A colossal phoenix shadow projected out of the fruit!
The shadow was nearly a hundred zhang tall!
Its wings spread wider than a hundred zhang.
It blotted out the sky and the sun, radiating immense pressure.
"Our clansmen? We... were of the same clan?"
Zi Yan asked in surprise.
For some reason,
the instant she saw the colossal phoenix shadow, a buried impulse deep in her blood made her want to swallow it whole.
But after she looked into the phoenix's eyes a couple more times,
the feeling vanished at once.
In its place came a vague, mechanical sense of kinship.
"Indeed. I can sense the same blood flowing through your body as mine!"
The phoenix shadow stared at Zi Yan, looking delighted and deeply moved!
"Just cut your finger and drip a drop of blood onto this altar, and you can receive my inheritance!"
At those words,
Zi Yan seemed to fall under a spell!
She took out a dagger.
And was about to slice her finger!
The colossal phoenix shadow revealed a glimmer of anticipation and wild joy that ordinary people could scarcely detect!
But, to its fury, just as its plan was about to succeed,
the dagger in Zi Yan's hand stopped in midair.
The phoenix shadow immediately fixed its gaze on Xiao Xuan!
It glared at him, consumed with rage.
"What lowlife are you? How dare you ruin this Phoenix's plans! Get out of my way!"
Boom!
Terrifying pressure shot toward Xiao Xuan, intent on crushing him where he stood!
Bang!
Xiao Xuan didn't move a muscle. The pressure surged back, even more terrifying than before!
The phoenix shadow let out a scream. Its massive body seemed to have a mountain weighing it down.
Its already illusory form grew even more transparent!
The phoenix shadow's expression changed drastically!
There was actually someone in this world who could withstand its pressure and reflect it back at it?!
No!
Impossible!
"Even at your peak, I could crush you in my hand! You're nothing but the remnant of a Heavenly Demon Phoenix, yet you dare put on airs in front of me! Who gave you the nerve?"
Xiao Xuan shouted coldly. His soul power surged out and transformed into a dark-gray spear above the phoenix shadow!
As Xiao Xuan pointed downward,
Boom!
The spear came crashing down!
Bang!
It pierced straight through the phoenix shadow with ease!
"Absorb!"
A force of suction spread from Xiao Xuan's palm, pulling the phoenix shadow into his stomach!
"Huh? What... just happened?"
With the phoenix shadow gone, Zi Yan came back to her senses. She stared at Xiao Xuan with wide eyes, bewildered.
She only remembered someone saying something.
After that,
she couldn't remember a thing.
"Nothing much. I just cleaned up a little trash."
Xiao Xuan smiled faintly.
Then he turned his palm toward the fruit shimmering with golden and purple light below and drew it toward himself!
Whoosh!
The fruit left the tree on its own and flew into Xiao Xuan's hand!
"Wow! Big Brother Xiao Xuan, you're amazing with your hands! Can you teach me?"
"Of course."
Zi Yan was overjoyed.
Soon,
her attention was drawn to the Dragon-Phoenix Origin Fruit in Xiao Xuan's hand.
"By the way, what is that?"
"This is a Dragon-Phoenix Origin Fruit, a treasure that can help you grow up fast!"
Zi Yan pouted and looked at Xiao Xuan suspiciously.
"Huh? One little fruit can do that? You're not trying to trick me just because I'm young, are you?"
Xiao Xuan was at a loss for words.
She was over a thousand years old. Why was she still pretending to be a child?
She did look young, though.
So never mind.
"You're so clever and adorable. Who could ever trick you?"
Zi Yan tilted her head, thought it over, then nodded in agreement.
"That's true."
"Since you've got it, give it to me already. I want to see what it tastes like."
Zi Yan's eyes darted around as she licked her lips, practically drooling.
"Don't rush. There's something else good here."
"What?"
Zi Yan was curious.
She followed Xiao Xuan to the Pill Hall in the ancient ruins.
Seeing pills everywhere,
Zi Yan's eyes sparkled, and drool ran from the corner of her mouth.
She was about to charge in and gobble them all up.
But before she could, she saw Xiao Xuan collect all the pills in an instant!
Then...
Starting from the first floor, he took every pill he came across, no matter its grade.
As for the poisonous miasma filling the way, it couldn't affect him in the slightest.
Along the way, Xiao Xuan ransacked dozens of pill chambers.
Zi Yan didn't get a single pill.
She folded her arms, pouted, and tilted her head, looking like she was furious and unhappy!
"Don't rush things. You have to build a solid foundation!"
"Yeah, right!"
"..."
Zi Yan gave a delicate huff.
"Eh, Big Brother Xiao Xuan, over there... was that a white shadow running past?"
Zi Yan suddenly spoke again.
"Ah! It's a fluffy little beast!"
Right in front of them,
a chubby, round little beast covered in white fur stared at Xiao Xuan and Zi Yan in terror with eyes bulging like a frog's.
It didn't dare move a muscle!
It seemed to be pretending to be an inconspicuous statue in the hall!
It was a real idiot.
When the little beast saw that its disguise hadn't fooled Zi Yan, it bolted.
It hadn't even gone two steps before its short legs were kicking wildly in the air.
Xiao Xuan had grabbed it from a distance!
"Chirp...!"
The little beast struggled desperately, its four short legs kicking wildly as it chirped.
Zi Yan rushed over and scooped it up in her arms.
"What is this thing? It's so cute."
"This is... a pill."
"What? A pill?"
Zi Yan was skeptical.
Weren't pills supposed to be round?
How could it be alive?
"That's a long story. I'll explain later. Someone's here!"
"Someone? Where?"
As soon as Zi Yan finished speaking,
a rift suddenly split open in the space ahead.
Three figures walked out!
They glanced at Zi Yan with ill intent, then realized none of them could see through Xiao Xuan's strength.
Smiles immediately spread across their faces.
"Heh heh, we've searched high and low, and here you are! We've finally found you."
"You must be the bloodline of Lord Dragon Emperor. We're here to take you home."
Lord Dragon Emperor...?
Zi Yan looked at Xiao Xuan. "Are they talking about me?"
Before Xiao Xuan could reply,
Qian Xuan of North Dragon Island immediately nodded. "Of course. We sensed you as soon as you appeared in the Central Plains!"
"That's right. We searched for ages before finally finding you here."
Xia Ao chuckled awkwardly.
He was the commander of the Dragon Armor Army of West Dragon Island, and he didn't know why Elder Zhu Mu had sent him here!
Man Yan of South Dragon Island was just as puzzled!
But he was more cunning. He stood off to the side like a lackey, grinning and nodding along!
Without saying a word.
"Care to introduce yourselves?"
In Xiao Xuan's memory,
of the four Dragon Islands split from Ancient Dragon Island, only East Dragon Island supported the Dragon Emperor.
The Dragon Kings of the other three Dragon Islands all wanted to seize power and become the next Dragon Emperor.
Qian Xuan replied courteously, "I'm Qian Xuan of Ancient Dragon Island. These two are Man Yan and Xia Ao."
Before you continue