Late Six-Star Dou Saint

"Whew, it's time to break through!"

The third floor of the Treasure Pavilion, in the Ancient Heavenly Phoenix Secret Realm.

A sharp gleam flashed through Xiao Tian Ce's eyes. Then his aura surged violently, sweeping through his surroundings like the blast of an atomic bomb. Even the dust on the Treasure Pavilion's third floor was swept into the corners in an instant.

Outside the Treasure Pavilion.

Sensing Xiao Tian Ce's aura inside, Huang Jiuji smiled. "He truly lives up to his origins in the Xiao Clan, an Emperor Clan. To think he could subdue the golden emperor burning heaven flame in such a short time."

"Senior, didn't you say the restrictions on the Heavenly Huang Clan's Storage Ring would keep the golden emperor burning heaven flame from harming my third uncle?" Xiao Qing asked, puzzled.

"Heh, I did indeed say that. Still, this is the golden emperor burning heaven flame we're talking about.

"Over the two thousand years it spent in our clan, the gifted clansmen who managed to subdue it could be counted on one hand.

"Your third uncle managed to subdue a heavenly flame like the golden emperor burning heaven flame in such a short time. That alone shows he must be a genius rarely seen even in your Xiao Clan," Huang Jiuji said with a chuckle.

Xiao Qing nodded, then sighed. "There's something you don't know, Senior Huang. In our clan, my third uncle's talent is second only to our clan leader, Xiao Xuan. Our clan leader is now a Peak Nine-Star Dou Saint, a supreme expert universally acknowledged as the strongest on the entire Dou Qi Continent.

"Back then, both my third uncle and our clan leader were found to possess god-grade bloodline power. They were hailed as the most outstanding geniuses in the clan at the time.

"But what none of us expected was that my third uncle would never awaken the dou di bloodline within him while cultivating. Through a method of cultivation beyond that of ordinary people, he reached the strength of an Early Five-Star Dou Sheng in just over thirty years.

"At the time, our clan leader, my third uncle, and Uncle Chen, who has since vanished without a trace, were collectively known as the Three Talents of the Xiao Clan.

"A hundred years ago, while exploring a secret realm, my third uncle actually obtained the nihility devouring flame, ranked second on the Heavenly Flame Ranking. Unfortunately, he let his guard down and was gravely injured by Hun Tiandi of the Hun Clan. He remained unconscious for a hundred years before gradually waking.

"Now that a century has passed, my third uncle has fallen behind the clan's strongest experts. With an opportunity like this before him, he'll certainly seize it."

After hearing Xiao Qing's lament, Huang Jiuji nodded in understanding. "I was wondering why your third uncle was still only a Mid-Stage Five-Star Dou Sheng. I never imagined there was such a hidden story behind it. Truly astonishing."

"Senior Huang, what level do you think my third uncle will reach after absorbing the golden emperor burning heaven flame?" Xiao Qing asked eagerly.

The golden emperor burning heaven flame was a mighty heavenly flame ranked fourth on the Heavenly Flame Ranking.

In truth, however, among the top five, aside from the life spirit flame's lack of destructive power, the rankings of the other three flames could almost be disregarded. They were all immensely powerful.

Huang Jiuji considered it for a moment before replying, "With your third uncle's century of accumulation, his previous strength as a Mid-Stage Five-Star Dou Sheng was merely the result of forcibly suppressing it. If he stopped compressing the Dou Qi within him, he could even break through to Early Six-Star Dou Sheng in an instant.

"Now that he has absorbed the golden emperor burning heaven flame, even if he continues forcibly compressing his Dou Qi, he should at least be able to reach the peak of Six-Star Dou Sheng.

"Of course, that is assuming your third uncle doesn't chase higher levels. If advancement alone were his goal, even Mid-Stage Seven-Star Dou Saint would be possible.

"So how far he advances depends entirely on his own choice."

Just as Huang Jiuji finished speaking, Xiao Tian Ce's aura inside the Treasure Pavilion began soaring wildly.

In just a few breaths, his aura shot all the way from Mid-Stage Five-Star Dou Sheng to Eight-Star Dou Sheng, leaving both Huang Jiuji and Xiao Qing outside deeply worried.

"Alas, I never expected him to be someone who chased cultivation levels too."

Huang Jiuji had just begun to sigh, disappointment showing in his eyes. If Xiao Tian Ce truly broke straight through to Eight-Star Dou Sheng, his strength would certainly be impressive for now, but without some great fortuitous encounter, that would essentially be as far as he could go in this lifetime.

Before Huang Jiuji could finish speaking, however, Xiao Tian Ce's aura was gradually forced down again.

Early Eight-Star Dou Saint.

Peak Seven-Star Dou Saint.

Mid-stage Seven-Star Dou Saint.

It was forcibly suppressed all the way to the peak of Five-Star Dou Sheng, then began surging back up to Early Eight-Star Dou Saint.

A moment later, it returned to the peak of Five-Star Dou Sheng.

Like that, it climbed and fell again and again, until it finally stabilized at Late Six-Star Dou Saint.

For a long time, there were no further changes.

Once he sensed that Xiao Tian Ce's aura had stabilized, Huang Jiuji sighed. "Now I finally understand why your third uncle's cultivation level was a little below your clan leader's back then."

"You know why, Senior?" Xiao Qing asked.

"Hahaha, your third uncle is a monster! Others can't wait to force their strength higher, but your third uncle insists on consolidating every level. Only when he can no longer suppress it does he let himself naturally advance to the next." Huang Jiuji was delighted.

In his eyes, as long as Xiao Tian Ce did not meet an untimely end, he would surely stand at the very summit of the Dou Qi Continent.

With someone like that helping his clansmen, he would no longer need to worry about their future.

"So this is who Third Uncle truly is? No wonder he could firmly hold a place in the top five of our clan back then, when experts gathered like clouds, despite only being an Early Five-Star Dou Sheng."

At that moment, Xiao Qing understood. A hundred years ago, the clan had countless experts, yet her third uncle had always held firm among its five strongest fighters with only the cultivation of an Early Five-Star Dou Sheng. There had indeed been a reason.

Inside the Treasure Pavilion.

Xiao Tian Ce let out a long breath and murmured, "So this is the strength of a Late Six-Star Dou Saint? It really is powerful. With the Heavenly Fire Three Mysterious Transformations as well, I can now face an ordinary Early Eight-Star Dou Saint without a trace of fear."

As he spoke, the crust of dried blood on his body fell away on its own. He slowly stood, and with a thought, a wisp of golden emperor burning heaven flame suddenly appeared in his hand, seemingly capable of burning heaven and earth.

"It truly deserves its name. Even after subduing it, I can still feel its tremendous power, as though it could burn this entire space to ashes. With this flame's help, if I get another chance to face that bastard Hun Tiandi, I'll be able to put up a fight."

Since all his clothes had burned away, he took another set of white robes from his Storage Ring and put them on before heading downstairs.

Once downstairs, Xiao Tian Ce paid no attention to the glowing orbs and instead strode quickly outside.

"Sorry for the wait, Senior!"

The moment he saw Huang Jiuji, he cupped his hands in greeting.

"Hahaha, you certainly haven't let my judgment down. Tian Ce, lad, aren't you afraid your body won't be able to withstand such forceful compression of your Dou Qi?" Huang Jiuji asked with a hearty laugh.

The instant Xiao Tian Ce emerged, he sensed that the Dou Qi within him was even more condensed than before. Not only that, although he was merely a Late Six-Star Dou Saint, he could now pose a certain threat to Huang Jiuji.

"Rest assured, Senior. I know my limits," Xiao Tian Ce replied, smiling as he cupped his hands.

"Good. You haven't disappointed me. You have the makings of a true expert.

"In that case, I'll honor our agreement and bestow all my cultivation upon you!" Huang Jiuji said with a smile.

There's one more chapter today, probably coming after midnight. Don't wait up, everyone. Read them together tomorrow.