Desperate Survival 2

Faced with such a terrifying barrage of self-destructions, the space that had originally been sealed tight twisted once more, and faint, tiny cracks appeared.

"Continue!"

Seeing that the space had finally changed, the Tunling Clan Patriarch's eyes filled with delight, though beneath that joy lay endless sorrow.

Who could have imagined that, before that day, the Tunling Clan had still been peaceful? Even as their bloodline withered away, they had remained unshaken, because they still possessed their innate talent.

Yet now, millions—perhaps even tens of millions—of their descendants had been wiped out, while countless clansmen had been killed or wounded. The threat of extermination hung over their heads. At a time like this, the only thing they could do was use their clansmen's self-destruction to ensure their bloodline could endure!

Hearing his sharp shout, quite a few Dou Saints detonated the Dou Qi within their bodies without hesitation.

Among those who self-destructed were not only Eight-Star Dou Saints, but even Nine-Star Dou Saints of the Tunling Clan.

Even Nine-Star experts like Xiao Xuan, Hun Tiandi, and Gu Yuan could only flee and evade in haste before such a desperate act of self-preservation.

After wave after wave of explosions passed, the Tunling Clan suffered devastating casualties. Apart from some descendants who had been blasted into wormholes and transported away by those who had sacrificed their lives, the entire Tunling Realm had become ruins.

The Tunling Clan's techniques and treasures were directly divided up.

Xiao Xuan looked at the clansmen still following behind him, his heart aching.

In this battle, more than half of the twenty Dou Zuns had been killed or injured.

Even several low-ranking Dou Saints had fallen.

Eight-Star figures like Xiao Kong and Xiao Jing were too old. Though they had not been injured, they could pass away at any moment.

Perhaps that was why they had been so eager to contribute to the Xiao Clan.

After the Tunling Clan was destroyed, Xiao Xuan returned to the clan once before disappearing. No one knew where he had gone.

As for Xiao Xuan, while observing the evolution of the Plane Embryo, he had discovered an extraordinary place.

It had merely been countless ages, and he did not know whether that place—or that treasure—still remained.

In the southern region of the Central Plains, deep within the Endless Sea, lay an island drifting upon the ocean.

Xiao Xuan suddenly appeared on the island. Relying on the memories he had gained from observing the Plane Embryo's evolution, he moved as though he knew the place well, effortlessly opening a barrier and slipping inside.

Within the barrier was endless desolation, yet it could not conceal a towering ancient tree.

What entered his sight was a colossal Ancient Tree stretching beyond the horizon, even larger than the Bodhi Ancient Tree he had once seen.

The ancient tree grew countless black branches and possessed no leaves in the conventional sense. At the end of every branch grew a Void vortex. Each branch of the Black Sacred Tree shimmered with astonishing black radiance, giving birth to countless auras of Samsara.

Its trunk was pitch-black and covered in obscure, incomprehensible, eerie runes.

After watching for only a moment, he withdrew his gaze. In that brief instant, he had felt as though his entire being was being dragged into a vortex.

One mysterious vortex after another—dark and profound, with no end in sight. It was impossible to see what lay within!

The vortex was so mysterious that even Xiao Xuan's Emperor Realm soul could not glimpse the slightest trace of anything inside.

His soul felt as though it were being torn apart, and he could also sense an inexplicable pressure around him squeezing his body.

To break free of Samsara, one first had to enter Samsara!

Despite his strength as a Peak Dou Saint, he could not enter within a hundred zhang of the Ancient Tree.

Xiao Xuan was straightforward about it. He directly built a small thatched hut beyond the hundred-zhang boundary and settled there from then on.

Within the Xiao Clan, many elders had gathered to discuss their troublesome Patriarch.

As the leader of a clan, he had actually vanished on them. It truly was...

Xiao Yu said, "The Patriarch must have gained some insight from the destruction of the Tunling Clan in this battle.

Since he left a note saying that he was going to seek a way for the Xiao Clan to continue, we should support him."

"We must guard the Xiao Realm well."

Xiao Kong said, "Precisely. We must ensure that the Patriarch has no worries behind him.

We do not know how long the Patriarch will be gone. During this period, we must be even more cautious."

Within Sound Valley, a heavily injured middle-aged man accidentally wandered in.

"Master, someone severely injured has accidentally entered from outside!"

Outside the Heavenly Sound Hall, a woman at the Dou Wang realm reported.

At that moment, an ethereal voice came from within the hall.

"Accidentally entered? Severely injured?"

"Sound Valley stays removed from worldly affairs. We do not wish to become entangled in conflicts outside."

"Drive him away..."

"Wait, is that the aura of the Nine Revolutions Soul Forging Technique?"

"Could it be that this technique has become widespread throughout the Central Plains?"

The young disciple had been preparing to drive the man away, but the Valley Master suddenly returned and appeared silently beside her, startling her.

"Master!"

"Come, let us take a look!"

"Yes!"

Before long, the two arrived outside the mountain gate and saw a middle-aged Four-Star Dou Zun whom they had indeed never seen before.

Yet the man's faint soul aura truly carried the aura of the Nine Revolutions Soul Forging Technique.

After her master had improved this soul technique, its practitioners would possess unique soul fluctuations. That was why she could identify it.

"My name is Xiao Wu. Greetings, Valley Master. I accidentally entered your territory and rudely disturbed you. Please forgive me."

Xiao Wu was Xiao Xuan's son, whom Xiao Xuan had thrown into the Dou Qi Continent as an infant.

Training was secondary; the main reason was that this fellow's cultivation talent was rather poor.

A hundred years had passed. Although he possessed a low-grade Dou Emperor bloodline—

—and had Xiao Xuan, Xiao Feng, Gu Qin, Nangong Ling'er, Xiao Gong, and Xiao Ruoruo secretly looking after him, receiving every imaginable favor—

—with endless opportunities coming his way, and being the sort of person who could stumble and pick up a treasure, he had still only reached the Four-Star Dou Zun realm.

Although Xiao Ruoruo's talent was not particularly outstanding either, she was a genuine peak eighth-tier alchemist and a Peak Dou Zun.

Xiao Ruoruo was only around fifty years older than Xiao Wu.

Expecting Xiao Wu to reach Xiao Ruoruo's current accomplishments within fifty years was simply unrealistic.

Luo Tianyin said, "Since you entered by mistake, you should leave at once.

Sound Valley remains detached from worldly affairs and does not wish to become involved in the disputes of the Central Plains."

"Cough, cough. Valley Master, rest assured, I am not being pursued by enemies. I was merely injured like this while hunting an eighth-tier Demon Beast.

I hope to borrow your land to recuperate from my injuries."

In the deepest part of Sound Valley, Xiao Yao, who had been single-mindedly studying the Dao of space, raised his head and looked through the Void at this adopted son of his.

His talent was lacking, but his perseverance was not bad. It could be said that his Four-Star Dou Zun strength had been forged through sheer determination.

Then his lips moved slightly. Luo Tianyin was immediately overjoyed and promptly had a disciple arrange a place for the middle-aged man to rest and recover.

Within the Eight Desolations Divine Realm, Xiao Li had originally been staring at an ordinary flame before him, intending to begin his observations with the most basic kind.

He suddenly glanced toward Sound Valley, the corner of his mouth twitching.

He truly wondered what expression that adopted son would wear if he learned the truth.

He had an invincible background, yet had lived such an utterly miserable life. Would he become unfilial and rebellious...?