi-Sage's Spiritual Soul, but a powerful Dou Sage? That would be perilous.

Even reduced to an energy body, a Dou Sage remained a Dou Sage—even as a residual soul, Xiao Yan might not be able to handle it.

"When the cart reaches the mountain, a path will appear—let's enter the Heavenly Tomb first." With this thought crossing his mind, Xiao Yan felt somewhat reassured and asked Xun Er more about the Heavenly Tomb.

As they conversed, the Heavenly Horse gradually penetrated deeper into the Shan Mai. Along the way, Xiao Yan and the others encountered others heading toward the site; upon seeing Xun Er and Xiao Yan, they bowed respectfully from afar and hurried on.

Xiao Yan and Xun Er were the last to arrive, barely making it on time.

"Can you two possibly be any slower? What's going on?" Mang Tianchi blew his beard.

Just moments after they arrived, they suddenly felt the entire world tremble violently; a vast, ancient aura slowly spread from the Void Space. Under this ancient presence, every soul present felt a surge of reverence deep within their Spiritual Souls.

"The Heavenly Tomb is opening."

Then, a colossal heavenly gate appeared in the Space; the ancient aura emanated from within the gate.

"Is this the Heavenly Tomb Gate!" Seeing the massive gate, Xiao Yan's heart throbbed—inside lay the sole remaining legacy of the Xiao Clan!

Xiao Xuan's Tomb!

(End of Chapter)