Chapter 635: A Glimmer of Hope
Upon hearing Xiao Xuan's words tinged with a faint sense of farewell, Xiao Ze hadn't yet reacted, but ancestor Xiao Chen spoke up first.
"Brother Xiao Xuan, what do you mean by that?" Xiao Chen asked with concern.
Xiao Xuan smiled gently and said, "Extracting the soul essence of the Heavenly Tomb's spirit to help Xiao Ze break through to the Emperor level soul."
Xiao Chen immediately understood. Extracting the soul essence of the Heavenly Tomb's spirit would undoubtedly kill it, leading to a desperate counterattack from the spirit.
"Ancestor Xiao Xuan, the spirit of the Heavenly Tomb must be extremely powerful," Xiao Ze said, following up. "Since you've long considered eliminating it but have yet to take action..."
As Xiao Ze spoke, Xiao Chen realized the implications.
"Brother Xiao Xuan, does this mean the spirit of the Heavenly Tomb is so powerful that even you can't defeat it?" he asked.
"Haha, it's alright. Since I dared to bring it up, I naturally have a way to deal with the spirit," Xiao Xuan replied, his face showing a warm smile filled with the love of an elder wanting to do something for his descendants.
Noticing the determination in his brother's eyes, Xiao Chen sighed softly. Xiao Xuan explained further.
"The spirit of the Heavenly Tomb is formed from the soul imprints of powerful beings buried here throughout history. Its strength is formidable. I hesitated to act before because I was unsure if my remnant soul could survive the battle."
Xiao Ze's eyes flashed with understanding. In the original story, Xiao Xuan had incinerated his own soul to gain the strength needed to crush the spirit. Without such drastic measures, even an extraordinary talent like Xiao Xuan couldn't exert peak nine star Dou Saint power as a mere remnant soul. The unique rules and environment of the Heavenly Tomb allowed him to retain some of his strength, but not enough to decisively defeat the spirit without self sacrifice.
"This..." Xiao Chen was left speechless. He knew that if Xiao Xuan was cautious, the battle would likely leave him gravely injured or even destroy him. Seeing his brother's slightly ethereal figure blurred by tears, Xiao Chen felt a surge of helplessness. Xiao Xuan was no longer the invincible powerhouse he once was. Anger at his own weakness flared within Xiao Chen; he couldn't help his brother.
He didn't try to dissuade Xiao Xuan because he knew his brother's determination. Once Xiao Xuan set his mind on something, it was almost impossible to change it. Moreover, Xiao Xuan's goal was to make Xiao Ze stronger, protecting the most talented descendant the Xiao Clan had seen in millennia from being prematurely crushed by the Soul Clan.
Xiao Chen knew the terror of the Soul Clan, which had nearly wiped out the Xiao Clan before. The Soul Clan leader, as powerful as Xiao Xuan, hadn't even made a move back then. If he did, Xiao Ze's current strength might not be enough to withstand it. Xiao Xuan wanted to provide Xiao Ze with the strength to face future challenges and threats.
Caught between his brother's last remnants and the clan's most promising talent, Xiao Chen opened his mouth but found himself unable to speak. Xiao Xuan, seeing the pain and regret on Xiao Chen's face, smiled and approached him, gently patting his shoulder.
"I've lived long enough. I've traveled the continent, seen its wonders, and reached the pinnacle of Dou Qi. Surviving in the Heavenly Tomb for thousands of years is more than I could ask for," Xiao Xuan said with a carefree laugh. "Besides, I've seen hope for the Xiao Clan's revival hope even greater than in my time."
Xiao Chen was stunned. He hadn't realized Xiao Xuan held such high expectations for Xiao Ze. His wildest dreams had been for Xiao Ze to reach the peak of the nine star Dou Saint and protect the Xiao Clan from the Soul Clan's threat. But it seemed Xiao Xuan hoped Xiao Ze could achieve even more, perhaps even becoming a Dou Emperor.
"My life has been full. My greatest regret is not reaching that legendary realm," Xiao Xuan continued, turning to Xiao Ze. "Xiao Ze, can you achieve what I couldn't and reach beyond the Dou Saint realm?"
Xiao Ze stepped forward and bowed deeply. "Descendant Xiao Ze will not fail the ancestor's expectations!"
"Hahaha!" Xiao Xuan laughed heartily. "Good, good! You are indeed a fine man of the Xiao Clan. If I can help you today, my soul will rest easy even if it dissipates!"
"Ancestor!" Xiao Ze called out, but Xiao Xuan waved him off.
"No need to persuade me; my mind is made up. I've had enough of the lonely years here. Doing this for you is the least I can do," Xiao Xuan said calmly.
"No! Ancestor, defeating the spirit of the Heavenly Tomb might not require you to sacrifice yourself," Xiao Ze said, surprising Xiao Xuan.
"You should know that the spirit is formed from countless powerful soul imprints buried here. Even at your current level, you might not play a significant role in this battle," Xiao Xuan said, though he understood Xiao Ze's good intentions.
"Ancestor, I know my power might not be enough, but what if you could use my power?" Xiao Ze suggested, revealing a brilliant golden flame in his palm.
Seeing the golden flame, Xiao Xuan's eyes gleamed with understanding.
(End of Chapter)
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