Chapter 233: Xiao Chen Returns, Early Seven Star Dou Saint
In the forest a hundred miles outside Jia Nan Academy:
After throwing Xiao Chen into the spring, Xiao Tianchen summoned his thoughts, and over a dozen rare high tier medicinal herbs flew out of his storage ring, floating and rotating around him.
He carefully inspected the age and type of each herb, and a golden flame flickered in his gaze. Suddenly, his left hand erupted into a raging fire Golden Emperor Burning Heaven Flame. The overwhelming heat caused the surrounding temperature to rise sharply, melting the nearby snow and ice into droplets that fell into the spring.
The flame, nurtured day and night by Xiao Tianchen's Dou Qi and strengthened with the core flames from the Ling Clan and Shi Clan's gifted exotic fires, had surpassed its original form. Its power now exceeded even the second ranked Void Swallowing Flame and the third ranked Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame on the Heavenly Flame Rankings, at least in raw destructive capability.
"Hmph, this Golden Emperor Burning Heaven Flame is stronger than ever."
He focused his soul energy on an Ironwood Dragon Blood Fruit, an eighth tier advanced herb. As it entered the flames, it lasted less than two minutes before its essence was extracted. The liquid shone with a brilliant crimson glow.
Extracting the essence of such a hard herb was no simple feat. Many alchemists avoided using the Ironwood Dragon Blood Fruit, opting for weaker substitutes due to the difficulty of refining it. Yet, under Xiao Tianchen's Golden Emperor Burning Heaven Flame, even this stubborn herb yielded quickly.
As the essence emerged, it took the form of a miniature dragon, glowing blood red and wriggling in the air as if trying to escape.
"Hah! If you can escape from me, I might as well give up refining altogether. Stay!"
With a smirk, Xiao Tianchen enveloped the dragon shaped essence with his soul energy, suspending it nearby.
Next, he refined a dozen rare herbs and items: Earth Dragon Ganoderma, Millennium Snow Lotus Root, Sky Serpent Grass, Thunder Flower, a ninth tier Water Attribute Magic Core, Heavenly Heart Fruit, and other advanced medicinal materials. Under the scorching flames, they each released radiant liquid drops, shimmering with extraordinary vitality.
Once all the refining was done, Xiao Tianchen let out a breath of relief. With a shake of his soul power, the liquids combined and dropped into the spring. The originally clear water became vibrant and colorful, shimmering like a kaleidoscope.
Finally, he poured the Ten Thousand Year Ground Essence Tempering Milk into the spring, further amplifying its energy. As he watched, Xiao Chen groaned faintly, showing signs of absorbing the energy. Xiao Tianchen placed his Golden Emperor Burning Heaven Flame into the water.
"Glug, glug, glug..."
The spring began to bubble and boil, filling the air with steam. From afar, it looked as if Xiao Chen were being cooked alive.
Minutes turned into half an hour as Xiao Chen absorbed the energies. His entire body turned red, emitting intense heat while wisps of black mist escaped from his pores residual impurities and remnants of the Nightmare Sky Fog.
When the black mist finally ceased, Xiao Tianchen retracted his flame. He clapped his hands, and Xiao Chen's body rose from the water, landing before him.
"Tap, tap, tap..."
Xiao Tianchen pressed his finger against Xiao Chen's acupoints one by one, then placed him back into the now clear spring. Almost immediately, the once boiling water turned cool, and its vibrant colors faded back to crystal clarity.
In less than ten seconds, Xiao Chen's eyes snapped open. His aura surged rapidly. His original strength of a Five Star Dou Saint skyrocketed, and in just a minute, he reached the Early Seven Star Dou Saint stage.
"Boom!"
The sudden burst of energy rippled through the area, sending waves across the spring and shattering nearby rocks.
"T Tianchen..."
Xiao Chen's voice was raspy, having gone unused for a thousand years.
"Brother Chen." Xiao Tianchen smiled warmly from the shore, greeting him.
"W Why am I here? I remember… I went to retrieve the Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame for you. After entering the flame's domain, I was taken over... In my consciousness, I was forced to kill so many people..."
As Xiao Chen's words became more fluent, Xiao Tianchen listened patiently, learning the torment his brother had endured in the flame's realm over the past thousand years. It was clear that without his unyielding will, Xiao Chen would have long become a mindless fire puppet.
"Welcome back, Brother Chen." Xiao Tianchen pulled Xiao Chen into a heartfelt embrace.
"How is everyone back home? Are the clan members safe?" Xiao Chen asked after returning the hug.
"They're all fine, Brother Chen. For now, put on these clothes. We'll head back to the clan, and I'll explain everything along the way."
Xiao Tianchen handed Xiao Chen a set of fresh clothes and some food from his storage ring. While Xiao Chen ate, Xiao Tianchen recounted the events that had transpired in the Xiao Clan during his thousand year absence.
From his coma caused by the Soul Heavenly Emperor, to Xiao Xuan's failed attempt to ascend to the Dou Di realm, and finally, the clan's struggles against the Soul Clan, Xiao Tianchen spared no details. Xiao Chen's expression changed countless times as he listened.
"I knew it. Brother Xuan was bound to take that step. His obsession with becoming a Dou Di was so deep, he was willing to stake everything on it. I just never thought he'd fail in the end." Xiao Chen sighed, his tone full of regret.
"Yes, he knew all along that without Source Qi, achieving Dou Di was impossible. But he still chose to try. To be honest, his obsession blinded him. Failure was inevitable. After that, I took over as clan leader from Brother Xuan..."
Xiao Tianchen continued, describing his climactic battle where he slew over a hundred Dou Saints from the Soul Clan.
Hearing this, Xiao Chen's eyes lit up with joy.
"Haha! Those Soul Clan bastards! I bet they never imagined Brother Xuan faking your death. If I'd been there, I'd have killed even more of those scum!"
"Indeed, they didn't expect it, which is why I managed to wipe them out. Afterward, I led the Xiao Clan into hiding in Tianwaitian, staying silent for a thousand years. Now, the Soul Clan has been destroyed, with only minor remnants left nothing worth mentioning. I killed the Soul Heavenly Emperor, and even brought the Void Swallowing Flame back to the clan," Xiao Tianchen said with a calm smile.
He recounted much of his journey, telling Xiao Chen everything he had experienced.
After listening, Xiao Chen's expression changed repeatedly, finally settling into a look of awe.
"Tianchen, the Xiao Clan is truly fortunate to have you. I always knew you would be remarkable, but I never imagined you'd accomplish so much. Incredible, truly incredible. Even Brother Xuan didn't achieve this, but you did. By the way, you mentioned earlier that you're planning to hand the clan leadership to Xiao Qing. Is that kid really up to the task?"
"Qing'er is highly capable. His strength has reached the nine star Dou Saint level, and with the Nine Star Dou Saint tier Heavenly Demon Puppet I gave him, even a peak Nine Star Dou Saint would struggle to defeat him. Besides, I'm not planning to leave the Dou Qi Continent just yet. By the time I do, I expect his strength will have reached the peak of the Nine Star Dou Saint realm," Xiao Tianchen replied, waving off Xiao Chen's concerns.
"Hmm, if you say so, I don't need to worry. You've always been the most unpredictable and clever of the Xiao Clan's three prodigies. Tianchen, the Xiao Clan is truly blessed to have you," Xiao Chen said with a satisfied laugh.
He stood up, tossed the wine jar aside, and looked at Xiao Tianchen with excitement.
"Tianchen, let's go. I can't wait to return to the clan and maybe spar with Brother Xuan again!"
"Haha, let's go then!"
The two soared into the air, leaving the Snow Demon Ape's lair and heading out of the valley.
As they exited, Xiao Chen noticed the Snow Demon Ape still pinned to the ground, unable to move.
"Tianchen, your methods are truly peculiar. Is this the work of a spirit array? I'd love to learn about it someday. Back in the day, whenever I wanted to spar with you, you always found an excuse to dodge, sending me to fight Brother Xuan instead. Meanwhile, you'd sit on the sidelines, enjoying the spectacle of me getting beaten, all under the pretense of 'studying our combat.'
But in truth, Brother Xuan and I both knew you weren't as simple as you seemed. During the trials, you single handedly held off the Soul Heavenly Emperor and even taught Lei Ying a lesson. I suspect that if Brother Xuan hadn't been delayed by the Soul Heavenly Emperor's schemes, you would've kept your accomplishments hidden."
Xiao Tianchen chuckled, his thoughts drifting back to those days. After a brief moment of nostalgia, he shook his head and replied:
"I've always wondered if you and Brother Xuan deliberately fell into that trap, getting caught by the Soul Heavenly Emperor and Yan Jin. It was such an obvious setup that I find it hard to believe you didn't notice."
"Haha, you caught on, huh? Brother Xuan and I saw through it instantly, but he said that trial wasn't just an opportunity for us to make a name for ourselves it was your chance too. Unfortunately, while you did make a name for yourself, proving you deserved to be called one of the Xiao Clan's three prodigies, it also put you in the Soul Heavenly Emperor's sights, leading to your severe injuries and a century of unconsciousness," Xiao Chen said, laughing heartily before sighing.
"Let's not dwell on the past. What's gone is gone, and brooding over it only brings unnecessary trouble. Today, the Xiao Clan is thriving, stronger than ever. Even if the entire Dou Qi Continent united against us, they wouldn't stand a chance. With the Soul Clan destroyed, our greatest enemy is gone. I've long let go of any lingering resentment from those events," Xiao Tianchen said with a smile.
"You're right."
Xiao Chen nodded, then glanced down at the Snow Demon Ape.
"Tianchen, let the little guy go. Bloodline mutated Snow Demon Apes are rare. Letting it live might be the right choice."
Xiao Tianchen had no intention of killing the ape. If he had, his Emperor tier soul would have easily crushed its spirit when he first arrived at the valley. With a wave of his hand, the bindings vanished.
The Snow Demon Ape collapsed to the ground, trembling in terror. After a moment, it mustered enough strength to kneel, bowing deeply.
"Thank you, my lord, for sparing my life."
Seeing this, Xiao Tianchen nodded. The ape's behavior showed intelligence and humility, qualities worth nurturing. From his storage ring, he tossed down a Transformation Pill and a Bloodline Purification Pill, saying:
"Train well. In the Dou Qi Continent, strength is the only thing that matters. Without it, you can't protect anything."
After that, Xiao Tianchen turned to Xiao Chen, and the two nodded to each other before vanishing.
Years later, the Snow Demon Ape after consuming the pills and gaining a human form reached the ninth tier of strength and joined the Xiao Clan in Tianwaitian, earning renown as one of its guardian beasts.
Meanwhile, back at Tianwaitian, the Xiao Clan was bustling with activity. The sparring arenas, dueling grounds, and cultivation formations were teeming with people. Every corner of Tianwaitian was decorated with lanterns and banners, celebrating the upcoming Clan Leader Succession Ceremony.
"The Clan Leader hasn't returned yet? The ceremony is tomorrow! Without him, we can't proceed with the most critical steps!" Xiao Chun exclaimed, clearly frustrated from days of preparation.
Sitting nearby, Xiao Tianming sipped tea leisurely, occasionally watching the younger clan members spar outside the window. With a grin, he replied:
"Father, why are you so anxious? The ceremony isn't until tomorrow. Brother Tianchen promised he'd return before it started, and he's never given you a reason to worry."
"Hmph, the Clan Leader hasn't, but you have! Don't think I don't know you're planning to follow him to the Upper Realm. Let me tell you, boy you're not going anywhere until you leave behind an heir! If you don't fulfill my orders, I'll have the Clan Leader break your legs. Don't test me!"
With that, Xiao Tianming could only laugh awkwardly, trying to calm his father down.
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