Chapter 735 Stone Tablet

A metallic sweetness surged in the Blood Blade Saint's throat, and dark red blood trickled down the corner of his mouth, gathering into droplets on his chin that dripped into the void.

His bloodshot pupils were fixed on the tip of the Fallen God Weapon at his chest. His previously manic gaze was now completely replaced by astonishment, and a broken voice squeezed out from between his teeth, trembling with disbelief.
"How...how is this possible? My secret technique...the power gained by burning away my remnant soul, how could it be defeated by a junior like you?"

He muttered repeatedly, "How is this possible?" His body, made of energy, became slightly transparent due to the violent tremors, and his knuckles turned deathly white from gripping the ghost-head knife so tightly. Yet, that vicious blade, which had once cleaved mountains and split rocks, could not even be lifted an inch at this moment.

The spatial power released by the Fallen God Weapon was still raging within his body, each tear causing excruciating pain to his soul, making even maintaining his physical form a luxury.

Xiao Ling's eyes remained unchanged as he reached out with his left hand, his fingertips precisely gripping the Blood Blade Saint's wrist, which was held horizontally in front of him.

With a soft "click," the arm holding the ghost-head knife was easily slapped away, and the blade lost its strength, drawing a crooked arc of blood in the air.

Immediately afterwards, he yanked his right hand back sharply, and the spear of the Fallen God Weapon pierced the air with a piercing sound as it broke free from the Blood Blade Saint's soul. The spear tip was wrapped in a thick cloud of dark red blood mist, and the blood droplets that splashed up landed in the void, still carrying scorching blue smoke.

"puff--"

The Blood Blade Saint spat out another mouthful of blood, this time the blood mist was several times thicker than before, and even the soul body on his chest had a hideous hole.

The power of space had already pulverized his body. Now, without the support of the Fallen God Weapon, all his strength seemed to have been instantly drained. His burly figure swayed and could no longer maintain his levitation.

The blood-red figure that once shook the mountain stream was now falling straight down from the sky like a puppet with its strings cut.

The wind rustled through his tattered robes, but it no longer carried any imposing presence.

Finally, with a deafening roar, he crashed heavily into the riddled mountainside below, landing amidst a pile of rubble. Rocks flew everywhere, and dust billowed into the sky, forming a thick column of smoke that lingered for a long time.

Just as Xiao Ling retracted the Meteorite Weapon, a gentle breeze swept past him, carrying a faint, refreshing fragrance. The next second, a graceful figure in white landed steadily beside him; it was Xun'er, who had been standing on the boulder watching earlier.

Before she could even brush the dust off the hem of her skirt, her gaze fell urgently on Xiao Ling, and the worry she had been suppressing was now written all over her face.

"Brother Xiao Ling!" Xun'er stepped forward quickly, gently grasping Xiao Ling's right hand that was holding the gun, her fingertips unconsciously rubbing the skin on his wrist, as if to check if he was injured.

Her beautiful eyes narrowed slightly, and her voice carried a hint of unease and urgency: "I was so worried when I saw Brother Xiao Ling being forced back by that Blood Blade Saint... Are you hurt anywhere?"

Even the jade pendant around her neck swayed gently with her movements, reflecting the surrounding light.

Looking into the girl's eyes with genuine worry, Xiao Ling felt a warm feeling spreading through his heart, as if it had been gently soaked in warm water.

He slowly released his right hand from the weapon, letting the spear hang at his side. His free left hand gently caressed Xun'er's cheek, his fingertips brushing against her cool skin before he tenderly cupped her pretty face.

Xiao Ling leaned down slightly, his azure eyes shimmering with a subtle light, and spoke in a soothing, gentle voice.

"Don't worry, Xun'er, I'm perfectly fine. The fact that I was repelled by that guy earlier was just a deliberate opening. Look, I've dealt with him now, haven't I? If I wasn't absolutely certain, why would I fight him alone?"

"You know I've always valued my life." He gently pinched Xun'er's chin with his fingertips, a hint of a smile flashing in his eyes.
"Besides, don't you trust my abilities?"

As he finished speaking, he deliberately raised his uninjured arm so that she could clearly see that he was completely unharmed, with not a single drop of blood on his clothes.

Seeing the open smile in Xiao Ling's eyes, and realizing that he was indeed unharmed, Xun'er's previously tense emotions gradually eased.

She gently cupped Xiao Ling's hand, which was resting on her cheek, her fingertips lightly caressing the cool back of his hand, her voice still soft and gentle.

"It's good that you're alright... Brother Xiao Ling, if you encounter danger again in the future, please don't hide it from me. I want to always stand by your side and face it with you, instead of just watching from afar."

Looking into the girl's eyes with unreserved sincerity, Xiao Ling felt a surge of warmth in his heart. He nodded gently, his voice as soft as melting spring water.
"Okay, okay, I'll listen to you. My Xun'er is so sensible, it makes me feel bad that I made you worry before."

Having said that, he lowered his head slightly and placed a light kiss on Xun'er's smooth forehead. Then he raised his hand and pointed to the still-smoky mountain below, his tone filled with anticipation.

"Let's go, it's time to collect the spoils. The energy core of a semi-saint-level energy body must have remarkable effects. We can use it as an apology to make up for the fear I caused you during this ordeal."

Xiao Ling held Xun'er's soft hand tightly, his fingertips able to clearly feel the delicate warmth of her palm.

With a slight movement, the two figures landed steadily on the edge of the crater where the Blood Blade Saint had fallen earlier, like two graceful streaks of light.

By this time, the smoke and dust inside the pit had completely dissipated, revealing the chaotic scene below, with piles of broken stones and faint red marks left on the pit walls after the blood-red soul dissipated.

Looking towards the center of the pit, the Blood Blade Saint's previously imposing soul body had vanished without a trace. Only a fist-sized azure energy core remained, quietly suspended in mid-air, its surface shimmering with a warm, ethereal blue light, as if it had enveloped a handful of shattered stars from the night sky.

With just a little concentration, one can clearly perceive the vast and pure energy surging within the energy core. The power is so strong that it seems to break through the energy core's constraints, causing even the surrounding air to tremble slightly. It also carries the powerful pressure unique to the semi-saint realm.

This level of energy intensity is far beyond what Xiao Ling and Xun'er had encountered before at the Dou Zun level. Just looking at it from afar, one can intuitively feel the terrifying power it contains, enough to imagine the enormous boost it would provide to one's cultivation after refining it.

Xiao Ling raised his right hand, and cyan-gold battle qi swirled in his palm, transforming into a gentle yet irresistible pulling force. The azure energy core at the center of the pit immediately trembled slightly, slowly rising along this suction force, as if drawn by invisible threads, and steadily drifting into his palm.

He ran his fingertips along the smooth surface of the energy core, feeling the pure power flowing within. After examining it for a moment, he turned and handed the energy core to Xun'er, his tone carrying an undeniable gentleness.
"Xun'er, you have just entered the semi-saint realm, and your foundation still needs to be solidified. If you absorb this high-level semi-saint energy core, it will definitely be of great help to your cultivation. Find a safe place to refine it, and don't waste this power."

Xun'er lowered her eyes to look at the energy core emitting a faint blue light in Xiao Ling's palm, but did not immediately take it. Instead, she looked up at him, her tone serious.

“Brother Xiao Ling, you have already touched the threshold of breaking through to the Dou Sheng realm. This energy core is more important to you now. You need it more than me to stabilize your realm and break through to a higher level.”

Xiao Ling chuckled softly upon hearing this, reaching out to ruffle her hair, his eyes filled with certainty: "Don't worry, I have my own plans. My purpose in coming to the Heavenly Tomb was to find traces of my ancestor, Xiao Xuan. If I could receive his guidance, the help it would provide for breaking through to the Dou Sheng level would far surpass what this energy core could offer. Even if this path doesn't work out, we can always find other energy bodies at the Half-Saint or even Dou Sheng level in the future; one more won't make a difference."

He then offered the energy core to Xun'er again, saying, "Be good and take it first."

Seeing his resolute attitude and hearing his clear and logical explanation, Xun'er stopped refusing. She had always been obedient to Xiao Ling's words, so she naturally had no reason to object at this moment.

She extended her slender fingers and gently took the warm energy core. Then, a faint light emanated from her fingertips, and the energy core transformed into a stream of light, disappearing into the storage ring between her fingers.

After Xun'er stored the energy core in her storage ring, the two did not linger there. Xiao Ling tightened his grip on her hand again, and the two moved simultaneously, transforming into two streaks of light, leaving faint afterimages in the void, and sped towards the depths of the third level of the Heavenly Tomb.

Their figures easily broke through the thick fog along the way, turning into wisps of white vapor that spread to both sides.

In the blink of an eye, the two figures completely merged into the thicker fog ahead, leaving only faint fluctuations of battle aura in the air, proving that they had just stopped here.

……

Xiao Ling and Xun'er sped through the thick fog, and as they continued to advance deeper into the third level of the Heavenly Tomb, the energy fluctuations in the surrounding air became increasingly intense.

The energy bodies sensed along the way were increasingly powerful. The high-level semi-saint pressure of the Blood Blade Saint was no longer considered top-tier. In fact, several hidden auras emanated from the depths, their power and ferocity surpassing even that of the Blood Blade Saint, causing a sense of unease to set in.

At this moment, Xiao Ling and Xun'er stood where they had truly entered the deepest part of the Heavenly Tomb.

The rocks at their feet were a dark gray-black, and even the air was several times heavier than outside. Here, even a nine-star Dou Zun level energy body could only be a "guardian" of a Saint-level energy body, wandering in groups along the edge of the area, and would be attacked if there was any slight disturbance.

The energy entities entrenched in this area are the true, formidable foundation hidden deep within the Heavenly Tomb; every aura they exude is enough to make ordinary half-saints tremble.

As for the younger generation of trial participants sent by the eight ancient clans, at this moment they are nothing more than children playing on the shallows outside the Heavenly Tomb. They are not even qualified to touch the edge of this area, let alone witness the true terror within.

Fortunately, the intelligent energy entities in this area all have their own "territorial consciousness." They each occupy their own area or stand still like sculptures, rarely interacting with each other and having little overlap, thus forming a delicate balance.

Xiao Ling spread out his powerful perception, like a fine net covering several miles around. He clearly captured the aura and territory of those energy entities and quickly calculated the safest route, which could accurately avoid the activity range of all energy entities and not interfere with them in the slightest.

Although with his and Xun'er's strength, they might not be afraid even if they encountered those powerful energy beings, their primary goal on this trip was to find the cave of Xiao Xuan's ancestor and obtain the opportunity to break through to the Dou Sheng realm. They would try their best not to disturb these energy beings along the way and not waste time getting entangled with them.

Even though Xiao Ling and Xun'er had set off at full speed, passing through areas occupied by numerous energy entities, it still took them two whole days to finally get closer to their destination.

As the two slowly came to a stop, the surrounding scenery suddenly changed. The previously faintly visible gray-black rocks and thick fog disappeared completely, replaced by a pitch-black darkness like thick ink, where not even a glimmer of light could be found.

Standing here, it feels as if you are in a boundless void, with no solid ground beneath your feet and no echoing sounds around you, only endless silence, which easily evokes a sense of bewilderment and panic in people's hearts.

Only by arriving here can one truly step into the deepest core of the Heavenly Tomb, the ultimate place where the traces of Xiao Xuan's ancestor are hidden.

Xun'er raised her hand to adjust the sleeves of her white dress, which appeared even more stark against the dark backdrop. Her gaze slowly swept across the boundless darkness around her, then she turned to look at Xiao Ling beside her, her voice filled with barely suppressed anticipation.
“Brother Xiao Ling, according to the information recorded in the ancient clan's records, this area should be the location of Senior Xiao Xuan's cave. Try to sense it and see if you can detect anything?”

Xiao Ling slowly surveyed the surrounding void. His azure-gold battle aura subtly glowed. He nodded gently, his palm resting on his chest. He could clearly feel a subtle pulsation within his bloodline—a resonance originating from his ancestral lineage.
"I can sense that the Xiao clan bloodline within me has begun to stir. The aura is very weak, but the direction is clear; it should be in this vicinity. If we go a little deeper, we should be able to see it."

Xun'er nodded gently, her eyes filled with even deeper anticipation. She subconsciously leaned closer to Xiao Ling, her fingertips intertwining tightly with his.

After a brief adjustment, the two heightened their senses to the limit once again, remaining vigilant for any unusual movements in the surrounding void, and then walked side by side into the deeper part of this pitch-black area.

The two traveled for another half day in the darkness. Just as the throbbing in their blood became clearer, Xiao Ling's gaze suddenly sharpened. In the void ahead, there stood an ancient stone tablet all alone.

The stone tablet is dark brown all over, with weathered patterns all over its surface. It stands quietly in the boundless darkness, exuding a sense of loneliness and desolation that transcends the years, as if it has been there since the beginning of time and will last forever.

“It seems we have arrived.” Xiao Ling pointed to the stone tablet, his tone revealing a hint of solemnity. “I suppose behind this stone tablet lies the cave dwelling of our ancestor, Xiao Xuan.”

Xun'er looked in the direction he pointed, and when her gaze fell on the stone tablet, her heart suddenly trembled.

Even across countless years, the stone tablet still exuded an indescribable aura. This aura wasn't violent, but rather as profound as the deep sea. Just sensing it from afar sent an irresistible tremor through her soul, as if she were facing a true supreme being who looked down upon heaven and earth. (End of Chapter)