Luo Wanwan's gaze sharpened. From Xue Qianxun's words, she suddenly sensed something else.
"Aunt Xue, you...?"
"Now that you've obtained the Green Lotus and my physical body, it's time for me to leave." Xue Qianxun sighed, gazing into the distance. "It's just a pity I couldn't destroy Xuantian's inheritance. That will remain a regret."
"Aunt Xue!" Luo Wanwan sprang to her feet and reached for Xue Qianxun's arm. But Xue Qianxun's body was illusory to begin with. How could she grasp it?
"Silly child, there's no need for that." Xue Qianxun looked at Luo Wanwan's reddening eyes and smiled faintly, a doting look appearing in her own. "I was only a remnant spirit to begin with. It's already remarkable that I managed to hold on for so many years. Watching you grow into an adult has fulfilled my wish."
"It's all because of Ning Xuanyuan. If not for him, you wouldn't have had to force your way through the void with me, Aunt Xue." Luo Wanwan's eyes were filled with intense coldness as she spoke in an icy voice. "If not for that, your Primordial Spirit wouldn't be dissipating either."
"It has nothing to do with him." Xue Qianxun shook her head, her expression turning unusually serious. "Wanwan, remember this: he is a Child of Heavenly Fortune. Nothing good will come of contending with him."
"And you don't need to hate him. His earlier attack looked vicious, but it actually carried no killing intent. I only intervened because I didn't want too great a conflict to arise between you and him."
"Also, don't dwell on the matter between Xuantian and me. That's a grudge between the two of us. It has nothing to do with you or Ning Xuanyuan. He and I have fought for so many years, and now it's all over. There's no need to carry it on."
"Besides, Ning Xuanyuan is a Child of Heavenly Fortune, blessed with fortune from birth. If you can grow closer to him, it will be of enormous benefit to you."
"What?" Luo Wanwan was stunned. She hadn't expected Xue Qianxun to say such a thing.
"Actually, what I just said was somewhat one-sided. Though a Child of Heavenly Fortune is blessed with fortune, he also vies against the Heavenly Dao. No one can predict how far he will go. Whether it will be a blessing or a calamity remains unknown."
"But now, monstrous talents are emerging one after another across the Ancient Eight Domains, and signs of a chaotic age have appeared. The Heavenly Dao is in disarray, and winds and clouds are surging. This era might just see the splendor of the Immortal Ancient reappear."
"In a chaotic age, those vying for supremacy depend on who can be blessed with fortune. Wan'er, you were born an emperor and destined to be extraordinary. Since that is so, grow closer to Ning Xuanyuan. Perhaps in the future, you can glimpse the Heavenly Dao and transcend the cycle of reincarnation through the ages."
"No!" Luo Wanwan shook her head. At this moment, she had no favorable impression of Ning Xuanyuan whatsoever, whether because of this trip to the secret realm or because of Xue Qianxun.
"Forget it. This can't be forced. If you're unwilling, I won't compel you. But remember, even if you don't want to befriend him, don't make an enemy of him. Understand?" Xue Qianxun gave Luo Wanwan a long look and spoke in a grave voice.
Luo Wanwan lowered her head without speaking, struggling inwardly.
"Wanwan, I'm leaving. Take care of yourself from now on." Xue Qianxun raised an illusory hand and gently stroked Luo Wanwan's forehead. By now, her body had grown extremely indistinct, almost transparent.
"Aunt Xue!" Tears filled Luo Wanwan's beautiful eyes as she reached out with both hands. But Xue Qianxun's figure vanished through the gaps between her fingers.
Two trails of tears ran down Luo Wanwan's cheeks. A moment later, she turned to look in the direction of the Thousand Mysteries Secret Realm, then leaped up and sped toward the distant horizon.
In the mysterious space within the Thousand Mysteries Secret Realm.
Half a month had passed since Ning Xuanyuan entered this place, and he had absorbed the Evil Emperor Xuantian's inheritance in full. He had even devoured all the power of the Great Dao within the Evil Emperor Xuantian's body, transforming it into Heavenly Dao fortune to bolster himself.
After obtaining the Evil Emperor Xuantian's Heavenly Dao fortune, Ning Xuanyuan found that the Chaos World within him seemed to have grown a little more. Not only that, but as the two complemented each other, his cultivation had also improved. He had broken through two realms in succession, reaching the late stage of the Soul Sea Realm.
Even his physical body and the bloodline within him had undergone obvious changes, becoming stronger and purer.
"Not bad. It looks like it won't be long before I can break through to the Life Palace Realm." Ning Xuanyuan nodded in satisfaction, then rose to his feet.
"I wonder how Qin Lang and the others are doing after all this time." Ning Xuanyuan had been cultivating in this secret realm space and didn't know what the situation outside was. Presumably, Qin Lang and the others should have gained something as well?
With that thought, Ning Xuanyuan's figure flickered, and he left the space.
Outside the mysterious space, blue sky and white clouds still stretched overhead as Ning Xuanyuan appeared. The next moment, he suddenly sensed something and looked down, just in time to see a figure staring at him.
Dark robes like ink, long hair draped over his shoulders. Li Tianxing of the Dao-Demon Sect!
Li Tianxing's pitch-black eyes, seemingly capable of drawing people in, were fixed on Ning Xuanyuan. Deep within them, a hint of fervor slowly rose.
Whether from what those before him had said or from his own experience, Li Tianxing knew one thing clearly. High beneath the heavens of this secret realm space, there was a layer of restrictions that had stopped everyone in their tracks.
Countless people had tried to break through those restrictions, but all had returned empty-handed. As time went on, everyone came to believe that they were the barrier of this secret realm space. Beyond it lay the normal outside world.
Yet Ning Xuanyuan had clearly come from beyond those restrictions. Li Tianxing didn't believe that Ning Xuanyuan had previously left the Thousand Mysteries Secret Realm.
There was only one entrance to the secret realm!
That left only one answer: Ning Xuanyuan had gone to a mysterious place where no one had ever set foot. And that place was very likely where the inheritance lay!
"Did you find the inheritance?" Li Tianxing looked at Ning Xuanyuan from afar and asked coldly. His eyes seemed capable of seeing through a person's heart.
A helpless look appeared on Ning Xuanyuan's face. He had wanted to keep a low profile, but now it seemed unlikely.
"That's right." Ning Xuanyuan shrugged. Now that things had come to this, he no longer concealed it. In truth, he disdained to conceal it.
The moment his words fell, a streak of demonic lightning seemed to flash through Li Tianxing's pitch-black eyes, imprinting itself directly on Ning Xuanyuan's mind.
At that moment, Ning Xuanyuan felt as though even his mental will was trembling. It gave him the illusion that his entire being was in a netherworld. Demonic thunder roared overhead, and endless dark lightning wrapped around his body, threatening to blast him to death.
"Hand over the inheritance, and I'll spare your life!" Li Tianxing slowly rose into the air, his robes flapping around him and his black hair dancing wildly without wind. Demonic light overflowed from his eyes, and he was utterly overbearing!
Yet a smile slowly spread across Ning Xuanyuan's lips. "Hand over the inheritance? Spare my life?"
"Are you worthy?"