In the endless dark void, there was no concept of time. Yet through his body's natural rhythm, Liu Xi could roughly tell that about a day had passed.
Zhu Kun was a 9-Star Dou Saint, and the amount of energy within his refined blood essence was unimaginably vast. At this point, Liu Xi had no idea how long it would take for Zi Yan to awaken.
Holding the unconscious Zi Yan, whose body still radiated unbearable heat, Liu Xi finally turned to Zhu Kun and prepared to take his leave. Staying here for too long was not wise — if Qing Lin really followed the magma trail down here, things would become complicated.
Zhu Kun's eyes flickered with reluctance. He had just reunited with his daughter and naturally did not wish to part, but he also knew Zi Yan did not belong to this dark void. This was a prison — one that had caged him for countless years. He couldn't let his daughter share the same fate.
Turning away, Zhu Kun waved his hand dismissively, his booming voice echoing through the void.
"Go"
His mighty back radiated the strength of one who could crush worlds, yet his faintly trembling tone betrayed a father's ordinary, fragile heart.
Liu Xi smiled faintly. Despite everything, he held genuine respect for this old dragon — a man powerful beyond comprehension, yet still a father at heart. And, after all, the gifts he'd given were not small.
Just as he stepped forward, Liu Xi suddenly spoke without turning back.
"The matter of the Ancient Jade — I know a little. There were once three pieces, but after the great war, they were split into eight. Each of the Ancient Imperial Clans now holds one piece. Once Zi Yan and I break through to the Dou Saint Realm, we'll find a way to contact those clans and gather the fragments. Then, Senior, you'll finally be free."
With that, Liu Xi stepped forward and vanished into a streak of shadowy light, shooting back the way he came.
Zhu Kun turned slightly, surprise flickering in his eyes. Then came a faint smile of relief — the cold, domineering expression he always wore softened. Liu Xi's character wasn't bad. Entrusting Zi Yan's safety to him didn't seem so worrisome after all.
When Liu Xi's figure finally disappeared into the spatial rift and the void returned to silence, Zhu Kun's gaze darkened. The fragile-looking spatial layer above was precisely the thing that imprisoned him here — forcing him to guard the Toushe Ancient Emperor's tomb, waiting endlessly for the successor who could gather all the Ancient Jade fragments.
"Ha... ha..."
A rough, booming laugh echoed through the void, half joyful, half bitter. As the sound spread, Zhu Kun's body burst with radiant purple-gold light. His massive draconic form once again emerged from the darkness, coiling through the void as he hurled himself against the massive bronze gate again and again.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The strikes made the void tremble, yet the gate remained unmoved. Still, Zhu Kun didn't care. He only wished to vent — the joy of seeing his daughter, the grief of knowing he could not be with her.
"Toushe Ancient Emperor! My daughter came to see me today! she's the true heir to the Ancient Void Dragon Tribe! Hahaha!"
His laughter gradually faded. When silence returned, the mighty dragon's form slowly curled in on itself, sinking into slumber. If one looked closely at his ferocious face, a faint, peaceful smile could be seen.
—
Meanwhile, Liu Xi had emerged from the spatial rift, only to be met by two immensely powerful auras. Compared to Zhu Kun's might, however, these two were nothing but insignificant pebbles before a mountain.
Tracing the source, Liu Xi spotted two elderly white-scaled Fire Lizards. Their faces were lined with age, but their aura marked them both as Half Saints.
They stared at him in shock — no one had ever returned alive from the depths beneath the magma. Yet astonishment soon gave way to cold arrogance. One of the lizards slowly stood, its beady green eyes filled with disdain.
"Human! You dare trespass into the Tomb of the Gods! You've committed an unforgivable sin. Today, this Saint shall strip you of all rights and execute you where you stand!"
Liu Xi's eyes turned icy. A few hours ago, facing such power might have required his full strength to survive. But now… now he had something else. Those two Half Saint Fire Beads — he was already drooling for them. Zhu Kun's "gift" had only made them more tempting.
With a thought, Liu Xi activated the blood crystal within his heart.
Instantly, thick purple mist erupted from within his veins, flooding through his body like molten metal. The moment it reached his limbs, an explosive power burst forth — wild, tyrannical, and utterly overwhelming.
His blood burned. His muscles and bones screamed. The pain was excruciating — like being torn apart and reforged a thousand times over.
With a metallic hiss, scales began to grow from beneath his skin — violet-gold in color, gleaming with savage brilliance. In moments, his entire body was encased in dragon armor, his eyes glowing deep amethyst.
For a brief instant, Liu Xi felt as though he was a dragon — an Ancient Void Dragon. The sheer might was intoxicating.
Holding the unconscious Zi Yan close, Liu Xi turned his cold gaze upon the two Half Saints. "You two… think you can strip me of my rights? Execute me?" His voice rumbled low, filled with deadly calm. "Perfect. I wasn't planning to let you live anyway."
His aura erupted. 7-Star Dou Zun. 8-Star Dou Zun. 9-Star Dou Zun. Half Saint… and finally, 1-Star Dou Saint.
The two Fire Lizards froze in disbelief. One snarled, its tone trembling.
"You may temporarily wield such strength, but this borrowed power won't last! We are the chosen of the gods! If you harm us, divine retribution—"
"Too noisy."
Liu Xi didn't waste another second. Every heartbeat consumed more of the blood crystal's energy.
His legs tensed, the ground cracked, and his fist drew back. Power surged from his core, racing through his body — and he struck.
Boom!
The magma itself split open, vaporized into an empty vacuum tunnel. The sheer pressure forced molten waves to roll back like a stormy tide.
The two Fire Lizards had no time to react. Terror filled their eyes as the fist-light reached them. They tried to resist — roars of defiance shaking the void.
'I can block it! I can—'
They never finished the thought. The fist obliterated them instantly — flesh, bone, and soul. Only two glowing Fire Beads remained, spinning where their bodies had been.
Liu Xi flickered forward, snatching the beads into his palm before storing them in his ring.
The battle was over in a breath.
That was the might of a Dou Saint — absolute, domineering, and unstoppable.
Even if this strength wasn't his own… it was enough to destroy worlds.
(End of Chapter)
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