The Yellow Spring Demon Saint fell silent. He had never met anyone so direct—or shameless. This young man passed the trial and immediately demanded his reward without even uttering a word of gratitude. Those straight, unwavering eyes of Liu Xi made his intent clear: if the Demon Saint didn't give it willingly, he'd take it by force. For the once-mighty figure who had shaken the continent, this moment carried an odd sense of melancholy.
Still, the Yellow Spring Demon Saint extended his hand. From that pale palm, thin streams of golden liquid began to seep out, gathering slowly until they formed a glowing orb of radiant gold.
The moment it appeared, Liu Xi felt the surrounding heaven and earth stir. Energy from all directions grew restless, faintly converging toward that drop of liquid. Within it pulsed a mysterious force—one that was already infinitely close to the very essence of heaven and earth itself. If the Demon Saint had taken even a single step further, that energy would have transcended into something truly divine.
The Demon Saint sighed softly. "This Saint's talent was unparalleled. My Dou Qi reached the peak of 9-Star Dou Saint, and my soul broke into the fabled Emperor Realm… yet that final step—" He paused, his tone filled with endless regret. "That one last step was forever beyond my reach."
Liu Xi clasped his hands and spoke sincerely. "Demon Saint's talent and insight shook the ages. It was the world itself that was flawed. Otherwise, Dou Di would never have been the end."
The Demon Saint's eyes flickered in surprise. He studied Liu Xi for a long moment before a faint smile curved his lips. "You're truly not ordinary. To sense that the world itself is incomplete before stepping beyond it… perhaps you really might reach that realm one day."
With that, he waved his hand gently, and the sphere of golden liquid drifted toward Liu Xi.
"To come here is fate. To be acknowledged by the Bodhisattva Ancient Tree—such a thing is no accident. Take this, and carry my hope forward. Cross that final threshold, and let me know… where I fell short."
The golden blood settled into Liu Xi's palm. Even through his skin, he could feel the surging, mysterious energy within it. His Spiritual Power trembled, filled with an instinctive craving to absorb it immediately.
"Many thanks, Demon Saint."
He stowed away the Half-Step Dou Di's Blood Essence and lifted his gaze—only to see the grand hall around them begin to crumble. The massive throne split apart with a loud crack, and the Demon Saint's form grew increasingly faint.
"My purpose is fulfilled," the Yellow Spring Demon Saint murmured. "I only hope my techniques will not fade into obscurity with my passing."
"May you rest well, Senior."
Liu Xi's tone was solemn. He knew that the Demon Saint's remnant soul had survived this long only through that golden blood. Now that the blood had left his body, the remnant had reached its end.
The Demon Saint laughed heartily one last time. "Hahaha! This Saint has never bowed to another in life. To perish not by defeat, but by the flaws of heaven and the limits of fate—what greater irony could there be?"
As his laughter echoed, the Demon Saint's figure faded completely. The temple, the throne—everything shattered into nothingness, vanishing as if they had never existed.
Liu Xi stood silently in the empty darkness where the world had just collapsed. His expression did not change. Leaping lightly, he landed upon the branch of the Bodhisattva Ancient Tree.
The tree's shadow shimmered softly, and both man and tree began to dissolve like phantoms. As they disappeared, the very space around them popped like a bursting bubble, crumbling into void.
Deep within the Underground Serene Snake Network, before the vast altar and the towering stone tablet, a colossal tree shadow flashed briefly, leaving behind only the faint scent of ancient time.
Liu Xi exhaled slowly. As his soul and the Bodhisattva Ancient Tree returned, his strength instantly restored to its peak. A surge of boundless power welled from the depths of his spirit.
On the hundred-zhang-tall Yellow Spring Stone Tablet, beside the carvings of a finger and a palm, a new mark began to emerge—an imprint of a mouth. A faint hum rippled through the altar, releasing waves of strange power. From that moment on, the Nine Serene Deep Ground Python Tribe gained a new technique—Yellow Spring Divine Anger!
But at that moment, Yao Ming's thoughts were not on the stone. He stood there blankly, the image of that vast, sky-shrouding canopy still etched deeply into his mind. The serene, sacred aura that had descended upon him was so pure, so vast, that even now he believed it to be divine.
Liu Xi, meanwhile, was all smiles. Three supreme techniques and a complete Half-Step Dou Di's Blood Essence—this trip had been more than worth it. With a wave of his sleeve, he strode out of the altar chamber with the confident poise of a dragon among men.
Behind him, Yao Ming bowed low, following respectfully. The reverence on his face was absolute; there was not a trace of resistance in his demeanor. He was now nothing more than a loyal old servant.
He dared not even think of coveting the Demon Saint's blood. Still, he couldn't resist glancing back once at the Yellow Spring Stone Tablet, eyes filled with longing as he gazed upon that faint imprint of a mouth.
When they returned to the palace, Qing Lin had already brought the Nine Serene Deep Ground Python Tribe under near-total control. With the obedience of countless serpent slaves and her precise management, the entire tribe now ran smoother than ever.
After all, she had once served as the Saintess of the Sky Serpent Mansion for many years. With her strength and authority now at their peak, she governed the tribe effortlessly—far more fairly and efficiently than Yao Xiaotian ever had. Under her rule, the subordinate serpent clans thrived. Freed from the greedy demands of the upper echelon, they now had more resources to nurture the next generation.
When Liu Xi entered the hall, Qing Lin was handling affairs with calm authority. Her sharp eyes and poised expression carried an undeniable air of a queen, and her aura had grown noticeably stronger. In just a short time, she was already nearing the Mid Level Half Saint stage—an astonishing cultivation speed.
Of course, that progress owed much to Yao Xiaotian and the First Elder—who, as her newly acquired "cultivation assistants," provided her with Dou Qi day and night. At this rate, it wouldn't be long before Qing Lin broke through to High Level Half Saint.
A blessed life indeed.
At the same time, Liu Xi learned that Xiao Yixian had discovered a new poison formula within the Sky Quiet Poison Code, one potent enough to hasten the evolution of her Woeful Poison Body. She had already requested a vast stock of toxic herbs and fruits from the Nine Serene Deep Ground Python Tribe and gone into seclusion to refine them.
Hearing this, Liu Xi's eyes glimmered with anticipation. The tribe, one of the three great beast races of the Beast Region, possessed an enormous reserve of poisonous flora—more than enough for her to use.
With the Sky Quiet Poison Code and her Ghostly Poison Flame, Xiao Yixian's power would surely advance again soon.
Right now, she was a 1-Star Dou Saint, capable of fighting 2-Star Dou Saints thanks to the might of her Woeful Poison Body. But if they were to face the Heaven Demon Phoenix Tribe—or intervene in the Ancient Void Dragon Tribe's internal war—2-Star strength would not be enough.
Even Liu Xi's 3-Star Dou Saint cultivation might fall short in such conflicts. That was why, while time allowed, he now turned his focus to the Half-Step Dou Di's Blood Essence.
Requesting a quiet chamber, Liu Xi sat down cross-legged. His expression grew solemn as he took out the shimmering drop of golden blood.
It was time to absorb the blood of the Yellow Spring Demon Saint—and use it to shatter his current limits.
(End of Chapter)
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