Chapter 728 Entrance to the Second Floor

Nearly two months have passed since they entered the depths of the Heavenly Tomb. During these sixty-odd days, Xiao Ling, Xun'er, and Xiao Yan have been traversing this vast land shrouded in thick fog.

Every energy entity encountered along the way would eventually be refined into a source energy core by the three of them working together or by Xiao Yan alone, and then stored in his storage ring.

After clearing out the enemy along the way, the harvest over the two months was truly substantial. However, the only drawback was that the energy beings they encountered along the way were all of average strength, and the energy cores they condensed were mostly of second or third tier quality. Naturally, they were of no use to Xiao Ling and Xun'er, who had already far surpassed this level, so they were all given to Xiao Yan to absorb and refine.

Previously, Xiao Yan had just broken through to the second-star Dou Zun level, and these energy cores became the best help, allowing his cultivation to steadily increase.

However, as the amount absorbed gradually increased, the boosting force slowly weakened.

Only then did the three realize that absorbing too much energy core could actually generate some resistance.

However, this resistance is much weaker than that brought by pills. As long as one can find higher quality and larger quantity of energy cores, the nourishing effect on cultivation will still be significant.

In the deathly silence of the fog-shrouded world, although there is no external disturbance, it is an excellent place for cultivation. However, one must endure a dryness several times more intense than usual. All one can see are suspended fluorescent lights and persistent fog, and even the sound of wind is scarce.

Fortunately, this tedium did not continue to fester. Xiao Yan was able to immerse himself in cultivation, steadily honing his skills with a continuous supply of energy cores. Each time his battle qi was replenished, he was filled with anticipation.

Xiao Ling was able to temporarily set aside his trivial matters and stand side by side with Xun'er in the mist, chatting about the past or quietly watching the fireflies shimmer, enjoying this rare moment of peace and quiet for the two of them.

Although these days are inherently dull, the fact that the two of them each gain something makes up for most of the gloom, adding a touch of vitality that is hard to find elsewhere, and making them anything but boring or tedious.

"call……"

As Xiao Yan slowly exhaled a long breath of turbid air, white mist carrying the lingering warmth of the remaining energy spread from his lips.

His tightly closed eyes slowly opened, a faint blue energy halo flashing across his pupils before quickly disappearing.

The faint fluctuations of battle aura around his body also subsided, sinking back into his dantian. Even the hem of his clothes stopped fluttering due to the energy flow, and he instantly regained his composure.

He raised his hand to rub his temples, his gaze unconsciously sweeping around, and soon spotted Xiao Ling and Xun'er standing side by side by a boulder not far away.

The subtle movements of Xiao Yan finishing his cultivation had already caught the attention of the two, and their gazes simultaneously turned towards Xiao Yan, carrying a hint of inquiry and understanding.

Xiao Yan slowly stood up, supported by the Xuan Heavy Ruler. The light blue energy mist surrounding him dissipated, leaving only the faint fluorescent light clinging to the hem of his clothes.

He lightly touched the gravel with his toes, and his figure darted out like a willow catkin. In a few flashes, he passed through the thin mist and landed steadily in front of Xiao Ling and Xun'er. The wind stirred by his clothes still carried some of the residual warmth of the energy core.

Xiao Ling looked at the lingering glimmer in his eyes and asked first, "How was the absorption this time? Your aura seems much more stable than before."

Xiao Yan raised his hand and patted the dust off his clothes, a look of joy on his face: "This time the quantity of energy cores is sufficient, and the quality is much better than the second and third tier ones I encountered before. After refining them, my Dou Qi has become much more solid. Although I didn't directly break through the three-star Dou Zun barrier, my fingertips have already touched that threshold. I think if I accumulate some more high-quality energy cores, breaking through will be a natural thing!"

"Hehe, we're gradually approaching the central area of ​​the first level of the Heavenly Tomb," Xun'er chuckled softly, her fingertips gently brushing against the strands of hair ruffled by the wind, her eyes sparkling.

"The energy beings we encounter in the future will only become stronger. If we're lucky, we might even run into a wandering energy being with a cultivation level of six-star Dou Zun or higher. The energy cores they condense will be the most suitable aid for Xiao Yan's cousin right now."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan immediately nodded, his tone somewhat frank: "After that, I'll have to rely on my cousin Xiao Ling and cousin Xun'er to take care of me. With my current strength, if I were to encounter those high-level energy beings on my own, I'm afraid I really wouldn't be able to protect myself."

"Alright, no need for these formalities." Xiao Ling patted Xiao Yan's shoulder, the force in his palm carrying a hint of reminder.

"It's estimated to be more than a month's journey from here to the entrance of the second level. Of the three levels of the Heavenly Tomb, the first level is the most expansive. Although the two levels below are smaller, the level of danger increases dramatically. The risks will only increase further as you go on. Even with Xun'er and me looking after you, you need to work hard to improve your strength in order to truly gain a foothold."

"Now that you're all ready, let's not waste any more time and set off."

His gaze swept across the thickening fog ahead, and he added,

"The place where we were teleported into the Heavenly Tomb was originally the outermost edge of the first level. Those who can enter the Heavenly Tomb are all the best of their respective races, and they are quite familiar with the Heavenly Tomb. Unless they provoke some extremely powerful beings, they should be fine. Moreover, beings of that level are rare even on the first level. We can't be slow anymore, or we'll be left far behind by the others who have entered the Heavenly Tomb."

As soon as Xiao Ling finished speaking, he raised his hand and waved towards the misty area in front of him as a signal.

The next second, he suddenly leaped up, his clothes drawing a neat arc in the thin mist. He lightly touched the air with his toes and rushed towards the entrance of the second level, even the surrounding fluorescent light was swept away by the airflow.

Xun'er, following behind, barely hesitated. Her black hair swayed gently with her movements, and she followed closely behind like a swallow, always maintaining a distance that was neither too close nor too far from Xiao Ling's figure, their steps perfectly in sync.

Seeing that the two had already set off, Xiao Yan immediately gripped the Xuan Heavy Ruler, stomped his foot hard on the gravel, and slightly circulated his Dou Qi, instantly accelerating his speed and quickly catching up with the two figures ahead. The three of them soon transformed into three afterimages, gradually merging into the deeper mist ahead...

……

The vastness of the Heavenly Tomb far exceeds imagination, and it is shrouded in an energy mist that is so thick that even light cannot penetrate it.

Even worse, this place is filled with a strange energy pressure. Anyone who flies through it will feel as heavy as a mountain. Even if they manage to hold on for a moment, they will soon be exhausted by the pressure.

This is why walking through the Heavenly Tomb always makes one feel that there is no end to the road ahead, only an endless expanse of mist stretching before one's eyes.

This world remains desolate and monotonous; those who step into this place are never ordinary people.

They were all outstanding individuals who had emerged from races teeming with geniuses. Not only did they possess formidable strength, but their temperaments were also as steadfast as a rock. This monotonous journey, day after day, though tedious and tiresome, was still within their endurance. No one would stop because of this hardship.

In such a monotonous schedule, the concept of time becomes blurred, as if each day is no different from the previous one.

It wasn't until Xiao Ling and his companions had trekked through the fog for nearly four months that the path beneath their feet finally changed. When the energy barrier hidden behind the thick fog came into view, they finally arrived at the entrance from the first level of the Heavenly Tomb to the second level.

On the mountaintop shrouded in a thin mist, three streaks of light suddenly pierced through the hazy fog and landed abruptly, carrying fragments of energy halos.

As the light faded, two tall figures and a slender one were clearly revealed; they were Xiao Ling, Xiao Yan, and Xun'er, who had traveled to this place.

"Tsk tsk, so this is the entrance to the second level?"

Gazing at the wall of energy that seemed to pour down from the end of the mist, with layers of pale golden patterns flowing across its surface, even the surrounding mist was kept out, Xiao Yan, seeing such a magnificent sight for the first time, spoke with a hint of surprise.

He is now vastly different from when he first entered the Heavenly Tomb. The arduous journey and the battles with energy beings have tempered his aura, making him even more formidable. Though he bears a hint of weariness from the journey, he appears even more composed.

Her black hair had grown a bit longer than before, hanging casually over her shoulders, and her face had become a little thinner, but her dark eyes were filled with a gleaming light that was astonishing.

Clearly, the benefits he gained from his cultivation and journey in the Heavenly Tomb went far beyond the improvement of his cultivation level.

Although Xiao Yan's cultivation level is still at the five-star Dou Zun level, his combat ability has already far surpassed that of others at the same level.

In ordinary battles, none of the energy beings whose cultivation level was comparable to his could gain an advantage against him. It should be noted that these energy beings were all elites of the eight ancient clans in their previous lives. The fighting techniques and cultivation methods they practiced were all secrets passed down in their clans. Their foundations were extremely profound, and they were already top-tier existences among their peers.

Xiao Ling was able to suppress him steadily with his normal combat strength alone, which was already amazing. Not to mention that if he activated his trump card, he could fight beyond his level. He had defeated a six-star Dou Zun level energy body with his five-star Dou Zun cultivation more than once. Even Xun'er said that among the younger generation of the ancient clan, there were only a handful of people who could surpass Xiao Yan in actual combat.

Of course, Xiao Yan always knew clearly that his rapid improvement was inseparable from the wholehearted assistance of Xiao Ling and Xun'er.

In the past, when fighting against energy beings, he never had to worry about what was behind him. If he encountered a difficult opponent, Xiao Ling would always come to his rescue before he was in danger.

It is precisely because of this stable support that he can fully unleash his potential, daring to take risks even when in danger, treating every confrontation as an opportunity to hone his combat experience, and repeatedly refining his reactions and fighting skills on the brink of life and death.

Even the thousands of energy cores he refined were mostly thanks to Xiao Ling and Xun'er.

Whenever they cleared areas densely populated with energy entities, the two would tacitly take on the task of eliminating the numerous energy entities, collecting all the condensed energy cores, and handing them over to him for use.

Those energy cores, shimmering with a pale blue glow, not only nourished his fighting spirit but also propelled his cultivation level to a steady rise.

Xiao Yan kept this kindness in his heart. He was not the kind of person who would forget a favor. He would wait for the opportunity in the future to repay the protection and support that had accompanied him all the way.

"As expected of the Heavenly Tomb's work, this scene is truly magnificent." Xiao Ling raised his eyes to examine the energy light barrier that stretched across the sky and earth, his fingertips unconsciously rubbing the corner of his sleeve, his eyebrows slightly raised, and his tone carrying a hint of admiration.

"Let's go. Next, we should see what the second level of the Heavenly Tomb looks like."

As soon as he finished speaking, he lightly stomped his foot on the ground, causing the gravel to tremble slightly. His figure, like a flowing cloud, drifted towards the light screen, his robes brushing against the thin mist, creating a trail of tiny fluorescent lights. Seeing this, Xun'er behind him smiled faintly, lightly touching the air with her toes, her figure following closely behind like a swallow, never widening the distance between them.

Xiao Yan watched the two figures' backs, gripped the Xuanzhong Ruler in his hand, took a deep breath, and followed. The three figures, one in front of the other, quickly approached the light barrier that radiated boundless energy.

As the three gradually approached the energy barrier, an immense and terrifying energy pressure emanated from it, like an invisible giant wave crashing down on them, even causing the surrounding fluorescent lights to freeze in place.

Xiao Yan stopped about ten feet outside the light barrier, tentatively extending his palm towards it—the moment he touched the flowing golden light, he felt a tremendous force surge into his palm, causing his arm to go slightly numb. He quickly withdrew his hand, his eyes filled with astonishment: "Such a powerful energy pressure! To pass through this light barrier, anyone with slightly weaker strength would probably be crushed into powder."

“Yes, this light barrier is a threshold.” Xiao Ling nodded slightly, his gaze falling on the pulsating patterns on the light barrier, and slowly explained: “Normally speaking, people whose strength has not reached the level of a five-star Dou Zun cannot even step into it. The energy bodies on the second level are at least close to the strength of a five-star Dou Zun. Trying to break through without reaching that level is tantamount to suicide.”

"So there are cultivation requirements to enter the second level." Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan frowned slightly, then breathed a sigh of relief. "Luckily, I recently broke through to the five-star Dou Zun level, otherwise this would have been troublesome."

The conversation shifted, and then, as if remembering something, his brows furrowed again.

"But the entrance to the second level alone requires the strength of a five-star Dou Zun. Wouldn't the light barrier leading to the third level require at least a seven-star, or even eight-star, Dou Zun cultivation to pass through?"

"That's roughly the idea." Xun'er covered her mouth and chuckled, her gaze sweeping over Xiao Yan's tense profile before gently reassuring him:
"However, the pressure from this light barrier looks terrifying. With Cousin Xiao Yan's current strength as a five-star Dou Zun, he can pass through smoothly as long as he keeps his mind steady. There shouldn't be any major problems."

"However, don't let your recent improvements make you too complacent," Xiao Ling said, her tone slightly shifting, carrying a hint of reminder.

"Just as you predicted, the threshold for moving from the second level to the third level will only be higher. So after you enter the second level, you still need to continue to cultivate diligently and improve your cultivation level as soon as possible, so as not to fall behind. When you go to the third level, Xun'er and I will not wait for you in the same place."

As soon as he finished speaking, he turned his head to look at Xun'er beside him, gently grasped her hand with his fingertips, and the two smiled at each other. The moment their palms were clasped together, even the surrounding energy pressure seemed to soften a bit.

Then, the two walked side by side, slowly towards the huge golden light screen. The moment their figures touched the light screen, they disappeared silently as if they were flowing water.

Seeing this, Xiao Yan could only scratch his head and immediately followed the two... (End of this chapter)