Once Xiao Hua had woven a flawless explanation to uphold his fabricated tale, he pushed those thoughts aside and turned his focus inward.
Crossing his legs, he sank into meditation, drawing his awareness deep into himself. His consciousness soon descended into the vast ocean of his spiritual sea, where three supreme forces floated above its boundless expanse.
High above blazed a sovereign flame, forged from twenty-two divine fires. Golden brilliance intertwined with violet thunder, scarlet radiance melded with verdant jade—together exuding a majesty that compelled all creation to submit. This was no mere emperor of flames, but their deity—the eternal Heavenly Genesis Flame.
Opposite it bloomed the Celestial Ancient Frost, a lotus sculpted of heaven's purest ice. Its crystalline petals shone with flawless clarity, each gentle glow whispering of endless winters and the silence of distant stars. It was a beauty too sacred to profane, a frost not born to wound, yet capable of freezing all existence into timeless stillness.
Beside them raged the Primordial Heaven Lightning, a storm of destruction forged from nine Heavenly Thunders united as one. Violet arcs devoured the void, silver serpents writhed in madness, and each pulse carried the might to erase mountains, rivers, and stars alike. It was judgment given form—a calamity before which even heaven and earth could crumble.
A divine flame, a primal lightning, and a celestial frost—each radiated a destructive might of its own. Scorching fire, violent thunder, and bone-piercing frost spread their oppressive presence outward, so overwhelming that even from afar one could scarcely breathe.
"According to the Heavenly Chaos Cultivation Art, only when I succeed in merging the three will the next level reveal itself…" Xiao Hua murmured, his voice low and contemplative.
After fully comprehending its mysteries, he learned that its true form was divided into two profound methods. The Heavenly Chaos Art—a cultivation method of spiritual energy. The Heavenly Chaos Sutra—a refinement method to temper the body.
Beyond these, there also a unique method: a cultivation technique to forge his own Sovereign Celestial Body. Yet Xiao Hua set that aside for the future. He understood clearly that before all else, he must ascend to the Dou Di realm; only then would such a body hold true meaning.
"However… I can only merge them after my body discards all traces of Dou Qi and fully embraces Spiritual Energy." His mutter trailed into silence before he shook his head, refocusing on his body.
He carefully examined his condition, probing every channel and bone. Finding nothing amiss, and certain that the resistance of the three forces would not burden him for now, Xiao Hua finally nodded in quiet satisfaction. With that, he withdrew his consciousness from the depths of his spiritual sea and returned to his physical body.
He finally turned his focus inward, working to stabilize the condition of his body. In his current state, attempting to refine a Tier 9 Treasure Pill—let alone a Tier 9 Golden Pill—was far too difficult.
Though the desire lingered, Xiao Hua chose not to overreach. For now, he would set aside such ambitions and concentrate only on matters suited to his present state, avoiding anything overly taxing.
…
During his stay within the Han Clan, Xiao Hua aided Han Yue and Han Xue in their cultivation. At their request, he also oversaw the training of the other clan members. The two sisters had already resolved to leave the clan and follow him to Moonlit Chaos Mansion, and before doing so, they wished to depart without problems.
Understanding their intent, Xiao Hua agreed. He not only watched over their progress but also guided their training personally, at times supplying pills and artifacts to hasten their growth and strengthen their combat abilities.
Afterward, Li Mei arrived with a flying ship to escort Xiao Hua, Han Yue, and Han Xue back to Moonlit Chaos Mansion. He had already informed her of the sisters' decision to join, and since they would be entering the hall under her command—the Purity Sky Hall—Li Mei chose to come personally and receive them.
Altogether, Xiao Hua remained in the Northern Region of the Central Plains for four weeks. Much of this time was spent focusing on his physical body, carefully resolving the hidden problems within and fully stabilizing his foundation.
…
Within the flying ship, Xiao Hua and Li Mei entered a private room to discuss a certain matter. Once inside, Yu Ru Meng emerged from Xiao Hua's body, and he swiftly made the introductions. Li Mei greeted her with proper respect, though her gaze soon shifted back to Xiao Hua.
What weighed on her heart was far more pressing. She stared solemnly at him, while he only chuckled dryly, wearing a helpless smile, Yu Ru Meng floating silently at his side.
After a long silence, Li Mei drew a deep breath and spoke in a steady yet heavy tone. "It seems your body's condition is far more unstable than I expected, despite all your efforts to stabilize it…"
"Ha ha… As long as I don't face someone on Hun Tiandi's level, my state won't be revealed. No one will notice." Xiao Hua replied, his tone light, as though seeking to ease her worries.
"You have not yet stepped into the Dou Di realm," Li Mei replied, her voice grave. "This transition between Dou Qi and Spiritual Energy isn't natural—it is being forced upon you. Such a transformation will inevitably be rejected by your body, and that rejection will weaken your fighting strength."
Li Mei let out a soft sigh, her brows tightening. Through the communication jade she had already been informed of her little brother's state, yet seeing it with her own eyes, she realized the truth was far worse than she had imagined.
She understood well that Xiao Hua could not unleash his full strength. His body would reject any forceful transformation, so he had to be cautious—never recklessly drawing too deeply on his power, nor allowing himself to be dragged into prolonged battles.
"We still have Flame and Thunder to safeguard the Moonlit Chaos Mansion, even if Hun Tiandi and the Hun Clan strike."
He paused briefly, a meaningful smile tugging at his lips. "Besides, the current strength of Moonlit Chaos Mansion is no longer what it once was. And don't we still have our Older Brothers and Older Sisters?"
Li Mei rolled her eyes at his deeper meaning. After all, her own soul, along with those of Ming Cheng, Xin Yu, Mei Ling, and Wei Jie, had already broken through to the Di State. In terms of cultivation, each of them had stepped into the peak of 8-Star Dou Sheng.
If those ancient, undying old monsters were to learn of this, they would be shocked to death. Such a lineup was something even the oldest clans of the continent could hardly compare to.
Their rapid advancement was all thanks to Xiao Hua. After absorbing the full power of the twenty-two Primordial Heavenly Flames and Heavenly Lightnings, he had shared them with his sworn elder brothers and sisters through Flame and Thunder. Even the pure strength of the Celestial Ancient Frost had been distributed among them.
Through refinement and fusion, each of them had forged a force unique to themselves.
Ming Cheng, with his domineering and tyrannical Emperor Thunder.
Li Mei, with her pure and chilling Celestial Thunder.
Xin Yu, with her serene and boundless Sacred Boundless Sea.
Mei Ling, with her immortal and ethereal Ethereal Phoenix Flame, carrying the elegance of a phoenix.
Wei Jie, with his regal and divine Divine Dragon Flame, a flame of majesty and supremacy.
Hence, even if they were to face Hun Tiandi, just two of them alone would already be enough to suppress him, while the others could focus on the Nihility Devouring Flame. For these reasons, Xiao Hua felt little concern over his unstable condition and even dared to remain relaxed instead of anxious.
"Even so, you should be careful, and not reveal too much of your condition," Li Mei reminded him, her voice soft with concern.
"I know. I have no intention of engaging in battles that demand excessive effort to win," Xiao Hua admitted.
Li Mei nodded, a quiet relief flickering across her face. At the very least, her little brother was not reckless. Then, recalling an important matter, she said, "We know you intend to bring Cai Lin to the Nine Serene Lake. To ensure you aren't forced into conflict, Ming Cheng and Mei Ling will accompany you."
"Brother Ming Cheng and Sister Mei Ling will both follow me? I can understand one of them, but having two seems a little excessive…" Xiao Hua was startled and voiced his thoughts.
Li Mei, however, only gave him a knowing look before explaining. "The situation among the Eight Ancient Clans has become unstable ever since the fall of the Shi Clan. The Yao Clan, Lei Clan, and Yan Clan have formed an alliance, leaving only the Gu Clan and Hun Clan isolated."
"Over the destruction of a single ancient clan? Isn't their reaction a little too excessive…" Xiao Hua was genuinely surprised at the response of the Yao Clan, Yan Clan, and Lei Clan.
Back when the Xiao Clan was annihilated, not a single one of the other Eight Ancient Clans lifted a finger. None even rebuked the Hun Clan for their action. Yet now, these same clans were acting as though the heavens themselves were collapsing—and all because of another's fall.
"The Shi Clan's destruction is simply too strange and quiet," Li Mei explained, her voice calm but carrying weight. "There was no clue pointing to their disappearance. Yes, there were traces of battle—signs of a fierce clash—but what unsettled them was that no one actually detected it happening."
Xiao Hua's gaze deepened, his thoughts turning. 'So that's why the Yao, Lei, and Yan clans have grown wary of both the Gu Clan and the Hun Clan. Only such powers possess the means to erase an entire ancient clan without sound or trace. And that very method—striking unseen—terrifies them most…'
After pondering for a while, he felt something amiss and asked, "What of the Ling Clan? Is their absence from the alliance due to their ties with us?"
Li Mei's lips curved into a dry smile, a helpless laugh escaping her. "Unfortunately, not quite. The truth is… the Ling Clan was never invited to join. The three clans already believe that the Ling Clan has fallen under Moonlit Chaos Mansion's leash.
"After all, the daughter of their clan head became Xin Yu's disciple. In their eyes, she is no disciple at all—but a hostage. To them, it is only natural to suspect us of destroying the Shi Clan to seize greater dominance."
Xiao Hua's expression twitched, and he let out a long, heavy sigh. "So in their eyes, the daughter is the hostage, the disciple a mere front, and the Ling Clan little more than our pawn…"
The sheer fear and suspicion of the Eight Ancient Clans left him speechless. It was no wonder Moonlit Chaos Mansion kept its distance, save for its contact with the Gu Clan and Ling Clan.
He truly hadn't expected that silence and restraint would only breed fear. For years, Moonlit Chaos Mansion had made no moves to shift the balance of the Central Plains—yet still, these clans trembled as if a blade hovered above their throats.
"Utterly ridiculous…" Li Mei muttered, her jade-like hand pressing against her forehead as if staving off a headache. "If we had truly sought dominance, the Western Region of the Central Plains would already have fallen beneath our banner."
Xiao Hua shook his head, a helpless sigh escaping his lips. At last, he understood the protectiveness his sworn brothers and sisters held toward him. With the tense atmosphere weighing heavily upon the Eight Ancient Clans, it was no wonder they insisted on accompanying him to the Nine Serene Spring…
…
Upon returning to the Moonlit Chaos Mansion, Xiao Hua went straight back to his abode and informed three of his four future wives about his condition. Ya Fei, however, was still in closed-door cultivation and would not emerge until she broke through to the Dou Zun class.
After recounting his current condition, concern immediately surfaced among them.
"With your state as it is, are you certain you shouldn't rest?" Cai Lin asked, her eyes carrying both worry and tenderness.
Xiao Hua gave a light smile, seeking to reassure her. "There's no need to worry. I've already said it before—suppressing an eight-star or nine-star Dou Sheng will not be difficult for me. As for defeating a seven-star Dou Sheng or below, that is even less of a problem."
He knew the Nine Serene Deep Ground Python tribe did not possess experts above two-star Dou Sheng. There was little reason to trouble himself over them.
"Besides," he continued softly, "Brother Ming Cheng and Sister Mei Ling will be with us. With their presence, it's difficult to imagine anyone daring to cause us trouble."
"That may be true," Little Fairy Doctor interjected, her calm voice carrying a quiet edge of worry, "but it doesn't mean we can afford to be careless. What concerns us most is not the Nine Serene Pythons—but the Hun Clan."
Her words made the room fall silent.
"What Sister Fairy Doctor says is not without reason." Xun Er's gentle voice followed, though a trace of solemnity laced her tone. "Even after the destruction of countless Hall of Souls branches, the Hun Clan has yet to respond. They even dared to move against the Shi Clan, yet against us… not a single ripple."
Xiao Hua's brows knit together. Even he could not deny the strangeness. The Hun Clan's silence was unsettling, as though an invisible storm was gathering.
The Hall of Souls had scattered its branches across the Central Plains—twenty-four of them significant enough to be called Disha Halls. But it was not only those that had been destroyed. Tiangang Halls too had fallen, the most vital branches divided into Heaven, Earth, and Man.
Of these, the Heaven Hall served as the very heart of the Hall of Souls. Though its location still eluded them, many of the Man and Earth Halls had already been reduced to ruins.
Ming Cheng and the others had even uncovered the true purpose of the Hall of Souls' plundering of spiritual bodies. From their campaign, they brought back countless Soul Essences accumulated over centuries.
Ming Cheng, Li Mei, Xin Yu, Mei Ling, and Wei Jie managed to purify the souls and absorb the essences. In addition to the natural treasures Xiao Hua provided, their souls successfully break through into the Di State.
And yet, in the face of such devastation, the Hun Clan had done nothing—no retaliation, no warning, not even a whisper. They merely hid in silence, their lack of reaction far more terrifying than open fury.
After a while of pondering, Xiao Hua finally gave up trying to unravel Hun Tiandi's schemes and shook his head helplessly. Although a faint unease lingered in his heart, he knew there was little to be done. If the Hun Clan chose to remain hidden from the world—so hidden that even his sense could not detect them—then speculation was meaningless.
Turning toward Cai Lin, Xiao Hua's lips curved into a faint smile. "Regardless, since they have chosen silence despite our movements, it means there is a high chance they won't act during our journey. So, we might as well use this opportunity to make you stronger, Cai'er."
Cai Lin nodded lightly. Ever since learning from Xiao Hua about her Heaven Swallowing Python tribe's inheritance, anticipation had been stirring within her heart. She only hoped the inheritance would not take too long, for she did not wish to leave Xiao Yuyan lonely in her absence.
"Of course," Xiao Hua continued, his gaze shifting toward Xun Er and the Little Fairy Doctor, "I intend to help Xun'er and Xian'er grow stronger as well."
The two women exchanged a glance, chuckling softly before nodding. They already knew the reason Xiao Hua wished to bring Cai Lin to the Nine Serene Spring, and they agreed wholeheartedly—this journey was necessary, both for her sake and for their future together.
"Now that such gloomy matters are behind us," Xiao Hua suddenly stretched lazily before rising to his feet. With a mischievous smile, he pulled Cai Lin, Xun Er, and the Little Fairy Doctor into his embrace.
"I find myself concerned that little Yuyan might grow lonely without enough companions to play with. How about…" his eyes glinted playfully, "…we make sure she has a few more in the future?"
Crimson spread across the three women's cheeks, their jade-like faces flushed with embarrassment and shyness. Yet, though their hearts fluttered and their bodies trembled in his embrace, none of them pushed him away.
Laughter, affection, and heat soon filled the chamber, the night unfolding with tenderness and passion as Xiao Hua entwined his fate ever deeper with theirs.
…
When the sun rose on the third day after Xiao Hua's return to the Moonlit Chaos Mansion, the disciples undergoing their morning training suddenly turned their gazes skyward. High above, several figures stood proudly in the air.
A breeze swept past, causing their robes to flutter gracefully, their presence carrying a peerless, extraordinary aura.
"Little brother, you should be careful not to involve yourself in too many fights. If trouble arises, retreat to Brother Ming Cheng and Sister Mei Ling at once!"
Wei Jie patted Xiao Hua's shoulder, his voice carrying the weight of brotherly concern.
"You should worry more that this little brother of ours refuses to retreat at all," Ming Cheng sighed, shaking his head in helplessness.
"Besides," Mei Ling rolled her eyes, letting out a cold snort, "we've already investigated their strength. The Nine Serene Deep Ground Python tribe isn't much—only two 1-Star Dou Sheng experts."
"Even so, caution is never wasted," Xin Yu reminded softly.
"With the Hun Clan remaining so eerily silent, we must be prepared for the storm they will eventually unleash," Li Mei added gravely.
Xiao Hua and the others nodded. None could refute Li Mei's words. They all understood that once the Hun Clan made their move, it would be enough to shake the entire Dou Qi Continent to its core.
The thought became heavier when they recalled the Shi Clan's silent fall—annihilated without the faintest ripple, as if they had been erased by unseen hands. That alone had put them on constant guard, watching every shadow for signs of the Hun Clan's movement.
Warnings had already been sent to the Gu Clan and Ling Clan. As for the Yao, Yan, and Lei Clans, they knew it would be meaningless. Those three were too suspicious of them; instead of vigilance against the Hun Clan, they would only raise their guard against the Moonlit Chaos Mansion.
"Enough," Xiao Hua finally spoke, cutting short the spiral of heavy thoughts. "We should leave now."
He paused, turning toward Cai Lin, Xun Er, and the Little Fairy Doctor. His smile softened, gentle warmth flickering in his eyes.
"The sooner we depart, the sooner Cai Lin can receive her inheritance."
"Alright. We won't keep you any longer," Li Mei said with a nod, refraining from holding them back.
After bidding their farewells, the six boarded the flying ship and swiftly departed the Chaos Realm, heading toward the Nine Serene Deep Ground Python tribe.
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