42: Blood Axe Xiao Chen and the Secret of the Xiao Clan

Inside the Hall of Inheritance, the atmosphere was tense.

The six individuals who successfully obtained the Orb of Inheritance (Xiao Chen, Xiao Yan, Hai Bodong, Ya Fei, Mo Chen, and the Sloppy Old Man) naturally formed an alliance, their auras connected as they vigilantly watched the five who failed (Kuang Shi, the Old Woman of the Black Emperor Sect, Ge Ye, Xie Biyan, and a lone Dou Ling).

The five who failed had eyes filled with unwillingness, venom, and undisguised killing intent. If they couldn't get the inheritance, they absolutely wouldn't let the others safely digest this opportunity!

"Hehe, good, very good!" Kuang Shi licked his dry lips, his gaze ferociously sweeping over Xiao Chen and the others. "I didn't expect you guys to benefit in the end! However, you've obtained the Orb of Inheritance, but whether you have the life to take it away is another matter!"

"Kuang Shi is right!" the Old Woman of the Black Emperor Sect interjected sinisterly. She had been injured by Xiao Chen earlier and now harbored the most intense hatred. "Especially that boy! What if he has a Spirit Realm Soul? Can't the five of us together take them down?"

Although Ge Ye and Xie Biyan didn't speak, their Dou Qi had already begun to surge, indicating their stance. The lone Dou Ling also silently stood by their side. Temporary self-interest united these five failed competitors.

Five against six! And the other side had three Dou Lings (Hai Bodong, the Sloppy Old Man, the lone Dou Ling), two youths with unique souls (Xiao Chen, Xiao Yan), and Ya Fei and Mo Chen assisting from the side. In terms of strength, Xiao Chen's side even had a slight advantage, but if the opponents fought to the death, it would definitely be a fierce battle!

"What? Want to fight?" Hai Bodong stepped forward, his Three-Star Dou Ling's icy Dou Qi spreading like a tide. The ground instantly condensed a layer of frost. "Go ahead and try! Let's see how many lives you can keep!"

The Sloppy Old Man still maintained a lazy demeanor, but at some unknown point, the lid of his wine gourd had been replaced. In his seemingly murky eyes, a hint of chilling brilliance occasionally flashed. "Fighting and killing are so boring. Why not sit down and have a drink?" He said this, but the space around him began to subtly distort, and a faint but extremely powerful aura flickered into existence.

The deterrence of a Five-Star Dou Ling made the faces of Kuang Shi and the other four even uglier.

Xiao Chen's soul power operated at full capacity, the pressure of his Spirit Realm Soul in its initial stage complementing Hai Bodong's Dou Qi pressure, firmly locking onto the Old Woman of the Black Emperor Sect and Xie Biyan, his two relatively weaker soul opponents. He quickly calculated how to use his soul advantage to eliminate one or two enemies as quickly as possible once the battle began.

Scarlet flames surged around Xiao Yan. Although his aura was still unstable, the wild power originating from the Heavenly Flame made even Dou Ling experts wary. Ya Fei and Mo Chen also gripped their weapons.

A great battle was on the verge of breaking out!

However, at this critical moment, another change occurred!

"Buzz—!"

The entire Hall of Inheritance suddenly shook violently! From the dome of the hall, the ceiling, constructed from seven-colored crystals, suddenly projected a thick beam of light. Within the light beam, countless ancient runes swam like tadpoles! A soul pressure far more vast, ancient, and majestic than anyone present suddenly descended!

Under this pressure, even the Five-Star Dou Ling, the Sloppy Old Man, changed his expression slightly, abandoning his lazy state. Kuang Shi and the others were even more breathless, retreating repeatedly, looking at the light beam in horror.

"Emperor Realm Soul pressure?!" Hai Bodong exclaimed in shock, his eyes filled with disbelief!

Within the light beam, a blurry, ethereal figure, condensed purely from soul energy, slowly emerged. The figure's face was indistinct, but its posture was tall and straight, and a massive phantom battle axe seemed to be clutched in its hand! Although it was only a remnant soul, it exuded a majestic aura that looked down upon the world!

"Junior of the Xiao Clan... finally... I've waited for you..."

A ethereal and ancient voice directly resonated deep within everyone's souls! The gaze of this remnant soul seemed to pierce through space, landing on... the Sloppy Old Man?

No! More precisely, it landed on the purple (lightning attribute) Orb of Inheritance in the Sloppy Old Man's hand! The orb was currently trembling slightly, resonating with the remnant soul in the air!

The Sloppy Old Man's body trembled violently, and for the first time, an incredibly complex expression appeared on his face, containing recollection, sadness, and excitement. He slowly raised his head, looking at the remnant soul, and spoke hoarsely, his voice no longer lazy, but carrying a heavy sense of vicissitude:

"Big Brother Xuan... is that you? A wisp of a remnant soul, guarding here..."

Big Brother Xuan? Xiao Xuan?! The ancient Xiao Clan's patriarch, a peak Nine-Star Dou Sheng, the peerless expert Xiao Xuan who attempted to break through to Dou Di?!

Everyone was stunned by this sudden turn of events and the conversation! Even Xiao Chen widened his eyes, his heart pounding! This remnant soul was actually Xiao Xuan?! Then this Sloppy Old Man... he called Xiao Xuan his big brother? Could he be... The remnant soul's gaze seemed to soften slightly, continuing to emit intermittent thoughts: "Brother Chen... a thousand years... you've suffered... the Demon Flame Space... sealed... you actually... broke free..."

Brother Chen?! Blood Axe Xiao Chen?!

Xiao Chen suddenly looked at the Sloppy Old Man! Could this Five-Star Dou Ling, who had always hidden his true power, be that genius expert of the Xiao Clan from back then, Xiao Xuan's cousin, Blood Axe Xiao Chen?! The Five-Star Dou Sheng who should have been trapped in the Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame Space and become a fire slave?!

No wonder he was so powerful! No wonder he seemed to know something about the Illusory Spirit Realm! No wonder the look he gave him earlier contained scrutiny and a hint of inexplicable familiarity! He wasn't just some passing drunkard; he was an ancestor of the Xiao Clan! He came here to find the contingency plan left by Xiao Xuan, or... to wait for a descendant of the Xiao Clan?

The Sloppy Old Man, no, he should now be called Xiao Chen (Blood Axe), this thousand-year-old monster, now had tears in his tiger-like eyes. He took a deep breath and bowed to the remnant soul: "Big Brother! Xiao Chen... has returned! I did not fail in my mission, breaking free from the demonic flame and finding this place! My Xiao Clan... still has hope!"

The remnant soul nodded slightly, its gaze seemingly turning towards Young Xiao Chen and Xiao Yan, especially lingering on Young Xiao Chen for a moment, with a hint of comfort and expectation: "Wind... Soul Inheritance... Spirit Realm Soul... not bad... Xiao Clan bloodline... not extinguished... protect... them..."

The remnant soul's thoughts grew weaker and weaker. It had clearly existed for too long and was about to dissipate. It finally condensed a wisp of light, which shot towards the purple orb in Xiao Chen (Blood Axe)'s hand, as well as Young Xiao Chen and Xiao Yan.

The purple orb in Xiao Chen (Blood Axe)'s hand shone brightly, as if it had received some kind of recognition and blessing. Young Xiao Chen and Xiao Yan, on the other hand, felt a pure source of soul power merge into their bodies, making the inheritance they had just received more stable, and their soul power subtly improved again!

"Illusory Spirit Palace... core... key... combine... can open... ultimate... inheritance... Xiao Clan... revival..."

After leaving this last intermittent thought, Xiao Xuan's remnant soul finally couldn't hold on. The ethereal figure gradually faded, eventually turning into specks of light and dissipating within the light beam. The vast Emperor Realm pressure also vanished with it.

Inside the grand hall, there was a deathly silence.

Everyone was too shocked by this astonishing secret to speak!

The ancient Xiao Clan! Xiao Xuan! Blood Axe Xiao Chen! These figures and powers, which only existed in legends, had reappeared in the world in such a way!

Kuang Shi, the Old Woman of the Black Emperor Sect, and the others, their faces were ashen, cold sweat drenching their clothes. They actually intended to attack a Five-Star Dou Sheng (even if his strength might not be fully recovered) and the chosen descendants of a Xiao Clan ancestor's remnant soul?! This was simply courting death!

Ge Ye and Xie Biyan were even more filled with regret. The enmity between the Yunlan Sect and Xiao Yan (Xiao Chen) was well known. Now that such terrifying ancestors of the Xiao Clan still existed, wouldn't the Yunlan Sect be in danger?

Xiao Chen (Blood Axe) slowly straightened up. The sadness and excitement on his face gradually receded, replaced by a cold killing intent and the majesty of a thousand years of accumulation. His gaze, like lightning, swept over Kuang Shi and the other four:

"Now, do you still want to make a move?"

His voice wasn't loud, but it was like a clap of thunder in the ears of Kuang Shi and the other four! The terrifying aura of a Five-Star Dou Sheng (even if he had fallen, his foundation remained), mixed with the lingering might of Xiao Xuan's remnant soul, completely shattered their psychological defenses!

"Senior... Senior, please forgive us!" Kuang Shi was the first to give in, dropping to one knee with a thud, his forehead touching the ground. "We were blind and offended a Xiao Clan ancestor; we deserve ten thousand deaths! Please, Senior, show us mercy!"

The Old Woman of the Black Emperor Sect, Ge Ye, Xie Biyan, and the lone Dou Ling also quickly knelt, kowtowing like pounding garlic, begging for their lives. In the face of absolute strength and background, all dignity and greed became a joke.

Xiao Chen (Blood Axe) snorted coldly: "Scram! If you dare to reveal a single word of what happened today, your clans will be annihilated!"

"Yes, yes, yes! Thank you, Senior, for sparing our lives!" The five felt as if they had received a great pardon, scrambling and crawling towards the edge of the hall, trying to find an exit, wishing they had two more legs.

Xiao Chen (Blood Axe) ignored them, instead turning and looking at Young Xiao Chen and Xiao Yan with a complex gaze, finally settling on Young Xiao Chen, a genuine, relieved smile finally appearing on his lips:

"Boy, your name is Xiao Chen? Very good... I didn't expect that after a thousand years, my Xiao Clan could still produce a descendant with such extraordinary soul talent. It seems Big Brother... did leave a glimmer of hope after all."

Young Xiao Chen was incredibly excited in his heart. He quickly stepped forward and respectfully bowed: "Junior Xiao Chen greets ancestor!" Although this Xiao Chen was not that Xiao Chen (he came from another world), having inherited the bloodline of this body, he had to bear this karmic responsibility. Moreover, having such a powerful ancestor as a backer would undoubtedly make his future path much smoother!

Xiao Yan also looked at Blood Axe Xiao Chen curiously, his eyes filled with awe.

Hai Bodong, Ya Fei, and Mo Chen exchanged glances, then also stepped forward to pay their respects. Today's events had been full of twists and turns, and the outcome far exceeded their imaginations.

Xiao Chen (Blood Axe) waved his hand, his gaze directed towards the depths of the hall: "We can reminisce later. The urgent matter is to activate the core inheritance of the Illusory Spirit Palace. Big Brother's remnant soul mentioned that the keys need to be combined..."

His gaze once again fell on Young Xiao Chen and Xiao Yan, or more precisely, on the tiny runic imprints that subtly appeared on their palms after they each received their inheritances.

That imprint seemed to resonate with something deep within the hall.

The true core of the Illusory Spirit Palace, and the ultimate inheritance left by Xiao Xuan, were about to be unveiled! And Young Xiao Chen would undoubtedly be a key figure in it!