Deep within the cave, the Realm-Sealing Crystal hovered in midair, dark purple light flowing across its surface. The dark energy coiled within it writhed like a living creature, radiating a pressure that made the heart tremble. Even from several dozen feet away, Xiao Yan could feel a stabbing pain in his soul, as though countless resentful spirits were howling in his ears.
"Be careful. The dark energy in the Realm-Sealing Crystal is the Origin power of the Lord of Darkness's avatar. It's extremely corrosive." Elder Bai's voice sounded behind him. A pale golden screen of light had already appeared around Elder Bai, who had evidently used his innate Origin Qi. "I'll do my best to shield you from the energy's impact, but whether the purification succeeds is entirely up to you."
Xiao Yan nodded, took a deep breath, and slowly held the Origin Stabilizing Divine Stone and the Void Origin Stone Fragment in his palms. Sensing the spatial fluctuations from the Realm-Sealing Crystal, the two wondrous stones began to glow of their own accord. Pale gold and pitch-black spatial power intertwined, forming a fine net of energy.
"Begin."
At Elder Bai's low command, Xiao Yan pushed the two wondrous stones forward. They hovered beside the Realm-Sealing Crystal, and spatial power surged like a tide into the cracks on its surface. The spatial fissures caused by the weakening seal began to mend at a speed visible to the naked eye.
It's working! Xiao Yan rejoiced, but the next moment, the dark energy in the Realm-Sealing Crystal suddenly surged. A jet-black pillar of energy shot toward the two wondrous stones, attempting to corrode them.
"Hmph!" Elder Bai snorted coldly. The golden screen of light expanded in an instant, blocking the pillar of energy. But the screen also shuddered violently, clearly under tremendous pressure.
"Purify!" Xiao Yan dared not delay. The three Heavenly Flames in his body circulated wildly, the Green Lotus Core Flame, Fallen Heart Flame, and Netherworld Core Flame intertwining into a three-colored chain of fire that coiled around the Realm-Sealing Crystal like a spirit snake.
"Sizzle-!"
Flames collided with dark energy, producing a piercing sizzle. The dark purple on the Realm-Sealing Crystal's surface rapidly faded, revealing its crystalline form, but the dark energy inside grew even more violent, battering at the flames wrapped around it.
Xiao Yan could feel that this dark energy was far purer than the energy of the Blood Shadow Cult and Old Freak Blood Fiend. It could even resist the burning of the Heavenly Flames. He gritted his teeth and pushed his spiritual power to its limit, guiding the Heavenly Flames into the Realm-Sealing Crystal bit by bit.
Time passed slowly, until only the hissing of clashing energies and the heavy breathing of the two men remained in the cave. Cold sweat beaded on Xiao Yan's forehead, and his face was as pale as paper. Maintaining the simultaneous output of the Heavenly Flames and spatial power was draining his Origin Qi and spiritual power enormously.
Elder Bai was in no better shape. Fine cracks had appeared in the golden screen of light, and a trace of blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. Clearly, maintaining his protection was taking a great toll on him as well.
"Roar-!"
A furious roar suddenly erupted from the Realm-Sealing Crystal. The consciousness of the Lord of Darkness's avatar seemed to have been roused, and an even more terrifying pressure burst forth. The cracks on the crystal's surface widened again, and dark energy gushed out like a fountain, instantly corroding several gaps in the three-colored fire chain.
"This is bad!" Xiao Yan's expression changed drastically. His Heavenly Flames were suppressed, and the backlash struck him as well, making him spit out a mouthful of blood.
"Hold on!" Elder Bai roared. He slapped his chest and spat out a mouthful of golden essence blood, which merged into the screen of light. The screen swelled instantly, forcing the dark energy back for the moment.
"Use your essence blood!" Elder Bai shouted to Xiao Yan. "When Heavenly Flames merge with essence blood, they can unleash a stronger purifying power!"
Without the slightest hesitation, Xiao Yan bit the tip of his tongue and spat a mouthful of essence blood onto the three-colored fire chain.
"Boom!"
The instant the essence blood touched the Heavenly Flames, an unprecedented brilliance erupted. A faint trace of gold appeared in the three-colored flames, and their purifying power increased severalfold. The corroded gaps quickly closed, and the fire chain grew more solid, locking the Realm-Sealing Crystal tight like golden shackles.
"This is..." Xiao Yan discovered in surprise that his essence blood seemed to have formed some wondrous resonance with the Heavenly Flames. Not only had their power increased, but they had also gained a trace of sacred presence, making them more effective against dark energy than ever before.
"It's your bloodline!" A flash of excitement appeared in Elder Bai's eyes. "The blood of an ancient powerhouse flows in your veins. It can draw out the Origin power of your Heavenly Flames! This is heaven's will!"
Xiao Yan had no time to think it over. Seizing the opportunity, he drove the Heavenly Flames with all his might. As though alive, the golden fire chain penetrated the Realm-Sealing Crystal bit by bit and began purifying the dark energy at its very core.
The dark energy in the Realm-Sealing Crystal struggled frantically, letting out shrill, agonized howls, but under the golden flames, it steadily diminished like melting ice and snow.
Half an hour later, more than half the dark energy in the Realm-Sealing Crystal had been purified. The cracks on its surface had also been completely repaired by spatial power, and it once again radiated a crystalline glow. Its pressure had grown much gentler.
"We're almost there!" Elder Bai shouted excitedly.
Just then, an extremely fine wisp of dark energy suddenly flew out of the Realm-Sealing Crystal. Moving with incredible speed, it slipped past the golden screen and fire chain and shot toward Xiao Yan's sea of consciousness!
"Watch out!" Elder Bai cried. He tried to stop it, but it was already too late.
A terrible pain tore through Xiao Yan's sea of consciousness, as though a poisoned needle had been driven into it. Countless negative emotions surged in like a tide-anger, greed, despair, slaughter... These were all the Origin emotions of the Lord of Darkness's avatar, attempting to corrode his soul.
"Get out!"
Xiao Yan roared, and the soul flame in his sea of consciousness erupted, colliding fiercely with the dark emotions pouring in. He remembered Xun'er's gentleness, Cai Lin's protection, and his master's teachings. Those warm memories became a sturdy shield, holding back the assault of the dark emotions.
At the same time, the Heavenly Flames within him sensed the danger to his sea of consciousness. A wisp of golden flame surged through his meridians into it, shattering the wisp of dark energy like a sharp sword and burning it away.
"Aah-!"
The dark energy let out a shriek of unwillingness before dissipating completely within his sea of consciousness.
With the last wisp of dark energy purified, the Realm-Sealing Crystal became perfectly clear once more. The runes on its surface blazed with light, radiating a gentle yet powerful sealing force. The surrounding space stabilized, and the heart-stopping dark pressure vanished completely.
"We did it!" Elder Bai let out a long breath. The golden screen of light slowly dispersed, and he staggered, clearly having expended a great deal.
Xiao Yan retrieved the Origin Stabilizing Divine Stone and the Void Origin Stone Fragment as well. His Origin Qi was exhausted, and his vision went black. He nearly fell to the ground.
Elder Bai hurried forward to support him, then took out a lustrous white pill and fed it to him. "This is a Spirit-Calming Qi-Restoring Pill. Take it quickly and regulate your breathing."
The pill melted in his mouth, and a gentle energy flowed through his body. Xiao Yan's spiritual power and Origin Qi began to recover slowly. He leaned against the stone wall and looked at the Realm-Sealing Crystal hovering in midair, his heart full of accomplishment.
"Thank you for your help, Senior," Xiao Yan said sincerely. Without Elder Bai's protection, he could never have completed the purification.
Elder Bai waved a hand, his eyes showing relief and a trace of complicated feeling. "I should be the one thanking you. You not only reinforced the seal but also purified the Origin energy of the Lord of Darkness's avatar. That should allow the seal to hold for at least another hundred years."
He paused, then looked at Xiao Yan. "And when you drew on your bloodline power just now, you caused your Heavenly Flames to undergo a transformation. That will be of great benefit to your future cultivation."
Only then did Xiao Yan notice that the three Heavenly Flames in his body seemed to have changed subtly. The Green Lotus Core Flame was more lively, the Fallen Heart Flame more domineering, and the Netherworld Core Flame had gained a trace of icy holiness. The connection between the three had also grown closer, as though they could merge at any moment.
"This is..."
"The evolution of the Heavenly Flame Origins," Elder Bai explained. "Ordinary Heavenly Flames can only grow stronger by devouring other flames, but yours have awakened the ability to evolve on their own because of your bloodline power. Their future potential is limitless."
Xiao Yan was delighted. This was undoubtedly an unexpected windfall.
After resting for half an hour, the two left the cave. Elder Bai brought Xiao Yan to a stone chamber in the Fallen Immortal Abyss. Its walls were covered in ancient runes that radiated a peaceful energy.
"This cultivation chamber was left behind by an ancient mighty figure. The energy here is abundant and will help you recover," Elder Bai said. "Rest here for a few days. I'll go take care of matters outside."
"Outside?"
"After being driven back, that Shadow of Darkness should be causing trouble around the outskirts of Ten Thousand Medicines Valley. I'll go clean it up." Elder Bai smiled. "Besides, there are people waiting for you outside."
"Waiting for me?" Xiao Yan was taken aback.
"That little girl who's your friend, as well as the young lady from the Hundred Herbs Hall and the lad from the Pill Region. They've been waiting outside the valley all this time, refusing to leave," Elder Bai said.
Warmth filled Xiao Yan's heart. He had not expected Su Xiaoxiao and the others to still be waiting for him.
"Thank you for telling me, Senior."
Elder Bai nodded, turned, and left the stone chamber.
Silence returned to the chamber. Xiao Yan sat down cross-legged and began circulating his cultivation method to recover. Abundant energy flowed into his body without cease, quickly replenishing his Origin Qi, while his damaged meridians slowly healed.
He looked inward at his dantian, watching the three clusters of Heavenly Flames floating quietly within it, his heart full of anticipation. This transformation might raise his strength another level.
He was also thinking about the bloodline power Elder Bai had mentioned. Could his bloodline be connected to an ancient powerhouse? Was it an inheritance from Xiao Yan's family, or... a change brought about by traveling through time and space?
Perhaps he could only find the answer to that question on his future journey.
Three days later, Xiao Yan had finally recovered completely. He even felt that his Origin Qi had grown more condensed, leaving him only one step away from the High-Grade Origin Emperor level. He stood, stretched his limbs, and prepared to leave the Fallen Immortal Abyss.
The stone chamber's door slowly opened. Elder Bai stood outside, holding an ancient-looking jade slip.
"You've recovered well," Elder Bai said with a smile, handing Xiao Yan the jade slip. "This is a small gift from me. It contains some secrets concerning the Domain of Darkness and the ancient war. They may be useful to you."
Xiao Yan took the jade slip. It felt warm and smooth in his hand, and he could sense the vast amount of information it contained. He solemnly put it away. "Thank you, Senior."
"Go on. Your friends are still waiting for you." Elder Bai waved a hand. "Remember, the Lord of Darkness has not given up, and the crisis facing the Great Thousand World has not yet passed. You possess Heavenly Flames and supreme spatial treasures. You will surely encounter them again in the future, so be careful."
"I understand." Xiao Yan bowed deeply to Elder Bai. "Take care, Senior."
Elder Bai smiled and turned toward the depths of the Fallen Immortal Abyss. His figure soon vanished into the mist.
Xiao Yan gazed in the direction Elder Bai had disappeared, his heart full of respect. It was thanks to generations of guardians like him that the Great Thousand World had remained safe until now under the threat of darkness.
He took a deep breath, turned, and headed toward the outskirts of Ten Thousand Medicines Valley.
Sunlight filtered through the leaves onto him, warm and bright. Familiar voices called from the distance. Su Xiaoxiao, Lin Qingxue, Mo Chen, and the others were running toward him, joyful smiles on their faces.
Xiao Yan smiled and quickened his pace.
The crisis in Ten Thousand Medicines Valley had been resolved for the time being, but he knew this was only an episode in a long journey. The threat of the Lord of Darkness remained, the road to finding Xun'er and Cai Lin was still long, and the mysteries of the Great Thousand World awaited his exploration.
His steps remained firm. Xiao Yan's legend continued.
(To be continued)