Chapter 684

Xiao City is no longer just a major city in the Black Horn Region; it is also an important city of the Yan Alliance, as some Xiao Clan members go to Jia Nan Academy for training, and even though the Xiao Clan has regained its former glory, Xiao Yan still sends some of the younger generation to study at Jia Nan Academy.

But strangely, though Xiao City is bustling with people, the vast Xiao Clan Courtyard is completely empty.

"Didn't I tell you to return to Xiao Realm? Why are you still lingering in Xiao City?" Xiao Yan said helplessly, lying on the grass.

A slender figure in a red robe appeared before Xiao Yan. Though her attire was simple, even plain, her figure was extraordinary—her rounded, elongated legs captivated the soul.

Paired with her tall stature, these legs were utterly unmatched.

Xiao Yu crossed her arms, glaring at the man before her—top-tier on the Dou Qi Continent and the First Alchemist—and said, "You show up and order all Xiao City youths to leave the Black Horn Region and return to Wutan City on standby, and you even had the Grand Elder evacuate every student, mentor, and Elder from Jia Nan Academy. I haven't even asked you what's going on."

Xiao Yu, Xiao Yan's cousin, once had a beautiful feud with him in childhood, and was called by Xiao Yixian and others the person with the most accurate judgment.

Xiao Yan slowly removed his sunglasses and looked Xiao Yu up and down with a smile. "You, I'm the Clan Leader now—wouldn't hurt to listen to my orders."

In all of Xiao City, only Xiao Yu before him dared defy Xiao Yan's commands.

"Hmph. Xun Er and the others aren't here—just you alone. Are you planning to shoulder this danger by yourself again?" Xiao Yu strode forward with her long legs, her gaze sharp as she stared at Xiao Yan. There was no doubt—he was about to do something dangerous, which was why he hadn't even summoned Xun Er or Cai Lin, only himself.

Xiao Yan looked up—this angle was perfect, offering a clear view of certain scenery.

Sensing Xiao Yan's gaze, Xiao Yu quickly clutched her skirt, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment, her teeth gently biting her red lips as she kicked him, cursing, "You pervert! Uncle Xiao actually made someone like you Clan Leader!"

Xiao Yan grabbed her ankle in one motion, grinning. "My father chose me as Clan Leader—that's just inheriting the family legacy. As for you—you not only disobey the Clan Leader's orders but dare to attack him. What crime is that?"

"Crime your head!" Xiao Yu twisted her leg violently, but her strength couldn't break free from Xiao Yan's grip. Feeling the warmth of his hand, her body stirred strangely, and she shouted, "You damn pervert, let go!"

Xiao Yan immediately released her. "Enough. Go back to the Xiao Clan."

Seeing Xiao Yan's serious, solemn expression, Xiao Yu's beautiful eyes flickered with concern. "Every time you're alone, you're about to do something dangerous."

Xiao Yan said nothing.

The Tuoshe Ancient Emperor Cave Mansion is like Pandora's box—once opened, no one knows what will happen, what lies inside.

Xiao Yu sat elegantly beside Xiao Yan, tilting her head to gaze at his half-closed eyes. His face, compared to those years ago, had grown more mature and resolute; the former gentleness had subtly transformed into another kind of charm.

It was a face that grew more appealing the longer you looked.

Xiao Yu's red lips pressed slightly. Over the years teaching at Jia Nan Academy, she'd met many so-called young talents, many of whom pursued her fiercely—but all had failed, because every time she compared them to the man before her, she always shook her head.

After years of trials, she understood just how outstanding—even brilliant—this man was.

"If only we weren't blood-related," sometimes strange thoughts surfaced in Xiao Yu's heart, making her cheeks flush, and she scolded herself inwardly for being shameless.

Xiao Yan glanced at Xiao Yu's suddenly flushed face, stood up slowly, and swept his hand—creating a Void Passage linking directly to Wutan City. "Go back to Wutan City. No matter what happens, don't come near the Black Horn Region."

"Don't think just because you've got long legs you can run off everywhere," Xiao Yan teased with a smirk.

Hearing his teasing words, Xiao Yu's cheeks flushed slightly as she gave him a light glare. His current demeanor reminded her of childhood in Wutan City—he'd deliberately acted this way back then to make her furious.

But… back then, his teasing had angered her; now, she felt no resistance to such playfulness—instead, she almost looked forward to it. Yet she knew: this Xiao Yan was no longer the boy who once sneaked to watch her bathe.

"Be careful. The Xiao Clan can't lose you," Xiao Yu, seeing no one around, bravely embraced him once, whispering softly.

Xiao Yan sighed inwardly and nodded. "I know. I'm only here to evacuate people—I'll be back soon."

After seeing Xiao Yu off, Xiao Yan sat alone on a chair, waiting.

About half a day later, as the sky darkened, a voice came from behind Xiao Yan: "You knew the Tuoshe Cave Mansion was here?"

Xiao Yan slowly rose and turned to see black flames burning in the void—Hun Tian Di emerged from the flames, clad in white robes. Since reaching the Imperial Realm, Xu Wu Tong Yan had become undetectable even by Gu Yuan.

Seeing Hun Tian Di appear, Xiao Yan wasn't surprised. He chewed on a blade of grass. "This place is where I once trained—I got the Fallen Heart Flame here. The Tuoshe Ancient Emperor Jade reacted once here, so I guessed something."

Hearing this, Hun Tian Di frowned. He hadn't known this—if Xiao Yan knew the location of the Tuoshe Ancient Emperor Cave Mansion, he might have teamed up with Gu Yuan and others to set an ambush here.

"Don't be paranoid. I have no intention of entering the Tuoshe Ancient Emperor Cave Mansion or competing with you for the Imperial Grade Embryonic Pill. I'm only here to evacuate students—so my clan won't get killed. I have Xu Wu Tong Yan Tian Zi Huo and an Imperial Soul. Gu Yuan and the others don't know I'm here. Only I am alone."

Xiao Yan stood, brushed his backside, and thought: if not for Hun Tian Di's paranoia, he wouldn't have needed to wait here for the Soul Sovereign.

"I won't waste words explaining what's going on. Contact me after you get the Imperial Grade Embryonic Pill." Xiao Yan brushed his backside again, ready to leave.

"Wait."

Before Xiao Yan could speak, the physical form of Xu Wu Tong Yan suddenly appeared from the void. "I checked—he's not lying. No one from the three clans is nearby. But whether he'll call Gu Yuan and others to ambush us after we enter the cave mansion… that's unknown."

Hun Tian Di watched Xiao Yan's retreating back, his eyes narrowing slightly. "You come in too."

Xiao Yan sighed bitterly. Hun Tian Di was truly paranoid.

"I'm only responsible for Spirit Refining. The Embryonic Pill matter is your Soul Sovereign's problem." Xiao Yan knew Hun Tian Di didn't trust him—even if the cave mansion's emergence drew Gu Yuan's attention, he had no intention of joining this war.

Hun Tian Di smiled faintly. "Don't worry. I'll protect your safety."

Soon after, Xiao Yan, Hun Tian Di, and Xu Wu Tong Yan arrived at the underground Magma Sea beneath the Tian Fen Lian Qi Ta.

When Hun Tian Di reached the Magma Sea, the Tuoshe Ancient Emperor Jade in his hand emitted a faint warmth—a special reaction that brought a gleam of joy to his eyes.

"Here it is. The Tuoshe Ancient Emperor Cave Mansion is right here!" Hun Tian Di smiled. A thousand years of waiting had finally arrived!

Xu Wu Tong Yan stared at the Magma Sea, his eyes darkening. He had returned at last—though this time, he was not captured.

Xiao Yan looked at Xu Wu Tong Yan. He only vaguely knew the cave mansion lay below—but how to open it depended entirely on Xu Wu Tong Yan, the former "resident."

Xu Wu Tong Yan didn't act immediately. Instead, he swept his hand—endless black flames surged forth, engulfing the entire Jia Nan Academy.

"I've sealed all space. No matter how loud the commotion, no one will notice or send word outside."

Then Xu Wu Tong Yan spat out waves of black flame, from which emerged countless figures—all Soul Sovereign elites, each stronger than a Dou Sheng, totaling over a hundred!

Most shocking to Xiao Yan were four elderly men standing before the Four Demon Sages—each exuding a deathly aura.

"Living corpses? And all Eight-Star Dou Sheng!" Xiao Yan's eyes narrowed. The Soul Sovereign indeed had four Eight-Star Dou Sheng—but he never imagined they were all living corpses.

"Could they be the powerful ones once slain by Ancestor Xiao Xuan, preserved alive by the Soul Sovereign's special methods?"

Xiao Yan's gaze fell on the massive Stone Gates carried on the backs of the four living corpses. For some reason, even he felt a chill—these four gates filled him with immense dread!

Without doubt, the Stone Gates carried by the four living corpses were an ancient weapon of mass destruction—the Soul Sovereign's thousand-year-prepared ultimate strike, meant to crush Gu Yuan and the three clans.

If Gu Yuan and the three clans truly came, they would be annihilated—leaving not even bones behind.

Hearing Xu Wu Tong Yan's words, Hun Tian Di nodded, then raised the Ancient Jade, pouring torrents of terrifying Dou Qi into it.

BOOM—BOOM—BOOM!!!

Across the vast Magma Sea, waves surged violently—a vortex thousands of zhang wide slowly formed on the surface, as if something immense was about to emerge. A peculiar fluctuation rippled through heaven and earth—but was ultimately masked by Xu Wu Tong Yan's power.

"Yi!" Sensing something, Xiao Yi suddenly appeared from the Spirit Nourishing Vessel.

Xiao Yi's gaze, tinged with unusual color, fixed on beneath the Magma Sea; it felt familiar, yet he could not recall.

Meow.

Mao Wu also emerged from Space; as a Clone of the Void Swallowing Flame's original body—and still the Heavenly Emperor Fire—he possessed no memories of the original, yet retained some special resonance.

Not just the Pure Lotus Phantom Flame and Mao Wu—even the Heavenly Flames within Xiao Yan's body now stirred strangely.

Clearly, the rumor that Tuoshe Ancient Emperor ranked first on the Heavenly Flame Ranking was true!

Hun Tian Di gripped the Tuoshe Ancient Emperor Jade tightly, glanced down at the Magma Sea, and saw the vortex upon its surface suddenly expand tenfold!

Boom—boom—boom!

As the vortex expanded, a colossal magma fire pillar, a thousand zhang tall, erupted violently from the Magma Sea's surface; had Hun Tian Di and the other two not been immensely powerful, the extreme heat and force would have injured them.

As the vortex widened, figures of lizard-like beings fled from the magma, among them even Lizard Beings of Dou Sage rank.

Yet Hun Tian Di paid them no mind whatsoever—such beings, he could wipe out their entire race with a wave of his hand.

Gazing at the Magma Sea churning with terrifying waves, Hun Tian Di's eyes glowed with mounting ecstasy; he could feel the Tuoshe Ancient Emperor Jade in his hand suddenly burning with extraordinary heat.

Splash!

A colossal magma wave, a thousand zhang high, surged upward, then crashed down violently; as it splashed magma across the sky, the rapidly spinning magma vortex gradually slowed.

As the rotation slowed, massive bulges of magma rose upon the sea's surface, crimson magma spreading rapidly outward; as the magma receded, an ancient stone gate, towering between heaven and earth, slowly emerged from the magma beneath countless feverish gazes.

Upon the stone gate, magma swiftly receded; an ancient, primordial aura instantly filled the heavens and earth—under this aura, all things fell silent; even beings as powerful as Void Swallowing Flame and Hun Tian Di felt genuine dread deep within.

It was an aura surpassing this entire world!

Finally, Xiao Yan and the others fixed their gazes upon the ancient stone gate—and saw the four ancient characters above it!

"Tuoshe Ancient Emperor Cave Mansion!"

Hun Tian Di's eyes blazed with astonishing brilliance; even with his composure, upon seeing these four characters he had pursued for over a thousand years, his heart surged uncontrollably.

"At last… I've found you…" Hun Tian Di murmured, then could no longer contain himself—he threw his head back and roared with wild laughter, the sound echoing like thunder across the Sky.

"So this is the legendary Tuoshe Ancient Emperor Cave Mansion," Xiao Yan, even with his composure, stared in stunned silence; this was the Tuoshe Ancient Emperor Cave Mansion that had sparked endless strife among all Dou Emperor Families—the Ruins left behind by the number one Heavenly Flame!

And this time, before the Tuoshe Ancient Emperor Cave Mansion, only the Soul Sovereign stood.

In the Sky, Hun Tian Di drew several deep breaths, finally suppressing the turmoil within him; then slowly, he raised the Ancient Jade in his hand—upon it, faint ripples of light flowed.

As the Ancient Jade shimmered, the sealed ancient gate above seemed to glow in response; the ancient door, closed for ten thousand years, now showed signs of opening.

The Ancient Jade in Hun Tian Di's hand suddenly shot forth a brilliant beam of light; the beam streaked down from the Sky and struck directly upon the ancient stone gate—having concentrated it fully, he had pushed the Ancient Jade to its utmost.

Boom!

As the beam struck, the ancient gate, sealed for ten thousand years, began slowly to writhe; fine cracks appeared upon its surface.

The cracks widened; moments later, the ancient stone gate finally groaned open with a creaking sound, slowly sliding apart toward both sides.

(End of Chapter)