Inside the cave, as the fusion of Xiao Xuan's soul and body gradually progressed, Xiao Yan finally withdrew his hand. He could offer no further assistance; success or failure was entirely up to Xiao Xuan himself.
Following the narrow path ahead, Xiao Yan walked into the cave, where the Ancestor Fen Tian was located deep within.
"Ah, Xiao Yao, a descendant of the Xiao Clan, is truly outstanding. He has certainly lived up to your expectations. Your son is now undergoing the most severe test. You will help him, won't you?"
The old man sat cross-legged before Xiao Yao's remains, his weathered face tinged with deep affection. The bond between them had not faded with the passage of Suiyue, but rather deepened with it.
The bond between men doesn't need many actions to express it. A glance, a gesture, a word, or even nothing at all, and the affection grows stronger. This bond is long-lasting and intense, beyond description for anyone else.
"Senior."
Xiao Yan stepped forward and first bowed respectfully to the skeleton before looking at the old man in front of him. Although he could not fully understand the Suiyue man's feelings for the deceased, he was still deeply moved. To be able to preserve that affection so long and so intensely, unbound by the passage of time, was extremely rare and precious in the world today.
"Hehe, little guy, I heard you already have a teacher?"
Upon seeing the visitor, Ancestor Fen Tian smiled kindly and said...
"Yes, my teacher is still in the Dou Qi Continent."
Speaking of Yao Lao, Xiao Yan couldn't help but picture Yao Lao's aged face, a familiar face he would never forget.
"I see. To be able to teach a disciple like you, you must be no ordinary teacher."
"My master's alchemy skills are unparalleled in the world; he is universally recognized as the best in the Dou Qi Continent."
"Haha, although he's number one, your disciple has already surpassed him. This must be his proudest achievement—to have taught a disciple who has surpassed Dou Di."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan couldn't help but smile, his mind replaying the past events, which remained vivid in his memory even now.
The old man and the young man sat deep in the cave for a long time, chatting about their experiences and insights into cultivation. Their conversation complemented each other, allowing Xiao Yan to gain a deeper understanding of the world.
Time flowed by so quickly without them even realizing it, just like the water flowing in the pool behind them, disappearing into the distance in the blink of an eye.
Three days passed in the blink of an eye.
The Ancestor Fen Tian left the cave, leaving only Xiao Yan and Xiao Xuan there. The raging flames gradually subsided, and new flesh and blood coalesced into a complete human body. The body appeared particularly magnificent under the reflection of the cave's fluorescent light. Its fair and smooth skin looked like that of a newborn baby, and its smooth body, strong limbs, and handsome face all exuded a strong sense of vitality.
However, although everything seemed to be completed, Xiao Yan still couldn't sense any breath from Xiao Xuan in front of him. Although the body was finished and the soul was almost fused, the expected vitality hadn't appeared. If he couldn't breathe and move freely, then what difference was there between Xiao Xuan and a corpse?
Did we fail?
Xiao Yan refused to believe it. Since they had already reached this point, there was no possibility of failure. Xiao Xuan's soul was clearly perfectly integrated with his body, and the entire process seemed so perfect, without any omissions. So why hadn't Xiao Xuan awakened yet?
Ancestor, wake up!
The physical body had been solidified for a quarter of an hour, yet Xiao Xuan remained motionless. Even the life force emanating from his body gradually faded away. At this moment, Xiao Yan's emotions also tightened.
"Buzz!"
However, at that very moment, outside the cave, the energy of heaven and earth suddenly began to surge on its own, with countless Origin Qi surging wildly, causing the expressions of all the elders and disciples on the mountain to change.
At the same time, inside the cave, dense Origin Qi gathered from nowhere, and the milky white stream of Qi condensed into a long dragon, coiling above Xiao Xuan's body. Then, to Xiao Yan's astonishment, it suddenly rushed into the latter's body.
In an instant, Xiao Xuan's body seemed to become an invisible vortex, with the Origin Qi between heaven and earth constantly gathering and flowing into Xiao Xuan's body. At the same time, Xiao Xuan's aura was also surging at an astonishing speed.
"What happened?"
Suddenly, the voice of the Ancestor Fen Tian rang in Xiao Yan's ears. The moment he turned around, the old man appeared. But Xiao Yan shook his head helplessly at his question. He didn't understand what had happened either. However, given the current situation, it didn't seem like a bad thing. At least Xiao Xuan's cultivation had improved, ensuring Xiao Xuan survival. As for the rest...
"Buzz!"
Immediately afterwards, Xiao Xuan, whose eyes were tightly closed, suddenly opened them. A sharp light burst forth, and at the same time, an extremely terrifying aura swept outward from his body.
" Eight-Star Origin King!"
Upon realizing this, the expression on the face of the Ancestor Fen Tian changed slightly, and he exclaimed in surprise. In just a short while, Xiao Xuan's cultivation level had actually soared from Five Star Origin King to Eight-Star Origin King. This was simply too terrifying!
Upon waking, Xiao Xuan gasped for breath for a moment, his expression constantly shifting, as if in pain or sensing something. It wasn't until a few minutes later that his thoughts gradually cleared.
Slowly raising his hands, Xiao Xuan looked at his newly healed palms, tentatively squeezed them, and after feeling the real touch between his fingers, a smile gradually appeared on his face, and a look of ecstatic joy appeared in his eyes.
"Success! I've finally regained my physical body! From this moment on, I'm truly resurrected!"
With tears of ecstatic joy streaming down his face, Xiao Xuan moved swiftly and arrived in front of Xiao Yan. Just as he was about to reach out and embrace the person before him, he noticed the strange expressions on the faces of both Xiao Yan and the Ancestor Fen Tian.
Seeing the two men's gazes sweeping over him, Xiao Xuan was startled. He looked down and saw his naked body, which looked like a white mudfish. Instantly, his Elder Zhang turned as red as burning coals.