61: The Secret of the Ancestral Stone and the Dou Zong Barrier

Deep within the Buried Saint Mountain Range, Xiao Chen sat cross-legged in the stone chamber where his ancestor Xiao Yun had passed away. His aura was vast. The black stone named "ancestral stone" floated before his glabella, emitting a soft yet profound light that intertwined with the Xiao Clan clan mark on his glabella.

As Xiao Chen's Spirit Realm Great Perfection peak soul power continuously infused it, the scenes within the ancestral stone became clearer. It was not a simple inherited image, but a vast star map, with several light points marked within it, subtly resonating with Xiao Chen's bloodline. The largest light point, blazing like the sun, pointed to a perilous region in the far north of the Central Plains called the "Myriad Year Profound Ice Sea."

At the same time, a faint golden airflow, far purer than Dou Qi and containing a hint of creation, slowly flowed out from the ancestral stone and merged into Xiao Chen's limbs and bones.

"This is... Origin Qi?" Xiao Chen's mind was shaken. Wherever this airflow passed, the subtle internal injuries he had sustained from successive battles and forced advancements instantly healed. His meridians, bones, internal organs, and even cells seemed to undergo a baptism of rebirth, becoming incredibly tough and clear. What surprised him even more was that the Dou Qi cultivation bottleneck, which had remained unmoving, began to loosen under the scouring of this Origin Qi! The Dou crystal in his Qi sea trembled violently, and cracks appeared on its surface, as if something was about to break out of its shell!

"Half-step Dou Zong!" Xiao Chen opened his eyes, a sharp glint flashing within them. Although he hadn't truly stepped into the Dou Zong level, the strength of his physical body and Dou Qi, as well as his ability to sense and mobilize the external world's energy, had far surpassed the Dou Zun Peak of a nine-star Dou Huang, reaching a brand new realm. At this moment, with just his physical strength, he could probably contend with an initial Dou Zong!

However, great opportunities often come with great risks. The immense energy and bloodline fluctuations generated when the ancestral stone was activated, despite being concealed by the stone chamber's formation, still acted like a lighthouse in the darkness, alarming the Soul Hall Heavenly Venerable who had remained near the outer reaches of the Buried Saint Mountain Range—Bone Ghost Heavenly Venerable!

"Such pure energy fluctuations... and that detestable Xiao Clan bloodline aura! Little bastard, it truly is you! You actually obtained the Xiao Clan's legacy!" Bone Ghost Heavenly Venerable's figure was like a ghost, instantly tearing through space and appearing outside the stone chamber. His withered palm, carrying a monstrous black mist, directly slammed towards the stone chamber entrance!

Boom!

The protective formation outside the stone chamber shook violently, and cracks spread. Xiao Chen's expression changed. Bone Ghost Heavenly Venerable was a Dou Zun Peak of three stars, an opponent he was absolutely unable to contend with in his current state.

"I must go!" Xiao Chen made a decisive decision, grabbing the slightly dim ancestral stone. At the same time, he fully activated the trace of Origin Qi that had just merged into his body, combined with his Spirit Realm Great Perfection soul power, and unleashed a life-saving escape technique recorded in the "Soul Emperor Canon"—"Blood Soul Escape"!

Pfft!

Xiao Chen spat out a mouthful of vital essence blood. The blood mist, mixed with soul power and Origin Qi, instantly transformed into an almost transparent crimson streak of light. Its speed surged, directly breaking through the mountain wall behind the stone chamber and fleeing deeper into the Buried Saint Mountain Range! This was an escape technique he had newly comprehended by combining Origin Qi, and its speed far surpassed that of an ordinary Dou Zong.

"Trying to run?" Bone Ghost Heavenly Venerable sneered, his figure merging into the void as he pursued relentlessly. The speed of a three-star Dou Zun was equally terrifying; space continuously folded and shortened beneath his feet.

A thrilling chase unfolded deep within the Buried Saint Mountain Range. Xiao Chen pushed the "Blood Soul Escape" to its limit, his figure weaving through treacherous mountains and bizarre energy currents, constantly facing danger. Bone Ghost Heavenly Venerable was like a shadow, continuously bombarding Xiao Chen with chillingly cold soul attacks and Dou Qi streaks, forcing him into a sorry state.

After escaping for several thousand li, Xiao Chen felt his soul and Dou Qi were greatly depleted, yet Bone Ghost Heavenly Venerable remained composed. Seeing that he was about to be caught, a fierce glint flashed in Xiao Chen's eyes. He abruptly stopped, turning to face the pursuing Bone Ghost Heavenly Venerable.

"Why aren't you running anymore? An ant is an ant after all." Bone Ghost Heavenly Venerable mocked, striking out with a palm, a massive black palm print covering the sky.

Xiao Chen neither dodged nor evaded. The clan mark on his glabella erupted with dazzling golden light, injecting all of his recently recovered Origin Qi into the ancestral stone!

"ancestral stone Body Protection, Soul Emperor Strike!"

The ancestral stone hummed, instantly expanding and transforming into an ancient stone shield that blocked in front of him. At the same time, Xiao Chen condensed all his soul power into an invisible and formless Soul Emperor Spear, yet it contained a hint of Origin Qi's sharpness. It struck later but arrived first, piercing directly towards Bone Ghost Heavenly Venerable's glabella!

Boom! Crack!

The black palm print slammed onto the stone shield. The stone shield vibrated violently, and cracks appeared on its surface, but it ultimately blocked the fatal blow. Almost simultaneously, the Soul Emperor Spear ignored the spatial distance, instantly piercing into Bone Ghost Heavenly Venerable's sea of consciousness!

"Ah!" Bone Ghost Heavenly Venerable let out a shrill scream, his body trembling violently, and his pursuit came to an abrupt halt. Although his soul was powerful, Xiao Chen's strike, imbued with Origin Qi and his lifelong soul power, still injured his soul, causing a momentary blankness in his consciousness.

Seizing this opportunity, Xiao Chen once again spat out essence blood, not hesitating to consume his origin, and activated the Blood Soul Escape, transforming into an almost imperceptible crimson thread that completely vanished into the vast mountain range.

After fleeing for a full ten thousand li and confirming that Bone Ghost Heavenly Venerable had not pursued him, Xiao Chen finally landed in an icy cave. His face was ashen, and his aura was extremely weak. The continuous burning of essence blood and soul had severely depleted his vitality.

"Three-star Dou Zun... still too strong." Xiao Chen swallowed a handful of pills, sat cross-legged to heal, and his desire for strength reached its peak. Although he had narrowly escaped this time, the existence of the ancestral stone had also been exposed, and the Soul Hall's pursuit of him would undoubtedly become even more frantic.

After his injuries had somewhat stabilized, Xiao Chen took out the ancestral stone and sensed it again. In the star map, the light point pointing to the "Myriad Year Profound Ice Sea" was still bright. Combining the fragmented information remaining in the ancestral stone, he learned that it was very likely a vital altar or secret treasury of the ancient Xiao Clan, perhaps containing more clues about Origin Qi, or even... the complete Xiao Clan inheritance!

"The Myriad Year Profound Ice Sea... located in the Northern Region of the Central Plains, it's a forbidden zone that even Dou Zun powerhouses are reluctant to easily enter. But now, I have no way out." Xiao Chen's gaze was firm. Staying in the core region of the Central Plains, he would eventually be found by the Soul Hall. Only by venturing into a perilous land could he seize a glimmer of hope and seek stronger power.

Several months later, when Xiao Chen's injuries had recovered significantly and his half-step Dou Zong realm was completely stabilized, he quietly left the Buried Saint Mountain Range. He did not return to the Pill Tower, nor did he go to any familiar cities. Instead, he changed his appearance and traveled north, heading towards that eternally frozen land of death—the Myriad Year Profound Ice Sea.

What he didn't know was that shortly after he left, Bone Ghost Heavenly Venerable returned to the Buried Saint Mountain Range with even more powerful Soul Hall experts, only to find a ruin. In a fit of rage, the Soul Hall issued a higher-level "Death Order." At the same time, news about "the Xiao Clan remnant escaping to the Northern Region with a heavy treasure" also quietly spread among some top forces in the Central Plains... A new storm was brewing in the cold winds of the Northern Region. Xiao Chen's path of survival in a desperate situation had officially begun.

(Next, the story will enter the brand new "Northern Region Icefield" arc, where Xiao Chen will face new challenges and new allies in the extreme cold, gradually uncovering the truth behind the ancient Xiao Clan's demise and the secrets of Origin Qi.)