Chapter 727 Cultivation in the Heavenly Tomb

Above the misty earth, tiny specks of light floated and drifted like stardust. As far as the eye could see, the entire world was enveloped in a thick, deathly stillness; even the wind seemed to have frozen, and not a trace of life could be found.

"Oh!"

No one knew how long the deathly silence had lasted, but a deep, piercing sound suddenly broke through the fog, accompanied by a short, low shout, which carried far away along the damp, cold mist.

Following the sound, only two overlapping figures could be vaguely outlined in the depths of the mist, appearing and disappearing in the haze.

"laugh……"

As the view zoomed in, it became clear that around the figure, there were actually a dozen or so illusory shadows floating around it.

Their eyes are as empty as an abyss, yet they show no hesitation, each strike accompanied by a sharp, swift wind.

Even though it was just a body formed from condensed energy, its speed and power were not to be underestimated. The immense energy it unleashed during its charge shattered a boulder half a person's height into pieces, with the fragments tumbling down mixed with mist.

Xiao Yan gripped the handle of the Xuan Heavy Ruler tightly with both hands. The heavy feel of the iron ruler came through his palms, but it became his only support at this moment.

This Xuanzhong Ruler was given to Xiao Ling by Yao Lao when Xiao Yan visited Xingyun Pavilion last time. Yao Lao saw that Xiao Yan had brought news about the Strange Fire to Xiao Ling, and on a whim, he specially entrusted Xiao Ling to hand it over to him.

Just as the energy bodies attacked fiercely again, Xiao Yan twisted his waist sharply, and the Xuan Heavy Ruler swept out with a whistling sound. With a muffled "bang", it knocked back the two energy bodies that were rushing from the right by half a foot, but the residual force still spread along his arm, making him feel a slightly metallic taste in his throat.

Before he could regain his footing, three energy entities on his left pounced like hungry tigers. Their empty eye sockets were lifeless, but their sharp claws were wrapped in a chilling energy.

Xiao Yan could only hastily raise his ruler to block. "Clang! Clang! Clang!" Three crisp sounds rang out in succession. The Xuan Heavy Ruler was instantly covered with fine energy cracks. He was thrown backward by the impact, his knees hitting the gravel ground hard. His trousers were immediately torn, and dark red blood seeped out.

The fluorescent light shimmered so brightly in the mist that it made people dizzy. Seeing this, the remaining energy bodies seemed to tacitly gather around from all directions.

Xiao Yan gritted his teeth and used the Xuanzhong Ruler to lean on the ground to barely get up. The stray hairs on his forehead were soaked with cold sweat and stuck to his pale cheeks.

Taking advantage of his moment of respite, an energy entity suddenly burst out from the mist, its sharp claws aimed straight for his heart. Xiao Yan's pupils contracted sharply, and he almost instinctively dodged to the side, but the claws still grazed his shoulder, tearing his fabric instantly and revealing a deep wound that exposed bone. Blood mixed with the mist dripped down, splashing onto the ground in tiny blood flowers.

He gripped the Xuanzhong Ruler tighter and tighter, his knuckles turning bluish-white. The attacks, seemingly continuous and relentless, were like a tidal wave. The Xuanzhong Ruler's defenses gradually showed weaknesses, and each block made his arm tremble even more violently. His disheveled figure dodged and retreated in the thin mist, his breathing becoming increasingly rapid and heavy.

Xiao Yan staggered, fighting and retreating, struggling more and more to wield the Xuan Heavy Ruler, each block requiring him to withstand the combined impact of several energy bodies.

After being repelled once again, Xiao Yan suddenly heard a muffled thud behind him. His back slammed heavily against a boulder ten feet high, and he realized that he had been forced into a desperate situation with no room to dodge.

The surrounding energy entities seemed to sense the prey's distress, and the suspended figures swarmed around him, their illusory claws gleaming coldly in the mist, completely sealing off the space around him.

In the face of despair, Xiao Yan's eyes suddenly turned red, with blood vessels spreading along the corners of his eyes. He gritted his teeth, and his internal fighting spirit circulated wildly like boiling magma. A cluster of orange-red flames rose from his palm, which was the volcanic stone flame.

Flames shot up his arm and onto the Xuanzhong Ruler, instantly engulfing the originally dark ruler in flames, even sizzling the surrounding mist.

"Flame Blaze Ruler - Burning Heaven!"

With a deep shout, Xiao Yan's voice was filled with a do-or-die determination. He gripped the handle of the ruler tightly with both hands, poured all his fighting spirit into it, and then swung it out fiercely. A fiery ruler shadow, tens of feet long, tore through the fog and swept towards the energy body that was attacking him with scorching heat!

The moment the fiery ruler touched the mist, it suddenly swelled into a raging torrent of flames. The orange-red flames flickered and spit out like living creatures, scorching and distorting the air wherever they passed, and even melting the rubble on the ground into tiny, glassy particles.

This heatwave, carrying the immense power of the Xuanzhong Ruler, slammed into the energy bodies that were constantly closing in.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!" Three loud explosions rang out in succession. The three energy bodies at the front were instantly engulfed by flames. Their illusory bodies disintegrated inch by inch in the high temperature, turning into scattered specks of light that dissipated into the fog.

The remaining seven or eight energy entities did not back down. Although they were shaken by the aftershocks of the flames and two of them even had half of their bodies burned and become transparent, they still managed to stabilize themselves while panting. Their empty gazes locked onto Xiao Yan again, and they attacked again with even more fierce winds.

As Xiao Yan watched the approaching black shadow, his arm gripping the Xuan Heavy Ruler trembled slightly. His Dou Qi, which had just been depleted by more than half, had not yet recovered, and a trace of blood foam spilled from the corner of his mouth.

Seeing this, he could only smile helplessly, and as if giving up, he slowly released the tension in his body. The Xuanzhong Ruler hung slightly in his hand, but the next second, he suddenly raised his head and shouted loudly into the depths of the mist.
"Cousin! I'm dying, come save me!"

The voice pierced through the layers of fog, carrying a deliberately amplified sense of embarrassment and urgency, which seemed somewhat comical. Fortunately, this appearance would not be seen by other outsiders.

Not far away, a towering mountain was shrouded in a thin mist, as if gently enveloped by the blank space between heaven and earth.

A gentle breeze swept across the mountaintop, carrying wisps of fluorescent light. Two figures stood side by side on a flat bluestone. The man's robes fluttered loosely, and he casually twirled a wisp of mist between his fingers. It was Xiao Ling.

Xun'er, standing beside him, had her eyes lowered, a few strands of her black hair being lifted by the wind and falling onto her shoulders, exuding a fresh and refined air.

Suddenly, Xiao Yan's urgent shout came from the fog ahead. His voice pierced through the layers of fog and was a little weaker when it reached the mountain peak, but it was still clear enough.

The mist at Xiao Ling's fingertips suddenly dissipated. He turned his head to look at Xun'er, a smile first appearing in his eyes.

Xun'er happened to look up at her, her eyes filled with understanding. The two smiled at each other, understanding each other's thoughts without needing to say anything more.

"It seems this kid has reached his limit." Xiao Ling withdrew his gaze, looked in the direction from which Xiao Yan's voice came, and murmured in his throat, his tone carrying a hint of teasing but also a touch of approval, "But this training is enough. He can't afford to get seriously injured, or it would be a loss."

As soon as he finished speaking, his body did not move an inch, but a layer of light silver spatial ripples suddenly appeared around him.

The next second, only a faint afterimage remained where he stood. The wind was still swirling around him when Xiao Ling's figure had already crossed the hundreds of feet of mist barrier and landed steadily in front of Xiao Yan. He stood with his hands at his sides, his clothes still covered with the thin mist from the mountain peak, as if he had never left. He merely raised his eyes to look at the approaching energy body, the smile in his eyes fading and replaced by a coldness.

Xiao Yan had already exhausted his strength. The Xuan Heavy Ruler trembled in his hand and almost slipped out of his grasp.

When he finally saw the familiar figure in front of him, his tense back suddenly relaxed, his chest heaved violently, and he exhaled a long breath.

He could no longer hold on, his legs gave way and he collapsed onto the gravel ground, his back pressed against the cold boulder, barely managing to steady himself.

A relaxed smile stretched across his face, which was stained with blood and dust, and his voice was a little hoarse: "Cousin, you've finally arrived... The rest is all up to you."

Although he looked somewhat disheveled at the moment, it was clear that his previously tense expression had completely relaxed.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Ling merely waved his hand slightly behind him, his gaze fixed on the approaching energy entity, without even turning his head.

He slowly extended his right arm, which was crossed over his chest, forward, and suddenly spread his five fingers. Five crimson fire lines burst forth from his fingertips, which transformed into five slender flaming spears as soon as they left his body. The spear tips were filled with dazzling light and shot straight toward the energy bodies with a sharp whistling sound.

"Tsk! Tsk!"

Several soft sounds rang out in succession as the flaming spear pierced through the illusory body of the energy entity without any hindrance.

The moment the flaming spear disintegrated its energy body, a powerful gust of wind suddenly exploded outwards, sweeping outwards from Xiao Ling's center.

The surrounding mist seemed to be torn apart by an invisible hand, and the clumps of mist rolled away into the distance. The originally hazy vision suddenly became clearer, and the shattered boulders on the ground, the scattered energy fragments, and even the trails of floating fluorescent lights in the distance became clearly visible.

Those energy bodies that were originally imposing suddenly seemed to have all their power drained away by this unexpected attack. They quickly became transparent under the scorching of the fire spear, and finally turned into specks of light that dissipated into the mist.

In the blink of an eye, the remaining energy bodies dissipated completely, leaving only a faint scorching heat in the air.

Xiao Ling lowered his eyes to look at the remaining traces of light on the ground, and his hand clenched slightly.

The next second, a dozen tiny points of light suddenly appeared in the surrounding mist. These points of light, guided by an invisible force, transformed into streams of light and flew straight toward his palm.

Once the light floated and took shape in front of him, it became clear that they were actually a dozen or so energy cores the size of pigeon eggs, with a pale blue halo around them. These were the cores that had fallen from the illusory bodies of the energy entities that had just been destroyed.

Xiao Yan sat on the ground, his fingers unconsciously stroking the lingering warmth of the Xuan Heavy Ruler, his gaze fixed on Xiao Ling in front of him.

The energy entity that had just forced him into a retreating and disheveled state couldn't even withstand half a move from his cousin. He merely raised his hand to condense a fire spear, then withdrew the energy core, strolling leisurely throughout, as if he hadn't crushed a troublesome opponent, but merely dust at his fingertips.

Although Xiao Yan had witnessed this scene several times, looking at Xiao Ling's calm and composed demeanor, he couldn't help but sigh inwardly that his cousin's strength was becoming increasingly terrifying.

Xiao Ling held an energy core between his fingers and gently turned it. A pale blue halo flowed between his fingers, making the smile in his eyes even clearer.

He turned around, his gaze sweeping over Xiao Yan's dusty clothes, the unhealed wound on his shoulder, and the cold sweat still dripping from his forehead, before slowly speaking:
"To withstand the attack of so many energy entities for so long, and even personally defeat several of them, it seems your training over this period has paid off; you've made considerable progress." His tone carried a hint of approval, and after a pause, he added...

"The energy bodies you encounter later will become stronger and stronger, so you must not be careless. You should have some healing pills and energy recovery pills on you, right? First, adjust your condition, absorb these energy cores, and improve your cultivation as soon as possible."

With that, Xiao Ling flicked his wrist, and the dozen or so energy cores floating in front of him drifted steadily toward Xiao Yan along with the airflow.

Xiao Yan quickly straightened up, supporting himself with the Xuan Heavy Ruler. He stretched out his hands and grasped all the energy cores in his palms. The cool touch from his palms, mixed with the pure energy faintly emanating from the energy cores, invigorated his somewhat tired spirit.

Without wasting any more words, Xiao Yan was well aware that improving his strength was the most important thing at the moment.

He nodded emphatically to Xiao Ling, then touched his storage ring with his fingertips, took out a pure white healing pill, tilted his head back, and swallowed it.

The pill melted instantly upon entering the throat, and a cool medicinal power slid down the throat into the dantian, instantly spreading along the meridians to the limbs and bones. The shoulder wound that was still faintly painful just now faded away at a speed visible to the naked eye, and even the sluggishness when moving was greatly reduced.

Then, he sat cross-legged on the gravel ground, his back straight, holding the dozen or so energy cores in his hands, and slowly closed his eyes.

The internal energy cultivation technique suddenly circulated, and fine, pale blue light patterns appeared on the surface of the energy core in the palm of the hand. Streams of pure energy, like spring water breaking free from its restraints, gushed out from the core.

In an instant, this energy coalesced into a thick, pale blue mist that enveloped him completely, even drawing in the surrounding fluorescent lights, which slowly swirled around the mist.

Xiao Yan's breathing gradually became long and steady. The energy mist rose and fell with his breath as if it had come alive. Strands of pure energy seeped into his body silently through his nose and pores, transforming into nutrients that nourished his fighting spirit and slowly circulated in his meridians.

Seeing that the energy mist around Xiao Yan was gradually stabilizing, Xiao Ling quietly retreated to the boulder three zhang away.

Just then, a light blue figure swept out from the depths of the mist. The wind stirred by her clothes scattered the surrounding shimmering light. Xun'er lightly touched the ground with her toes and landed steadily beside Xiao Ling. Her movements were so light that they made almost no sound.

She first looked at Xiao Yan, who was cultivating, and seeing that the energy mist was circulating smoothly, she turned her gaze to Xiao Ling, her voice soft yet firm.

"Judging from his condition, Cousin Xiao Yan's improvement speed has indeed been fast recently. Once he absorbs all the power of these energy cores, he should be able to steadily step into the four-star Dou Zun realm."

Xiao Ling nodded slightly upon hearing this, "He already had a solid foundation, and with the training and combat experience he's had recently, absorbing these energy cores will make his breakthrough a natural progression. Let's stay here for a while to prevent any more energy entities from disturbing us..." (End of Chapter)