Chapter 631 - 630: Yang Xiao’s Speculation

It wasn’t long before Yang Xiao’s entire body seemed to be covered by glowing threads.

Like an intricate net, they wrapped tightly around him.

But this was only the beginning.

Elder Long extended his palm and slashed it open.

Golden blood was squeezed from the wound.

Each drop seemed to contain a terrifying Divine Dragon.

Its aura was brilliant and incredibly majestic.

It seemed to possess the innate air of a superior being.

Elder Long flicked drop after drop of this golden Dragon Blood onto the net of threads without hesitation. In an instant, the already luminous threads grew even brighter.

Emitting streaks of Golden Light, the threads themselves seemed nourished, transforming into True Dragons that roamed across Yang Xiao’s skin.

With every drop of golden Dragon Blood, the True Dragon Aura grew stronger.

It was impossible to tell how much Dragon Blood he had used.

He only stopped when his own face had turned slightly pale.

He looked at Yang Xiao before him.

A cold smile touched his lips. "True Dragon Soul Refining Silk, forming a God-Trapping Array, infused with this Old Dragon’s million years of accumulated Lifebound Blood. Let’s see you escape death this time!"

At this moment, his face was full of smug satisfaction.

And a hint of gloating pleasure.

He was clearly very pleased with his actions.

’I used up half of my Lifebound Blood, which is a heavy price, but if it means I can kill a Demon Venerable, it’s worth it.’

The moment the thought crossed his mind,

the True Dragons that had been roaming over Yang Xiao’s body suddenly bored into him.

As soon as the True Dragon Soul Refining Silk, stained with Elder Long’s Lifebound Blood, entered Yang Xiao’s body, it began to force out the black mist that had already spread throughout his physique and started fusing with his flesh. Like a celestial net, or perhaps an army of powerful True Dragon warriors, it pushed the mist back, bit by bit, toward Yang Xiao’s Sea of Consciousness.

Wherever they passed,

all the black mist was driven out.

Finally,

they entered the main battlefield of this possession struggle:

Yang Xiao’s Sea of Consciousness.

By now, compared to before, Yang Xiao’s Sea of Consciousness had changed dramatically.

Yang Xiao’s will, his Divine Soul, and all traces of his being—which had been cornered by the Dark Night Demon Venerable—were gradually re-coalescing.

This was because a miraculous stone stele was suppressing his Sea of Consciousness.

Although the stele’s appearance didn’t reverse the situation immediately, it steadily suppressed the black mist formed by the Demon Venerable.

This gave Yang Xiao a chance to breathe.

He began to gather his consciousness, Divine Soul, and Spiritual Power little by little, carving out a space for his own survival.

A space free from corrosion.

Moreover, Yang Xiao could sense

that as his Divine Soul Will gradually solidified, the space suppressed by the stele also began to expand.

He was steadily pressing his advantage.

It seemed that if he willed it, he could use the stele’s power to force the invading Demon Venerable out of his body, step by step.

’But why would such a miraculous stele help me?’

Yang Xiao was grateful, but also puzzled.

’Even Elder Long probably couldn’t produce such a miraculous stele. And we’re so close to the Burial God Celestial Abyss... Could this be the Divine-Demonic Stele?’

A thought struck Yang Xiao.

He couldn’t help but reach out to the stele with his Spiritual Power.

But he discovered

his Spiritual Power couldn’t penetrate the stele at all.

This only deepened his confusion.

’If the Divine-Demonic Stele came to save me because it wanted me as its master, then it would have accepted my Spiritual Power just now.’

’At the very least, it wouldn’t have been so cold and distant.’

’It clearly has no interest in me.’

’But if it’s not interested in me, why is it saving me?’

’This...’

’Could it already have a master? Does its master want to save me?’

Yang Xiao’s eyes suddenly lit up.

He suddenly spoke to the stele, "Xue Yi, is that you?"

Unfortunately,

the stele remained completely still.

There was no response.

Yang Xiao was a little disappointed.

Although his feelings for Xue Yi weren’t as deep as those for Yun’Er, as a woman whose aura had merged with his own, Yang Xiao still cared for her deeply.

At the very least, he felt a responsibility to look after Xue Yi.

Her mysterious disappearance, in particular, had weighed on his mind.

And now,

Yang Xiao had a strong feeling.

This stele before him...

if it truly had a master,

then its master was almost certainly Xue Yi.

But she didn’t respond.

’Does she have some hidden trouble she can’t speak of?’

Yang Xiao’s mood couldn’t help but sink.

However, seeing the vast amount of black mist still in his Sea of Consciousness, Yang Xiao forced himself to rally. His own situation was far from optimistic.

’Even with this Divine-Demonic Stele suppressing him, ensuring I won’t be possessed... after this Demon Venerable is driven out, I’ll probably still be in grave danger.’

’After all, that’s a Demon Venerable, an existence on par with a Top-tier Divine King.’

Besides,

’even if Xue Yi doesn’t respond to me,’

’maybe she has her reasons.’

’The fact that she came to save me now proves that I still have a place in her heart.’

’In that case,’

’why should I try to force her hand?’

’No matter what, I need to take back my body first.’

With his fighting spirit ignited,

Yang Xiao’s will became even more concentrated.

Under this pressure, he felt his comprehension of the Emperor Dao Celestial Venerable Map suddenly accelerate at least tenfold. Concepts he previously couldn’t grasp were now becoming clear, and the growth of his Spiritual Power was incalculably faster.

Furthermore, he had been using the Nine Revolutions Concentration Spirit Technique from the very beginning, keeping his Divine Soul and spirit at a peak of high quality.

This made the process of reclaiming his Sea of Consciousness much easier.

’It’s a pity. If I had a large supply of Soul Power right now, I might be able to condense a Heavenly Venerable Divine Soul. Although I’ve already given up on the Emperor Dao, the Emperor Dao Celestial Venerable is a manifestation of the Great Dao’s principles, born from the world’s fortune. Even without cultivating the Power of the Emperor, I can still condense such a Divine Soul. It would be of immense benefit to my future.’

This was, in fact, true.

The true name of the Emperor Dao Celestial Venerable Map was simply the Heavenly Venerable Map.

It was only called the Emperor Dao Celestial Venerable Map because it was a Secret Technique passed down from Celestial Emperor Yuan Shi to the Human Emperor, hence it was crowned with the name of the Emperor Dao.

This was merely to mislead outsiders.

Otherwise, if anyone knew that the Emperor Dao Celestial Venerable Map could be cultivated without following the Emperor Dao and be just as effective, it’s likely that even Saint-level Influences with a Saint Emperor presiding over them would covet it.

And how could Yang Xiao, who cultivated this very Secret Technique, not know this?

’Still, my current comprehension is sufficient. In the future, I just need to find a large amount of Spirit Medicine to supplement my Soul Power, and I can begin the condensation process. For now, though, I’ll focus on taking back my body.’

With a thought,

Yang Xiao began to push back against the surrounding black mist.

With the Divine-Demonic Stele’s help,

he believed he could succeed.

But just then,

the scattered black mist suddenly began to surge wantonly.

It seemed a counterattack was coming.