Ascending to Venerable Peak! Shi Hao Opens the Eight Cave Heavens!

"You two little ones."

Ye Xuan walked over slowly, a smile on his face.

"You've done well guarding the house these past three months."

He gestured behind him at the Willow Deity.

"Go. Master has something to say to you."

At this, the two little beasts trembled all over.

The Willow Deity was going to instruct them? This was a heaven-sent opportunity!

Without a moment's hesitation, they scrambled over to the willow tree and knelt reverently on the ground.

The willow branches swayed gently.

A stream of profound thoughts entered their minds.

It was the true essence of the "Divine Fire Realm"—an orthodox method that even the Upper Realm might not have access to.

The Willow Deity didn't teach any earth-shattering divine techniques, only guiding them on how to refine their bloodlines and ignite their Dao Fire.

But for these two, stuck at the Venerable realm for years, it was like parting the clouds to see the sun.

"Squeak squeak squeak!"

Furball was so excited his golden fur glowed; he could sense the breakthrough approaching.

Little Red's body blazed with pure Li Fire, and her once-mottled bloodline was purified in that instant.

As long as they cultivated according to this method, within a few months, they could truly Ignite Divine Fire, transcend the Venerable realm, and become true gods!

The two little beasts kowtowed wildly before the willow tree, their eyes brimming with tears of gratitude.

They had originally thought being caught as pets was a disgrace.

But now...

Was this being a pet? This was clearly latching onto a golden thigh!

Forget guarding the house—they'd gladly go shovel manure for Stone Village if asked!

Ye Xuan watched from the side, nodding slightly.

A carrot after the stick.

Now, these two Venerable-level combatants were completely won over.

In the blink of an eye, another three months passed.

Beneath the willow tree in Stone Village, on the smooth bluestone worn by time, Ye Xuan sat quietly in meditation.

At this moment, there were no earth-shaking phenomena around him, no dazzling divine light.

He looked plain and unadorned, like a piece of warm, polished jade—all his sharpness concealed within.

But beneath that calm exterior lay an unfathomable ocean.

"Venerable realm, peak."

Ye Xuan slowly opened his eyes. Deep within his Chaos Heavy Pupils, the flow of Chaos Qi was several times faster than before.

Over these three months, he had immersed himself day and night in the Primal True Scripture and the Six Paths Samsara Heavenly Art, fusing all his knowledge into one.

The Array Formation within his body had evolved to its limit; every bone, every inch of flesh was inscribed with Innate Dao Patterns.

Now, he stood at the pinnacle of cultivation in the Eight Lower Realms.

One more step forward, and he would Ignite Divine Fire, transcend the mortal, and become a god!

Ye Xuan could clearly sense that thin barrier.

If he wished, he could summon the laws of heaven and earth at any time, or find a spark to ignite his essence, energy, and spirit, stepping into that realm countless cultivators dreamed of.

"Divine Fire..."

Ye Xuan raised his hand, and a phantom flame flickered in his palm.

It was his deduction of his own Dao Fruit.

But in the next second, his five fingers clenched abruptly, snuffing out that phantom flame.

"No!"

"Borrowing external objects to ignite oneself is ultimately the lesser path."

Ye Xuan shook his head.

In this world, Igniting Divine Fire usually required an external "spark."

The stronger the spark, the greater the potential after becoming a god.

But he possessed the Double Piercing Gate, the Chaos Heavy Pupils, and an Innate Physique from the Primordial Wilderness.

If he took the ordinary path, even using an immortal flame to ignite himself wouldn't be worthy of his Human Emperor destiny.

"My path should not be bound by heaven and earth."

"The human body is a universe—why seek outside?"

The Chaos Qi in Ye Xuan's eyes grew denser as he glimpsed a possible future.

Seed of the Self.

No reliance on external things—dig into one's own treasures, let the purest Dao Fire be born within the body.

This was the most perfect path of evolution, and the one best suited to the physique of the Innate Human Race.

"Hold it for now."

Ye Xuan took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the surging urge to break through.

He compressed the boiling divine power within him, over and over again.

The power that had once raged like rivers and seas was crushed into a thick, mercury-like paste, settling into his Limbs and Bones.

His foundation grew deeper, more unfathomable.

Just as Ye Xuan stabilized his realm—

"Boom!"

A dull explosion rang out not far from his side.

It was as if a volcano deep within the earth had been detonated.

A surging, domineering, vibrant golden blood energy shot into the sky, scattering the clouds above.

Ye Xuan turned to look.

Little Shi Hao hovered in midair, his small body erupting with a heart-shaking wave of energy.

Behind him.

One, two, three...

A full eight crater-like Cave Heavens lined up in sequence, linked end to end, forming a dazzling Divine Ring suspended behind his head.

Eight Cave Heavens!

Each Cave Heaven madly devoured Heaven and Earth Essence, and even lava-like runes flowed within them.

These were the Dao Fruits he had won through slaughter and tempering in the Great Wilderness.

Though still young, though his face was still tender, Little Shi Hao already bore an aura that could swallow mountains and rivers, a presence of unrivaled supremacy.

That was a Young Supreme!

"Eight Cave Heavens, huh."

Ye Xuan watched, a hint of relief curling at the corners of his mouth.

Three months ago, this little guy had just opened Five Cave Heavens.

Now, opening three more in succession—if this speed got out, it would drive those self-proclaimed geniuses of the outside world to suicide from shame.

"Whoosh—"

Little Shi Hao landed slowly, the Divine Ring behind him fading away.

He opened his eyes, their brilliance blinding, like two golden lamps.

"Big bro! I got stronger again!"

Little Shi Hao pumped his fist excitedly, the air cracking with each swing.

"Even if ten more Cave Heaven Realm Fierce Beasts came at me now, I could take them all down with one hand!"

"Not bad. You didn't slack off."

Ye Xuan nodded in approval.

"But don't get cocky. Eight Cave Heavens is just the start. Your goal is Ten Cave Heavens, or even..."

Ye Xuan paused, then said it anyway.

"Unique Cave Heaven."

Little Shi Hao nodded, half-understanding, and tucked the goal into his heart.

As the brothers exchanged cultivation insights, On a nearby tree branch, Two pairs of eyes stared blankly in their direction, filled with the despair of questioning their own existence.

It was Zhu Yan and Little Red.

These two once-dominant Venerables, though they had recovered much of their strength and were about to Ignite Divine Fire, Still felt utterly numb watching these two "monsters."

"Squeak squeak... this life's just not worth living anymore."

Furball clutched his head, looking utterly dejected.

He had cultivated for centuries, enduring countless life-and-death ordeals, just to reach the Venerable realm.

And now, these two humans?

One was suppressing his cultivation level without breaking through, while the other had leaped through three Cave Heavens in three months.

Was this as simple as eating and drinking?

How were they supposed to save face—these Primordial Remnant Species?

On the other side, Little Red—the Vermilion Bird—was even more restless, as if sitting on pins and needles.

She was a proud and beauty-loving divine fowl.

For the past three months, she had watched Ye Xuan devour the flesh and blood of the Qiongqi and the Sky Swallowing Sparrow every single day.

Well, she had eaten a bit of it herself too, but the dread in her heart was growing day by day.