Chapter 529: Ancient Devouring Insect Shows Its Power

Keep in mind that the Medusa clan of Cai Lin once lived in the Beast Domain, which is why Cai Lin carries the bloodline of the Devouring Heaven Serpent; eventually, through the evolution of the Strange Fire, she reverted to her ancestral form and became the royal lineage of the Devouring Heaven Serpent—the Seven-Colored Devouring Heaven Serpent!

Cai Lin's lifelong goal has always been to lead her people back to the Huangquan Mountains and reclaim the dominion of serpent beasts; in a sense, the Serpent Empire and the Nine Underworld Dìmíng Serpent Clan can only survive as one.

The struggle for territory among beast beasts has always been a fight to the death.

And Xiao Yan, of course, doesn't care whether the Nine Underworld Dìmíng Serpent Clan is legitimate or what might happen—he will unquestionably support Cai Lin!

"By the way, Sister Ya Fei, don't overwork yourself these days—you'll be coming with us in half a year," Xiao Yan said softly, glancing at Ya Fei, who was organizing documents nearby.

Ya Fei's hands suddenly froze; her beautiful eyes sparkled as she looked at Xiao Yan, her red lips parting in surprise: "Me?"

"Yes, you're more familiar with the trade fair," Xiao Yan nodded, his gaze fixed on Ya Fei, whose eyes glistened faintly with tears.

Ya Fei first beamed with joy, then her expression dimmed slightly as she smiled and shook her head: "No, I'm too weak—if anything happens, I don't want to hold you back."

As the manager of the massive Meilin Guild, Ya Fei understood many things well. The fragmented map of the Pure Lotus Flame is crucial to Xiao Yan, meaning he will never abandon it.

If he can't buy it, Xiao Yan will seize it by force—even if it means causing chaos throughout the entire space trade fair. And someone as weak as her would only be a burden.

Seeing the sorrow in Ya Fei's eyes, Xiao Yan sighed inwardly and pulled her into his arms, whispering: "Sister Ya Fei, without you, the Yan Alliance could never have grown so rapidly, and I would never have learned about the space trade fair. Don't see yourself as a burden—I've never thought of you that way."

Hearing Xiao Yan's words, Ya Fei bit her lower lip, a single tear dampening his clothes, then lifted her face to him with a hauntingly beautiful, enchanting smile: "Alright, I'll organize the Guild's affairs. I'm quite good at spending money."

Seeing her smile, Xiao Yan burst out laughing: "Hahaha, good! Whatever you need at the fair, I'll buy it for you!"

After discussing with Ya Fei, Xiao Yan departed. As for Hai Bodong, according to the Yan Alliance, the Ice Sea Sovereign fought for three days and nights against ice giants in a frozen purgatory before finally breaking through to Dou Zun, tearing open space to return.

After leaving, Xiao Yan didn't immediately head to the small valley; instead, he stayed at the Yan Alliance to inspect the Medicine Hall and the Xiao Clan. The Yan Alliance's alchemists were under Xiao Yan's direct management, and fortunately, the Ye Clan wasn't foolish—they hadn't done anything too outrageous. After giving them a stern warning, Xiao Yan guided them in some alchemical techniques.

Although the several elders of the Ye Clan had no hope of breaking through to Rank 8, Princess Yue and Xin Lan showed promising talent; having received Xiao Yan's early guidance, they were beginning to reveal their potential and might one day break through to Rank 8.

The Xiao Clan today cannot compare to a Dou Emperor family; the strongest members besides Xiao Yan are his second brother Xiao Li and Xiao Ning, both of whom have broken through to Dou Zong. Though still far from Dou Zun, it's at least a good start.

The next Heaven Tomb opening is twenty years away—if none of them reach Dou Zun, they won't even withstand the tomb's suppression, let alone enter its third layer.

As for Nalan Yanran, she is indeed diligent, but unfortunately, she lacks a proper lineage. The Yunlan Sect can no longer offer her meaningful help, and Xiao Yan himself has no sword lineage to pass on.

The only lineage Nalan Yanran received was from Yun Potian, yet she has already surpassed him—even developing a fourth variation of his most powerful technique, Wind Extreme, and after fusing it with Strange Fire, its power now rivals Heavenly Rank.

But that's as far as she can go without ancestral guidance; she must spend years exploring on her own. Even Xiao Yan himself first studied the experiences of predecessors before forging his own path.

Xiao Yan originally planned to brew a Cheng Zun Spirit Pill to boost Nalan Yanran's strength by one star, but she refused—not because she didn't want it, but because she wished to use it only after reaching High Dou Zun.

"Hey, Xiao Lan, long time no see," Xiao Yan said upon arriving at the Beast Domain and spotting a familiar figure.

Ziiii! A massive blue eagle soared through the sky toward Xiao Yan, who affectionately stroked its feathers. This blue eagle was no longer the lowly Rank 1 beast it once was; in the treasure-rich valley, fed by herbs planted by Xiao Yixian, it had evolved into a Rank 6 beast—and even undergone a bloodline transformation.

It was now the sovereign of this sky!

Xiao Yan smiled, leaping onto the eagle's back. With a shrill cry, the eagle spread its wings and soared upward, piercing through the clouds to reach a paradise beyond the world—the Zao Hua Gu!

Verdant mountains embraced one another, peaks rising in layers, cradling the valley within their embrace.

The valley was neither vast nor deeply secluded, but after Xiao Yixian and Xiao Yan's joint transformation, it now truly deserved its name: Zao Hua. The valley itself was imbued with spirit, and the ambient energy was extraordinarily dense—as if this place could nurture a deity.

"It's formed a natural illusionary array," Xiao Yan observed the mist above Zao Hua Gu, which resembled the fog of the Blood Pool in Heavenly Tomb Mountains—blocking soul perception. Without special means or Blue Eagle's guidance, one would surely become hopelessly lost.

Within the valley, a network of small streams crisscrossed, each forming its own independent water vein. These weren't ordinary waters—they contained special energies that accelerated the growth of medicinal herbs.

"You're back?"

Xiao Yan looked down and saw Xiao Yixian drawing water beside a stream; seeing him arrive on Blue Eagle's back, she smiled—a gentle, serene expression, breathtakingly beautiful.

Xiao Yixian knew Xiao Yan had gone to the Ancient Realm. She never sought to compete with others; her nature was calm and kind-hearted.

But Xiao Yixian was no fool—on the contrary, having survived alone in Qing Shan Town and mastered the legacy of the Zao Hua Sage, transforming this valley into what it is today, she was undoubtedly brilliant. She merely smiled softly, asking nothing about his journey to the Ancient Realm; she was never one to pry or chatter unnecessarily.

"Yeah, I came to see if the mistress of Zao Hua Gu is home—if not, I'll just steal some herbs," Xiao Yan joked, leaping down with a grin.

Xiao Yixian set down her bucket and gave him a playful glare: "You helped make these herbs yours too."

Gugug! Hearing Xiao Yan mention stealing herbs, the Zao Hua Sage's alchemical beast leapt out, glaring at him like a thief.

But Xiao Yan quickly subdued it with a single pill.

Every time Xiao Yan visited the small valley and saw the tranquil Xiao Yixian, his heart calmed. He walked up to her, gently brushing aside the strands of hair falling over her shoulder, and said: "In half a year, there's a space trade fair—I want you to come with me."

Xiao Yixian paused in surprise, then without asking why, simply nodded in agreement—if Xiao Yan needed her, she would go.

"You need herbs for alchemy, right? I'll take you to the Herb Forest," Xiao Yixian said.

"Yes, but after gathering herbs, I want you to come with me somewhere else," Xiao Yan said slowly, shaking his head.

"Where?"

"Xiao Realm—the ancestral homeland of the Xiao Clan."

Three days later, deep within the treacherous region known as Manghuang Ancient Domain, on the northeastern border of the Central Continent, space twisted, and two figures appeared—Xiao Yixian and Xiao Yan.

"This is the Manghuang Ancient Domain," Xiao Yixian said, gazing at the desolate wasteland before her, her beautiful eyes filled with gravity—she had heard legends of this place.

Desolate land, deadly zone, death realm—countless names described it, but only upon seeing it herself did she realize it was even worse than the tales.

The Manghuang Ancient Domain is the oldest place on the Dou Qi Continent—and simultaneously, humanity's forbidden zone. Its weather is brutal, toxic mists blanket the land, and ferocious beasts abound—most of them relics from ancient times, some as powerful as any clan in the beast world except the Tai Xu Ancient Dragons. In other words, even the Tian Yao Phoenix Clan would face near-certain death entering here.

Those fierce beasts are not only bloodthirsty and savage; although their intelligence is not high, their strength is terrifyingly formidable. Even a peak Dou Zun powerhouse who entered would not dare claim they could come out alive—this is a fact proven by countless bloody lessons over the years, for many powerful experts once tried to venture inside in search of treasures, but in the end, all of them vanished without a trace, among whom were quite a few top-tier renowned experts of Zhongzhou.

The reason the Manghuang Ancient Domain became this way is simple: it is a cosmic dumping ground, a graveyard of Dou Emperor families.

Dou Sheng can create small worlds—like the Pill Tower's Pill Realm—but in ancient and even more distant primitive eras, when Dou Emperors still existed, the realms they created floated in the void, like the Ancient Realm, Soul Realm, and Tai Xu Ancient Dragon Island.

These realms, in a sense, did not exist on the Dou Qi Continent but within the void's fissures.

After the collective disappearance of the Dou Emperors, their descendant families declined for various reasons, and their realms could no longer be sustained, eventually collapsing from the void and forming today's Manghuang Ancient Domain.

Thus, this land became humanity's forbidden zone, teeming with ancient beasts and harsh conditions—some Dou Emperor ancestral lands may have nurtured primordial ferocious beasts.

And the Xiao Realm was cast aside like trash, falling into a corner of the Manghuang Ancient Domain.

"This is the Xiao Realm," Xiao Yan said, having left a soul imprint here during his dealings with Hun Tian Di, allowing him to use the Soul Palace's soul corridor.

In truth, the Xiao Realm had fallen a thousand years ago and had, in a sense, merged with the Manghuang Ancient Domain—even Hun Tian Di likely couldn't distinguish its original boundaries anymore.

Moreover, this place is blanketed in dust storms, riddled with deadly tempests and lightning, saturated with poison, and swarming with ferocious beasts and mysterious entities. Even Xiao Yan, now a Dou Sheng, could not move or cleanse the realm.

Yet Xiao Yan still refused to abandon it. For the Xiao Clan—or rather, what remains of the ancient Xiao Clan—this may be the only trace left. Since he had promised his ancestors, he must do everything within his power to restore the Xiao Realm and bring it back into the world.

Only with its ancestral homeland restored can the Xiao Clan declare to the Dou Qi Continent: the once-great Dou Emperor family, the Xiao Clan, has returned!

There were still quite a few ruins scattered across the Xiao Realm—these were the remnants of the Xiao Clan's past, and only by possessing them could they prove themselves the rightful Dou Emperor Family!

"This land is already dead," Xiao Yixian bent down, picking up the yellow sand beneath her feet—it was nearly beyond saving.

"Can it be revived?" Xiao Yan asked slowly. He had brought Xiao Yixian here precisely to rely on her power—she had received the Zao Hua Scripture from the Zao Hua Saint, and she was the only one who might possibly bring this land back to life.

Xiao Yixian lightly furrowed her brows, pondering for a long while before saying, "I don't know. I've only learned a fraction of the Zao Hua Saint's abilities. But I can try—first, we must resolve the environmental issues here."

The Manhuang Ancient Domain's environment was extremely harsh; survival here was nearly impossible. Even now, Xiao Yan and Xiao Yixian had to continuously use Battle Qi to defend themselves against the Space Turbulence Storms and sudden toxic mists.

Xiao Yan smiled faintly—he had prepared something for Xiao Yixian when he brought her to the Xiao Realm. A white worm-ball emerged from the Void Space as he retrieved it.

The Manhuang Ancient Domain was not only a deadly land, but also a treasure land. Its brutal environment served as a natural training ground for certain special beasts—those that could survive here were immensely powerful.

When Xiao Yan first learned in the Heavenly Tomb that the Ancient Devouring Worm could consume Energy Storms and secrete Spiritual Energy Crystals, he immediately thought of the Xiao Realm's problem.

Why not use the Ancient Devouring Worms to purify these storms and create a protective Barrier like that of the ancient Shen Cheng? And perhaps they could even continuously generate Spiritual Energy Crystals!

Then we wouldn't just have Spiritual Energy Crystals—we could also make it habitable. With such a treasure land, even without Dou Di Bloodline, the Xiao Clan's disciples would surely advance in their Cultivation Realm much faster!

This Young Clan Leader, Xiao Yan, had truly exhausted himself in his efforts to restore the Xiao Clan!

At least Xiao Xuan had made no wrong choice.

"These are Ancient Devouring Worms!" Xiao Yixian, upon seeing the worm-ball in Xiao Yan's hand, did not fear—her beautiful eyes sparkled with excitement!

The Zao Hua Scripture recorded the Ancient Devouring Worms—these creatures were absolutely beneficial to Pill Masters, for their greatest use was in reclaiming land and creating pill fields resembling greenhouses!

They could purify the environment and generate Spiritual Energy Crystals!

Xiao Yixian had never imagined Xiao Yan could find Ancient Devouring Worms, which had been extinct for so long!

Xiao Yan smiled, and with a thought, a hum sounded—the countless Ancient Devouring Worms awoke. Though the Worm Mother still slept, Xiao Yan could use the second layer of the Shen Xiu Soul-Slicing Technique—the Shen Xiu Illusion Realm—to deceive the Ancient Devouring Worms.

(End of Chapter)