Heavenly Star Mountain Range.
If the heavens collapsing and the earth splitting apart was merely a description one could read in books, then the depths of the Heavenly Star Mountain Range had now brought those words to life.
As Xiao Xuan's aura surged, the Dou Qi between heaven and earth formed a vortex several hundred meters across above his head, laced with the power of wind and lightning strong enough to tear through gold and jade.
Xiao Xuan stood below, the fervor in his eyes burning ever brighter. He stamped his foot, then shot upward.
Moments later, Xiao Xuan stood at the center of the vortex and began absorbing the extraordinarily violent Dou Qi.
"Not enough, not enough!"
Although Xiao Xuan's aura was steadily rising, it was still nowhere near the level he had hoped for.
Then Xiao Xuan pushed the Dou Qi cultivation method within his body to its limit once more, trying to absorb the Dou Qi faster.
As his cultivation method circulated at breakneck speed, the entire Dou Qi vortex began spinning rapidly as well.
"Hahaha!"
Feeling more and more Dou Qi pour into his body, Xiao Xuan burst into laughter.
At last, just as Xiao Xuan was basking in his triumph, Hun Tiandi and the Nihility Devouring Flame sighed in unison not far away. "As expected of Xiao Xuan. What a pity he was born at the wrong time. Such are the times, such is fate!"
Their words had barely faded when Xiao Xuan suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood. Immediately afterward, an immensely powerful golden Thunderbolt crashed down from within the Dou Qi vortex, knocking him out of the sky in an instant.
After hitting the ground, Xiao Xuan spat out another mouthful of blood, his eyes filled with unwillingness to accept defeat.
For he knew that his attempt to break through to the Dou Di realm had failed.
Yes, he had failed.
Moreover, that golden Thunderbolt had injured all his internal organs, especially his heart. Xiao Xuan could clearly sense that, had he not taken precautions just then, the golden Thunderbolt would probably have shattered his heart outright.
Even so, Xiao Xuan had still suffered irreversible damage.
"Damn you, heavens!"
Forcing his injured body upright, Xiao Xuan pointed at the sky and cursed furiously. The profound refusal to accept defeat in his eyes drove him ever closer to madness.
Fortunately, this world had no Heavenly Dao. Otherwise, Xiao Xuan's act of pointing at the heavens and cursing would likely have brought its merciless destruction upon him.
As the Dou Qi vortex in the sky gradually dispersed, everything slowly returned to calm. Thus, Xiao Xuan's attempt to reach the Dou Di realm ended in failure.
"Hahaha, Xiao Xuan, you failed to take that final step after all!"
Once the Dou Di vortex vanished, Hun Tiandi appeared with the Hun Clan's experts.
Xiao Xuan turned around. Seeing Hun Tiandi and the Hun Clan Powerhouses beside him, he immediately said coldly, "Hun Tiandi, you came after all!"
Xiao Xuan had anticipated this scene. Moreover, he had made no particular effort to conceal his whereabouts on the way here.
Besides, he had wiped out a group of insignificant Hun Clan Dou Zun with two palm strikes at the entrance to the Xiao Realm. It was hardly surprising that Hun Tiandi had come.
"We've known each other for centuries, after all. With an expert like you about to fall, how could I not come to see you off on your final journey?
"Besides, didn't you know all along that I would come?" Hun Tiandi stood in the air, speaking with a calm smile.
"Hahaha, you're certainly frank."
Xiao Xuan laughed, unangered by Hun Tiandi's claim that he had come to see him off on his final journey.
Although his strength had reached Half-Step Dou Di, he knew his own condition best. He was gravely injured now, and this was indeed the best opportunity to deal with him.
How could an opponent like Hun Tiandi possibly let it slip by?
"We haven't seen each other for years. Naturally, we should be frank with one another.
"What a pity. Once, you were so high-spirited and commanding that others could only bow in admiration. Now, you are equally wretched, like a dog driven from its home.
"Heh, Xiao Xuan, you and I have fought for years, and now everything will finally be settled. Rest assured, once I've sent you below, I'll send the Xiao Clan down to keep you company as well. I won't let you walk the Yellow Springs Road alone." Hun Tiandi's expression remained calm, though a hint of excitement had entered his voice.
"Hahaha, Hun Tiandi, you only dare act so brazenly before me at a time like this. Have you forgotten how I used to beat you into the dirt until even your mother wouldn't have recognized you?" Xiao Xuan laughed and taunted him.
"Xiao Xuan, why indulge in empty boasts?
"As you are now, you no longer have the right to spout such arrogant words before me.
"On the Dou Qi Continent, strength has always reigned supreme, and the strong have always commanded respect. In the past, I would indeed have been somewhat wary of you. But now, powerful though you may be, you are gravely injured. Even if I spared you today, you could never return to what you once were.
"So, to give you a perfect curtain call, I made a point of bringing all my clan's eight-star Dou Sheng experts. I wonder whether this funeral is to your liking?" Hun Tiandi wore a smile, as though discussing something perfectly ordinary.
"Tsk, tsk. It seems you've truly put considerable effort into killing me. You even brought old relics like Hun Yuantian, Hun Shengtian, Hun Yao, and Hun Motian.
"Oh, the one beside you must be the Nihility Devouring Flame, whom Tian Ce nearly captured back then. To think you've recovered in just a hundred years, and your strength has even reached peak eight-star Dou Saint. Impressive indeed!"
Xiao Xuan looked up and recognized everyone beside Hun Tiandi. As for the Nihility Devouring Flame, that counted as a greeting too.
Above him, Hun Tiandi couldn't help smiling at the mention of Xiao Tian Ce. "Xiao Xuan, there are few in your entire Xiao Clan whom I consider worthy of notice. You are one, Xiao Chen, who has long been missing, is another, and Xiao Tian Ce, whom you just mentioned, is one as well.
"I originally thought that even if you died, the Xiao Clan would still have some hope of becoming one of the Dou Qi Continent's foremost powers again.
"But what I never expected was that you would destroy him with your own hands. It truly leaves me sighing!"
Below, a trace of desolation crossed Xiao Xuan's face, and Hun Tiandi caught it all. What Hun Tiandi did not know, however, was that the desolation in Xiao Xuan's eyes was for the Xiao Clan members who would soon be killed by the Hun Clan, not for Xiao Tian Ce.
When he noticed the regret in Hun Tiandi's eyes, Xiao Xuan decided to help Xiao Tian Ce once more. He sighed along with him. "Yes, what a pity. Back when Tian Ce single-handedly stopped you, despite your strength being several levels above his, I should have joined him and destroyed you.
"Unfortunately, you despicable, shameless bastard seized an opportunity to ambush Tian Ce yourself, leaving him unconscious for a hundred years before he finally woke. His strength stagnated, and he lost his drive to advance.
"Otherwise, even if I, Xiao Xuan, were to fall today, someone like you, Hun Tiandi, would hardly dare lay a hand on my Xiao Clan, would you?"
"Hahaha, the victor becomes king, and the loser becomes a bandit, that's all. Xiao Xuan, if you hadn't let your obsession sway you, the Xiao Clan would never have declined.
"Oh, since I've come today, I might as well stop hiding this from you.
"Did you know that the scroll that convinced you to gather your clan's Dou Di bloodline was delivered to you on my orders?
"Hahaha, I never imagined that a little jest would make you, the strongest expert on the Dou Qi Continent, cripple your own cultivation. What an unexpected surprise!" Hun Tiandi burst into laughter, thoroughly delighted.
Back then, he had merely employed a minor trick. He had never expected it to yield such a harvest today.
Below, upon hearing that his steadfast pursuit had been part of Hun Tiandi's scheme, Xiao Xuan's expression did not change. He merely sneered. "Hun Tiandi, it certainly looks as though you've succeeded now. But I am Xiao Xuan. If I don't want to do something, no one-not even you-can force me to do it!"
At this point, Xiao Xuan sighed, then said coldly, "Forget it. There's no point bringing up the past.
"Hun Tiandi, didn't you want to see me off? Then come! Let me see how much you've improved in these hundred-odd years!"
Before you continue