Chapter 737 Bloodline Inheritance

The dazzling light receded slowly like a tide, and Xiao Ling and Xun'er slowly opened their eyes.

When the ancient and magnificent palace came into complete view, both of them were stunned. Who would have thought that such a blessed land was hidden inside that seemingly simple and unadorned stone tablet? Such a masterpiece could only be created by a Dou Sheng powerhouse.

In the center of the main hall, Xiao Xuan stood with his hands behind his back. In front of him, a clear pool was as smooth as a mirror, with lotus flowers floating on the surface like jade carvings. A delicate fragrance slowly diffused with the air currents, refreshing and soothing.

Light footsteps sounded behind him, indicating that the two had arrived. Xiao Xuan did not turn around, but let out a soft sigh, carrying the weight of time, and slowly asked, "Xiao Ling, could you tell me in detail what the current situation of the Xiao Clan is like?"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Ling paused slightly, and after a moment of silence, finally spoke truthfully: "Strictly speaking, the original Xiao clan is long gone. What remains now is merely a small family scattered in a corner of the Northwest Continent, living a life of seclusion..."

After speaking, he cleared his mind and recounted in detail the rise and fall, the ups and downs, and the turmoil that the Xiao family had experienced over the years.

After recounting his past hardships, Xiao Ling changed his tone slightly, his voice becoming more resolute.
"Although the Xiao family once fell to its lowest point, the highest cultivation level of the clan leader and elders in my childhood was only the Great Dou Master realm. However, after I returned to the clan and received their support, the younger generation of the clan gradually showed their talents. Now the Xiao family has risen to prominence and has become a force that can occupy a place in the Jia Ma Empire and has considerable power. When I have time to take charge of the family affairs in the future, I will naturally promote the further expansion of the Xiao family and revitalize the Xiao clan bloodline."

Upon hearing the words "Great Dou Master," Xiao Xuan paused almost imperceptibly, a hint of surprise flashing across his cloudy eyes. This term was long ago a distant memory for him, so unfamiliar that he had almost forgotten it. He had never imagined that he would hear this lowly realm, so incongruous with the past glory of the Xiao Clan, again from the mouth of a descendant of the Xiao Clan in the Heavenly Tomb.

As Xiao Ling's voice faded completely from the hall, the fragrance of lotus blossoms within seemed to quiet down as well. Xiao Xuan's hand, which was behind his back, twitched slightly, his knuckles lightly tracing the dark patterns on his sleeve. After a moment, he slowly nodded.

His face didn't show many dramatic emotional fluctuations, only a faint trace of sadness flickered in the deep ink of his eyes.

"I had a vague premonition that the Xiao clan would fall to this state when I encountered calamity a thousand years ago." His voice was enveloped in the emptiness of the palace, sounding somewhat ethereal, yet as if he had grasped a sliver of comfort. "Fortunately, there are still you descendants who carry on the bloodline, so we have not truly reached the end of our rope."

As he spoke, he slowly turned around, his gaze shifting from the carvings on the roof to Xiao Ling, the somber mood gradually replaced by a glimmer of light.

He took two steps forward, and the blue lotuses in the clear pond swayed gently with his movement, their fragrance intensifying.
"But it is perhaps fate that the Xiao Clan was able to wait for you in such dire straits. You not only possess the profound bloodline of the Xiao Clan, but also a tenacious spirit capable of handling any situation. I always felt that the opportunity for the Xiao Clan's revival lies within you. If this remnant soul of mine had the chance, I would truly like to witness with my own eyes the day when you lead the Xiao Clan to stand once again at the top of the Dou Qi Continent."

Xiao Ling sensed the heavy expectation in Xiao Xuan's eyes, and unconsciously tightened his grip on Xun'er's hand. He then raised his eyes to meet that gaze that seemed to transcend eternity, his voice even more solemn than before.
"Rest assured, Ancestor, as long as the bloodline of the Xiao clan is not broken, the revival will not be a pipe dream. I may not be very capable at the moment, but I will do my best in the future, even if it is just one step at a time, I will try to bring the Xiao family back to its former heights."

Having said that, he straightened his back slightly, his azure eyes showing no hesitation, only unwavering determination.

"I will remember your entrustment today. If I can truly bring glory back to the Xiao clan in the future, I will definitely come to the Heavenly Tomb again and tell you about the journey I have taken."

While these words sounded sincere, Xiao Ling harbored a desire to take advantage of the situation. If he could gain Xiao Xuan's favor, he might be able to secure some benefits for himself.

However, he wasn't entirely lying. If the Xiao family ever needed help in the future, he wouldn't stand idly by, as long as it was within his ability. After all, they were family members connected by blood.

Sure enough, upon hearing Xiao Ling's words, Xiao Xuan's eyes brightened noticeably, and the lingering melancholy in his eyes vanished. Looking at Xiao Ling's straight back, a genuine smile finally appeared on his lips, and even his voice became more cheerful.
"Good lad! I knew I hadn't misjudged you. With your dedication, the Xiao clan hasn't truly fallen!"

He raised his hand and patted Xiao Ling's shoulder, the force of his palm conveying the approval of an elder for a younger person.

"You have a greater sense of responsibility than I did back when I was eager for quick success. If you ever encounter trouble in the future, as long as my remnant soul is still in the Heavenly Tomb, you can come to me for help."

Upon hearing Xiao Xuan mention this topic, a glint of light flashed in Xiao Ling's eyes. He unconsciously loosened his grip on Xun'er's hand, took a half-step forward, and spoke with a tone that was both urgent and respectful.

"Ancestor, I am currently stuck at the bottleneck of breaking through to the Dou Sheng realm, and I have tried several times but failed at the last step. I wonder if you have any way to help me?"

He looked up at Xiao Xuan, his azure eyes filled with anticipation.

“I know that the Dou Sheng realm is the pinnacle of the Dou Qi Continent. If I can successfully break through, I will be more capable of protecting the Xiao family or dealing with other changes on the continent, and I will have more confidence to shoulder the responsibility of the Xiao family’s revival.”

Xiao Xuan looked at Xiao Ling, his already warm gaze softening even more, and even the calmness between his brows relaxed a bit. He slowly said, "Even if you hadn't brought this up, I would have taken the initiative to discuss it with you in detail. At such a young age, you have already steadily touched the bottleneck of breaking through to the Dou Sheng realm. This talent and temperament are extremely rare among the younger generation of the Xiao Clan. You are indeed very outstanding."

He nodded slightly, his tone more confident: "You've come to the right place this time. I happen to have something for you. Just in terms of helping you break through the shackles of the Dou Sheng realm, with my guidance, you should have a 50% chance of breaking through the Dou Sheng bottleneck. It's better than you exploring alone outside and wasting your time."

Upon hearing Xiao Xuan's words, both Xiao Ling and Xun'er felt a slight jolt of energy, their eyes lighting up simultaneously. Breaking through to the Dou Sheng realm—it was no simple matter; it was a threshold that countless Dou Zhes struggled to cross in their entire lives. Only by overcoming this hurdle could one truly enter the ranks of the peak experts of the Dou Qi Continent.

Even among the ancient eight clans with profound heritage, very few can reach the level of Dou Sheng. Each one is a pillar of the clan and is revered by the entire clan.

Xun'er unconsciously tightened her grip on Xiao Ling's hand, her fingertips turning slightly white from the pressure. Her gaze towards Xiao Ling was filled with genuine joy, and even her voice trembled slightly.
"Brother Xiao Ling, this is an incredible opportunity! With Senior Xiao Xuan's help, you will definitely be able to break through successfully." She was genuinely happy for Xiao Ling and hoped that he would become more and more outstanding, so that the two of them could be together more naturally. If Xiao Ling could break through to the Dou Sheng realm, then the ancient clans would no longer dare to oppose their relationship.

Xiao Ling felt the force from her palm, turned her head and nodded slightly to Xun'er, gently rubbing the back of her hand with her fingertips, silently soothing her excitement.

When his gaze returned to Xiao Xuan, he gradually came to a conclusion. Judging from the current situation, Xiao Xuan was most likely planning to use the remaining portion of the Xiao Clan's divine bloodline power to help him regulate his internal fighting spirit and break through the shackles of becoming a Dou Sheng.

Xiao Ling immediately raised his hand and clasped his fists, respectfully bowing to Xiao Xuan, his tone full of sincerity: "I am deeply grateful to our ancestor for his help! I will remember this kindness and will take the revival of the Xiao clan as my own responsibility in the future, and live up to the trust placed in me by our ancestor today."

Seeing this, Xiao Xuan smiled, waved his hand, and his eyes were full of the gentle affection of an elder for a junior.
"Hehe, no need for such formalities. You are a descendant of my Xiao clan. My help to you is for the future hope of the Xiao clan." He paused, his voice gaining a solemnity that transcended time:

"I have waited alone in this Heavenly Tomb for thousands of years, hoping to entrust everything left behind by the Xiao Clan to someone worthy. Today, I will do my best to help you."

Having said that, Xiao Xuan rose gracefully like a falling leaf, and stepped lightly into the Soul-Nourishing Lotus Spring. The water only reached his ankles, yet it did not create even the slightest ripple.

Once he stood still in the center of the pool, he suddenly raised his hand, and the originally calm water began to slowly rotate, forming a gentle whirlpool.

At the same time, thick, blood-red light slowly seeped out from Xiao Xuan's body, flowing like magma along his feet and converging into the pool water, gradually tinting the clear lotus spring with a faint crimson hue.

As the strange crimson light continued to merge into the pool water, the originally crystal-clear spring water gradually became stained crimson. In no time, the entire lotus spring turned completely crimson, looking like a solidified pool of blood, exuding a solemn aura.

Meanwhile, Xiao Xuan in the pool was quietly losing his aura. His cascading black hair lost its luster at a visible speed, and strands of silver quickly spread, turning his head completely white in an instant. His once upright figure became slightly hunched, and his face was covered with fine wrinkles, making him look decades older in an instant.

This scene caused Xiao Ling and Xun'er's expressions to change drastically. The two instinctively wanted to step forward, but they saw Xiao Xuan in the pool slowly shaking his head, a gentle smile still on his lips.
"When I perished, I used my last strength to preserve a portion of the Dou Di bloodline, and then sealed it with a secret technique, all so that one day I could use it to help the Xiao Clan create another member with pure blood."

Although his voice was weak, his eyes remained firm: "Now I am nothing but a remnant soul trapped in the Heavenly Tomb. I am powerless to fulfill my long-cherished wish to revitalize the Xiao Clan... But Heaven has not forsaken my Xiao Clan. I have been able to wait for a successor like you. I believe you will definitely do better than me."

Looking at Xiao Xuan's increasingly aged face, with his snow-white hair clinging to his wrinkled cheeks and his figure much more hunched than before, only his eyes shone with an astonishing brightness, full of gentleness and expectation for the younger generation. Xiao Ling's heart trembled inexplicably.

He could clearly sense that this ancestor, who had once illuminated the entire Xiao clan with his extraordinary talent, carried the heavy burden of revival that had been unfinished for thousands of years, and the gaze he was looking at now was filled with heavy expectations.

Even though his initial purpose for this trip was to seek an opportunity to break through to the Dou Sheng realm, seeing Xiao Xuan expend his remnant soul for the sake of the Xiao clan's bloodline inheritance, he couldn't help but feel a little moved. The deliberate flattery he had shown earlier had quietly dissipated, and what surged forth was a more sincere emotion.

Just then, Xiao Xuan's voice rang out again, tinged with a barely perceptible weakness, yet every word was earnest: "The bloodline power in this pool contains a portion of my original energy left behind from my lifetime. My descendant... I hope that the promise I made to the Xiao clan to 'revitalize the clan' can be fulfilled by you alone!"

Having said that, Xiao Xuan said no more. He lowered his eyes slightly and focused all his attention on his palm. More rich crimson light surged from his body and poured into the pool water through his fingertips.

The clear lotus spring was completely swallowed by the crimson, and eventually, even the air was filled with a heavy stench of blood. At the same time, a terrifying power that would make even ordinary Dou Zun tremble slowly awaken and spread from the depths of the blood pool, like a sleeping behemoth.

Standing by the pool, Xiao Ling felt no discomfort despite experiencing the terrifying power. On the contrary, the Xiao clan bloodline within him seemed to have sensed a shared origin and began to flow rapidly. Subtle tremors emanated from his blood vessels, and he could faintly hear countless joyful "yearnings" coming from the depths of his bloodline, as if they were looking forward to merging with the power in the blood pool.

Xiao Ling could clearly sense that the blood pool was not only churning with bloodline power, but also contained pure energy powerful enough to shake the bottleneck. If he could absorb all of this power, it would be of extraordinary benefit to him, and could even directly make up for the last shortcoming in breaking through to the Dou Sheng realm.

"Perhaps, this trip will allow us to overcome that hurdle in one fell swoop and reach the Battle Saint realm that countless people dream of."

As the thought crossed his mind, Xiao Ling's fingertips tightened slightly, his breathing became heavier, and the restrained expectation in his eyes was finally tinged with an undisguised excitement.

"Xiao Ling, enter the blood pool and inherit the last bloodline power of the Xiao clan."

Above the blood pool, Xiao Xuan's hair was already completely white, his aged face was full of wrinkles, and even his voice was hoarse as if it had been sanded, but it still carried a hint of relieved smile.

That smile held a yearning that spanned a thousand years; beneath the weariness lay an irrepressible hope. Even though the Xiao clan had declined for a thousand years, it had never reached the brink of extinction.

Although this young man before him was still quite young, judging from his displayed talent and composed demeanor, Xiao Xuan was absolutely certain that this child could accomplish the great task of revival that he himself had failed to complete, the hurdle that he had not been able to overcome! (End of Chapter)