Chapter 769

Xiao Potian's eyes flickered with a glimmer of light, then he smiled meaningfully and said, "Very well."

Xiao Yan looked puzzled, rubbed his nose, and grinned, "Ancestor, look at this Cycle Six Leaf Grass— isn't it—"

Xiao Yan immediately grinned, baring his teeth; the Ningzhu Array Master looked down on our Lower Plane, but this residual soul sense before him was none other than the Xiao Clan's Ancestor— and he himself had cultivated the Dou Po Cang Qiong Body, was a member of the Xiao Clan, and was even the current Clan Leader— he was, without doubt, one of their own!

If I could inherit some of the Ancestor's power and instantly become a Sage Emperor, breaking through to Supreme, wouldn't that be perfect!

Of course, Xiao Yan was only thinking about it—he wouldn't allow himself to ascend so drastically even if the chance arose; back in the Heavenly Tomb, he had the opportunity to break through to Semi-Sage all at once, but he suppressed it, lest it damage his foundation.

But that didn't stop him from wanting it—if only he could get another supreme-grade Sacred Artifact, it would be perfect.

Seeing Xiao Yan's sly, childlike expression, like a kid begging for candy, Xiao Potian couldn't help but let out a helpless smile and shook his head: "This Cycle Six Leaf Grass can only be taken by your own strength."

"I left behind this spiritual sense here merely…" Xiao Potian was about to say more, but fell silent, then shook his head: "All things have cause and fate— forget it, forget it."

Seeing his Ancestor suddenly sigh, Xiao Yan was utterly baffled, not understanding what had happened.

"Since you've come to Ning Tian Continent, it means the sealing of Dou Qi Continent has been broken— a new Dou Emperor has appeared, right? Was it you who shattered the seal?" Xiao Potian asked.

Xiao Yan didn't hide anything—he told Xiao Potian everything about Dou Qi Continent: how the disappearance of Source Qi triggered conflicts among Dou Emperor Families, causing many to vanish, leaving only the Ancient Eight Tribes, and even the Xiao Clan, Yao, Shi, and Ling clans nearly disappeared.

Several thousand years ago, Tuoshe Ancient Emperor descended from the heavens, bringing Imperial Grade Pill energy and inheritance, allowing someone to break through to Dou Emperor and shatter the heavens once more!

Hearing Xiao Yan speak of Tuoshe Ancient Emperor descending from the heavens and bringing Source Qi and inheritance, Xiao Potian's brows furrowed slightly, then quickly relaxed.

"Tuoshe Ancient Emperor must belong to a major faction in the Great Thousand World— perhaps he deduced its existence from faint traces left in ancient times; otherwise, it would be impossible to discover Dou Qi Continent. Though not what we wished for, it's still a stroke of luck it wasn't found by the Domain Beyond demons."

Though not exactly as originally planned, the worst outcome had been avoided—if the Domain Beyond demons had discovered it first, the consequences would have been far too dangerous; Dou Qi Continent might have become a hell!

"Ancestor, why did your ancient Dou Emperors eliminate all Source Qi?" Xiao Yan's gaze grew serious—this was a question he, or indeed all cultivators on Dou Qi Continent, wanted answered.

Because of the ancient Dou Emperors' decision, countless powerful cultivators over the past fifty thousand years had been trapped at Nine-Star Dou Sheng Peak—Pure Lotus Demon Saint, Huangquan Demon Saint, the first Founder of Dan Tower, Fenyan Gu Zu, even Xiao Xuan—all these supreme experts ultimately failed to break through due to lack of Source Qi; some, like Huangquan Demon Saint, even died in despair.

Hearing Xiao Yan's question, Xiao Potian sighed, his gaze fixed on the Cycle Six Leaf Grass nearby, as if recalling something.

"Sigh… since you've come to the Great Thousand World, you should already have your answer."

Xiao Yan's eyes sharpened, and he said gravely: "Because the Great Thousand World has no Source Qi—Source Qi comes from another great world?"

Having been here so long, Xiao Yan had his own suspicions: the Great Thousand World had Spiritual Energy, while Source Qi was an energy just as potent—Source Qi enabled Dou Sheng to break through to Dou Emperor, yet pure Spiritual Energy could do the same!

That meant Source Qi must originate from a world equal in rank to the Great Thousand World.

Xiao Potian nodded in agreement: "In ancient times, during the primitive era, Dou Qi Continent was immensely powerful—many cultivation systems vied for dominance, and the Dou Qi system hadn't yet formed. Due to its unique location, nestled between two colliding great worlds, Dou Qi Continent didn't just possess its own Dou Qi, but also faint traces of Source Qi and Spiritual Energy."

!?

But Xiao Yan wasn't surprised—he'd already guessed. Tuoshe Ancient Emperor's inheritance offered two ways to break through to Dou Emperor: one via Elixir, the other via inheritance.

Recalling it now, that Elixir was an Imperial Grade Embryonic Pill—beyond its massive Elixir energy, it contained Source Qi, an incredibly potent force capable of enabling a Nine-Star Dou Sheng to break through; that Source Qi still resided within Xiao Yan's body.

The other method—inherit Tuoshe Ancient Emperor's legacy, absorb the Sea of Fire within the statue—within that Sea of Fire, besides the potent Fire Energy, was a Fire Seed from the Great Thousand World, containing Spiritual Energy!

Tuoshe Ancient Emperor's inheritance offered two paths to breakthrough—two distinct choices!

That's why Mao Wu didn't fall into slumber upon arriving in the Great Thousand World—he evolved using Spiritual Energy, and the Great Thousand World is a world of Spiritual Energy!

So! Tuoshe Ancient Emperor's inheritance seemed to offer two paths to Dou Emperor—but they weren't merely different in form—they were fundamentally different!

On Dou Qi Continent, breaking through to Dou Emperor is like changing class in a game—you have two choices: Source Qi or Spiritual Energy!

Whether Source Qi or Spiritual Energy, both are higher-dimensional forces!

"So… did the world your ancestors entered originally not the Great Thousand World, but another one?!" Xiao Yan suddenly understood—he now knew why the energy for breakthrough was called Source Qi, not Spiritual Energy.

Xiao Potian nodded with a bitter smile: "Correct. After I broke through to Dou Emperor and shattered the heavens, I continued cultivating beyond Dou Qi Continent's sky, hoping to advance further. When I reached Nine-Star Dou Emperor, I followed the Source Qi to its origin—passed through the world barrier and discovered a great world, but it wasn't the Great Thousand World—it was the world of Source Qi, which we called Heavenly Origin Great World."

"The people of that world cultivated Source Qi—so Dou Qi Continent adopted the name, calling the energy needed to break through to Dou Emperor 'Source Qi.' The Great Thousand World was discovered later."

Xiao Potian's face suddenly darkened: "And because of this, later, the Heavenly Demon God discovered the existence of the Great Thousand World."

!!!!!!!!??

"Wait!! You mean the Domain Beyond demons entered the Great Thousand World through the sky-space where Dou Qi Continent lies?!" Xiao Yan's mouth hung open—this was an earth-shattering secret!!

"It wasn't we who led the demons to the Great Thousand World—in the universe of the Heavenly Origin Great World, our Dou Emperor experts had clashed with them; perhaps that's how the Heavenly Demon God noticed something odd, realized we weren't native cultivators of the Heavenly Origin Great World, and thus discovered the Great Thousand World."

"In ancient times, some Dou Emperors, after breaking through, traveled through the cosmos and reached the Great Thousand World, shattering its world barrier."

Xiao Potian continued: "The Domain Beyond demons were once the most favored race in the Heavenly Origin Great World. Later, after losing a war, they fled from the heart of that world, hiding in the cosmos, waiting for an opportunity—and in doing so, they created a cultivation system distinct from Source Qi and Spiritual Energy: Demon Qi."

"This Demon Qi is terrifying—both Source Qi and Spiritual Energy can be corrupted. Once a cultivator is infected, they go mad, lose their sanity, and become utterly bloodthirsty."

"The Domain Beyond demons' master, the Heavenly Demon God, surpassed even the Supreme. Had he not entered the Great Thousand World and been suppressed by it, weakening his power, no one in the Great Thousand World could have stood against him—even the Immortal Emperor, who left his name on the Celestial List and reached Half-Master, could only destroy him by sacrificing his life, sealing him with the Great Thousand World's power and time."

Xiao Yan didn't know what to say—he'd assumed Dou Qi Continent was sealed because the defeated Domain Beyond demons still lurked in the Great Thousand World, and they hid to avoid being hunted.

He'd thought the "fifty thousand years" recorded by the Dou Emperor Families was just an approximation—after all, the Domain Beyond demons entered the Great Thousand World fifty thousand years ago, fought for a thousand years, and were sealed four thousand nine hundred years ago.

But now—he realized: fifty thousand years meant exactly fifty thousand years! Dou Qi Continent was sealed and exiled by the ancient Dou Emperors not because they feared retaliation from the defeated Domain Beyond demons—but because the demons had entered the Great Thousand World through the very sky-space where Dou Qi Continent lay!!

If they hadn't sealed it and purged all Source Qi and Spiritual Energy, they would have been discovered!

"Our original plan was for the descendants of Dou Qi Continent to break through to Dou Emperor using their own strength, without Source Qi or Spiritual Energy, shatter the seal, and thus avoid detection by the Domain Beyond demons or the Great Thousand World's powerful ones. The Domain Beyond demons would never allow Dou Qi Continent to reappear in the Great Thousand World—another Original Body would be too dangerous."

Xiao Potian smirked coldly: "And not just the Domain Beyond demons—the Spirit Stone Clan of the Great Thousand World has long coveted the Original Body, wanting to claim it for themselves. Though Great Thousand World cultivators don't cultivate Dou Qi and can't master the Dou Po Cang Qiong Body, another Original Body is different."

Sssss!! Xiao Yan's heart jolted—Dou Qi Continent had two Original Bodies!!

"Is the other Original Body the one created by the Soul Sovereign's Dou Emperor?" Xiao Yan now understood—Original Body was the transcendental form of a cultivation system. The Dou Po Cang Qiong Body was the cultivation system of Dou Qi Continent—the Dou Qi system. In short, the Original Body was the ultimate synthesis of that system!

And Dou Qi Continent had a second cultivation system: Soul cultivation. It had dedicated Soul Cultivation Techniques, Soul Dou Techniques—clearly a self-contained school!

"Soul Emperor? No—he did not create the Supreme Body." At the mention of the Soul Sovereign's Dou Emperor, even Xiao Potian frowned, as if holding a different view of that former enemy.

"Had he created the Supreme Body back then, he might have become one of the Original Bodies. And he didn't participate in the war at all."

Xiao Yan frowned, then asked: "Then what is the second Original Body on Dou Qi Continent? Is there another cultivation system?"

At that moment, two words flashed through Xiao Yan's mind: Fen Jue!

That Fen Jue was incredibly mysterious—Xiao Yan still didn't know its origin, only that it could absorb Fire Spirits to evolve; now, merely devouring a new Fire Spirit allowed it to continue evolving—remarkable!

But to Xiao Yan's surprise—it wasn't Fen Jue!

Xiao Potian looked at Xiao Yan with deep meaning, then smiled: "You already know, don't you? You carry the scent of the Eternal Calamity Poison Body."

!!?

"Eternal Calamity Poison Body? A Great Original Dharma Body?!" In Xiao Yan's mind, Xiao Yixian's serene smile flashed instantly—undoubtedly, the Eternal Calamity Poison Body was an extraordinarily powerful physique.

It required no cultivation; merely consuming poison would continuously generate Poison Dou Qi. Had its body not been unable to sustain it, reaching Dou Zun or Dou Sage would trigger a Poison Explosion—then the cultivation speed and power of the Eternal Calamity Poison Body would surpass the Dou Di Bloodline.

After what Ancestor said, Xiao Yan indeed felt the Eternal Calamity Poison Body resembled a Great Original Dharma Body: self-contained, forming its own cultivation system, possessing immense unique power.

Xiao Potian sized up Xiao Yan; he naturally sensed a trace of the Eternal Calamity Poison Body's aura on Xiao Yan—but since Xiao Yan himself was not the host, that meant he had an extremely close relationship with the host of the Eternal Calamity Poison Body.

"The Eternal Calamity Poison Body is both blessing and curse, and it exists only on the Dou Qi Continent. A new Eternal Calamity Poison Body is born only after the previous one dies. In truth, the Eternal Calamity Poison Body is more like the Dou Qi Continent's own Great Original Dharma Body—it was created by the Dou Qi Continent, not by humans." At the mention of the Eternal Calamity Poison Body, Xiao Potian's face bore a hint of reminiscence.

From Xiao Potian's expression, it was clear that even in ancient times, during the final battle, the fate of the Eternal Calamity Poison Body's host had not been a good one.

"Ancestor, is there any way to break the Eternal Calamity Poison Body?" Xiao Yan asked urgently.

"No way." Xiao Potian shook his head. "The Eternal Calamity Poison Body is peculiar—it can convert any poison into its own unique toxic force. Once activated, it cannot be removed. Even if the host endures the addiction and refrains from consuming poison, they will still unconsciously begin devouring surrounding Heavenly Energy to synthesize toxins."

"Cannot be stopped. Cannot be removed. Cannot be avoided. Like a balloon perpetually inflating until one day it bursts."

Hearing this, Xiao Yan's face darkened. He had not expected Xiao Yixian's Eternal Calamity Poison Body to be this tyrannical—even Ancestor, a former top-tier wielder of the Ten Great Original Dharma Bodies and the peak warrior who fought the Heavenly Demon God, said it could not be removed.

With a hum, Xiao Potian tapped a finger, and a piece of Soul Information entered Xiao Yan's body—a cultivation technique.

"This is the cultivation technique to transform the Eternal Calamity Poison Body into a Great Original Dharma Body. Though it cannot fully sever the Poison Body, it can at least delay its Poison Explosion. Once transformed into a Dharma Body, the host's body returns to normal, indistinguishable from an ordinary person—bearing children is no longer an issue." Xiao Potian smiled faintly; he naturally guessed Xiao Yan's relationship with Xiao Yixian.

"Incidentally, the Dou Po Cang Qiong Dharma Body I created was inspired by the Eternal Calamity Poison Body."

After reviewing the Soul Information in his mind, Xiao Yan was overjoyed. With this cultivation technique, he could at least buy himself much more time.

Xiao Yan bowed deeply to Xiao Potian, thanking him: "Descendant Xiao Yan thanks Ancestor for this great grace. Allow this humble disciple to pay homage."

"Heheh, you little rascal—if I didn't give you a benefit, you'd doubt my identity." Xiao Potian sighed helplessly. He finally understood—this descendant wouldn't act unless there was something in it for him.

"Hehe, when you're out there, you've got to stay sharp. What if Ancestor here is an impostor from the Domain Beyond?" Xiao Yan wasn't lying—but the Domain Beyond certainly didn't possess the Dharma Body cultivation method for the Eternal Calamity Poison Body; after all, the Dou Qi Continent had been sealed for fifty thousand years. The Domain Beyond probably didn't even know the Dou Qi Continent still existed.

Xiao Potian stared at Xiao Yan. After a moment of silence, his expression turned grave. The tone shifted: "Xiao Yan, will you spare no effort to protect the Dou Qi Continent?"

Hearing Xiao Potian's solemn, weighty voice, Xiao Yan's smile vanished. He replied seriously: "If you asked me whether I would protect the Great Thousand World and fight the Domain Beyond, I would answer you: no. Even if that meant I could not obtain the Cycle Six Leaf Grass."

"But since you asked me whether I will spare no effort to protect the Dou Qi Continent, my answer is one word: yes!"

"I, Xiao Yan, will not only protect the Dou Qi Continent—as long as I live, the Xiao Clan shall stand supreme among ten thousand clans!! Even the Domain Beyond shall bow beneath the Xiao Clan!"

"I, Xiao Yan, am the Dou Di of the Dou Qi Continent—I must defend its land and expand its borders, eradicating all who harbor enmity toward the Dou Qi Continent, whether they be from the Domain Beyond, the Great Thousand World, or the Heavenly Origin Great World! Even in death, I shall transform into a Dou Soul to protect the Xiao Clan forever!"

Seeing Xiao Yan's eyes, even without Soul Force Perception, Xiao Potian knew he was serious.

Xiao Potian smiled faintly, waved his hand, and a ripple surged from the Cycle Six Leaf Grass—the hidden protective force vanished at once. With a hum, a special miraculous power released from the six-leaf grass.

As Xiao Yan had guessed, Xiao Potian's consciousness remained here not to ask questions—he was just like Ningzhu Array Master's Inheritance Spiritual Consciousness. Xiao Potian, in life, had been countless times stronger than Ningzhu Array Master; Xiao Yan could never have forcibly seized it.

Xiao Potian looked into Xiao Yan's eyes, patted his shoulder, and said: "You are good. Better than I was in my time. With you leading the Xiao Clan, it will grow even stronger."

(End of Chapter)