Chapter 636: The Origin of Power
Xiao Ze had previously speculated that if the Holy Saint could unleash exceptional power with the Origin Emperor Flame, why couldn't ancestor Xiao Xuan do the same? In the original story, Xiao Xuan wasn't weaker than the spirit of the Heavenly Tomb; it was only without self immolating his soul that the battle would likely be perilous. Furthermore, if the spirit of the Heavenly Tomb was losing, it wouldn't just sit and wait for death. Even a cornered beast would jump over a wall, let alone a sentient being.
In the original narrative, after several futile struggles, the spirit of the Heavenly Tomb had also tried to self immolate. However, by that time, Xiao Xuan's arrangements were complete, and the terrifying power brought about by self immolation easily extinguished the spirit's thoughts of doing the same.
Now, if Xiao Ze lent the Origin Emperor Flame to ancestor Xiao Xuan, it might indeed achieve the same effect as self immolation. It would grant Xiao Xuan extraordinary combat power and a crushing advantage in the battle against the spirit of the Heavenly Tomb. This was also why Xiao Ze came to the Heavenly Tomb despite knowing that helping him reach the Emperor Soul Realm would cost Xiao Xuan his soul he had a way to prevent Xiao Xuan from needing to self immolate!
Otherwise, relying on the last soul imprint left by Xiao Xuan's self immolation, whether it could successfully revive him remained uncertain, as it was not detailed in the original story. Xiao Ze couldn't guarantee that he could fully revive someone with just a remnant soul imprint. Rather than face an elusive possibility in the future, it was better to nip it in the bud.
Xiao Ze had to either break through to the Emperor Soul Realm on his own without relying on Xiao Xuan's power or ensure Xiao Xuan could defeat the spirit of the Heavenly Tomb without self immolating. If Xiao Ze were to break through to the Emperor Soul Realm on his own, it would take an exceedingly long time, and he might even consider consuming a bonded slot for a talent related to soul enhancement to accelerate his soul realm improvement.
Now, by personally coming to the spirit of the Heavenly Tomb, Xiao Ze was harboring another idea. He had previously lent the Origin Emperor Flame to the Holy Saint, allowing her to defeat her other half and successfully step into the Dou Saint rank. Thus, the Origin Emperor Flame was not something that couldn't be lent to others.
"Xiao Ze, do you mean to suggest that I use this exotic flame?" Xiao Xuan's eyes flickered with intrigue, recalling the extraordinary nature of this flame which he had previously speculated about. Although they had not delved deeply into its origins, and Xiao Xuan hadn't pressed for details, Xiao Ze hadn't been forthcoming with his thoughts.
"That's right, ancestor. The power of this flame is extraordinary," Xiao Ze affirmed. "No matter how peculiar the spirit of the Heavenly Tomb is, its essence is still a unique life form condensed from soul imprints. In essence, it belongs to the realm of souls."
"And this flame of mine has a few tricks up its sleeve when it comes to dealing with souls," Xiao Ze added.
Xiao Chen, witnessing Xiao Ze's golden flame, remembered its performance in the Demon Fire space and couldn't help but nod in agreement. "Indeed, Brother Xiao Xuan, Xiao Ze's golden flame is incredibly powerful, even the Net Lotus Demon Fire seems to dread it!"
Hearing Xiao Chen's words, Xiao Xuan's eyes gleamed with confirmation, further solidifying his earlier speculations. "Then it's settled. I'll give it a try. If it proves ineffective, I'll still not hesitate to self immolate my soul," Xiao Xuan declared solemnly. "Because the spirit of the Heavenly Tomb is extremely violent, and if it were to lose, it would certainly self immolate its soul, not hesitating to drag me down with it."
Xiao Xuan's determined expression conveyed that he only had one chance to face the spirit of the Heavenly Tomb. Thus, if Xiao Ze's exotic flame proved ineffective, he would not hesitate and would immediately self immolate his soul.
"Ancestor, please be assured, I am quite confident in this flame," Xiao Ze said with equal seriousness.
"Please extend your hand, ancestor. The power of this flame is extraordinary and cannot be wielded by ordinary means; some preparations are necessary," Xiao Ze instructed.
Xiao Xuan extended his hand decisively without a moment's hesitation. Xiao Ze produced a root of the Origin Tree, which transformed into a delicate golden tree and took root in the palm of Xiao Xuan's hand.
"This is the origin of my power; only with it can the exotic flame be wielded without reservations," Xiao Xuan remarked, feeling a sense of familiarity with the golden tree. The presence that had isolated his perception when Xiao Ze was alone with Xun'er was this very essence.
Feeling the power contained within the golden tree, Xiao Xuan's eyes narrowed slightly. It seemed his descendant's capabilities were beyond even his reckoning, holding a purity and uniqueness he had never witnessed before.
Xiao Ze extended his finger, radiant with brilliant golden light, and pressed it against the golden tree in Xiao Xuan's palm. The overflowing power filled the area, and even Xiao Xuan, with all his experience, couldn't hide his astonishment.
The power he sensed from the golden tree suggested that the capabilities of this golden flame far exceeded his expectations. The terrifying potential to annihilate everything explained why even the Net Lotus Demon Fire was so wary of it.
"How many more tricks do you have up your sleeve that I don't know about?" Xiao Xuan asked, half joking.
"Haha, then, ancestor, you should really stay alive, even as a remnant soul, to see more of my cards," Xiao Ze replied, knowing Xiao Xuan had begun to understand the power of the Origin Emperor Flame.
"If it's just about temporarily wielding this flame, then dealing with the spirit of the Heavenly Tomb should indeed be straightforward," Xiao Xuan affirmed, sensing the burning sensation in his palm and feeling a proud resurgence of his past strength. Even as a mere remnant soul, he had been one of the strongest on the Dou Qi continent, and now armed with such a flame, he was confident in facing the spirit of the Heavenly Tomb.
"Prepare to break through to the Emperor Soul Realm!" Xiao Xuan said with a gentle smile to Xiao Ze. Despite the unimaginable chasm between the Great Circle of the Heaven Realm and the Emperor Soul Realm, he had faith in Xiao Ze. He believed that Xiao Ze was just missing an opportunity, and absorbing the soul essence of the Heavenly Tomb's spirit would naturally allow him to make the breakthrough.
Xiao Xuan nodded to them both and then slowly ascended. As he rose, the mists in the air rapidly dissipated, and a terrifying pressure emanated from within him, nearly enveloping the entire Heavenly Tomb. Under such formidable pressure, all the energy bodies within the tomb halted.
Looking up towards the direction of Xiao Xuan's ascent, the energy bodies, previously listless, now showed excitement in their eyes.
"Master Xiao Xuan... is he finally making his move?" they murmured in awe.
(End of Chapter)
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