Upon the hazy earth, glowing lights floated, and as one looked out, the entire world seemed enveloped in a profound stillness, devoid of any vitality... "Boom!" This silence had persisted for an indeterminate length of time, when suddenly, a low, resonant wind stirred, interwoven with deep, resonant cries that carried far through the mist. Looking toward the source of these sounds, two indistinct figures came into view. "Shh!" As the view narrowed, it became clear that around these two figures, ten or so ethereal forms—limbless, with hollow gazes—hovered. Though their eyes were vacant, their strength, speed, and power were no less impressive; as they charged forward, powerful energy waves surged, shattering massive stones on the ground. "Hey, let's go!" Seeing the energy forms surrounding them, Xiao Yan couldn't help but chuckle, then roared with determination. As the roar of his voice settled, his figure surged forth almost instantly. At the same time, a graceful figure beside Xiao Yan darted toward another direction, her jade hands glowing with golden light, striking the energy forms with the speed of lightning. "Boom! Boom!" The deep resonant sounds spread across a wide area, thinning the dense mist considerably. The sounds continued for a moment before abruptly ceasing, and the two figures reconnected, exchanging glances and smiling warmly. "Five...," Xiao Yan spread his hands, five energy cores—each the size of his thumb—now glowing with vibrant energy, appearing in his palm. "Six...” Xun'er also extended her hands, pale and as pure as jade, palm holding six energy cores of equal size. Seeing this, she lightly smiled and said with a gentle voice, "Xiao Yan brother, this time it's me who wins again!" Xiao Yan shook his head in resignation. Though the strength of these energy cores was only around two-star Domain Masters, he could already barely manage to handle five at once. If there were any more, he'd have to deploy a Domain Technique—then, indeed, he would fall behind Xun'er. "First, let's absorb the energy cores. I'll protect you." Xun'er placed all the cores into Xiao Yan's hands, speaking softly. Holding the energy core firmly in his hands, Xiao Yan did not hesitate to accept. Knowing that enhancing his strength was now urgent, he made no unnecessary refusals. Taking the energy core, he quickly settled into a meditative posture, activating his cultivation technique. A steady stream of rich energy flowed continuously from the core, eventually forming a dense mist that enveloped Xiao Yan layer by layer. With each breath, the mist surged like great dragons, pouring into his body. Gazing at Xiao Yan absorbing energy, Xun'er smiled gently and settled lightly beside him. She brushed a strand of silvery hair from her forehead. Since their arrival at the Heavenly Tomb, it had been nearly two months—during which time, the two of them had continuously traveled across this vast land. Every energy body they encountered had transformed into an energy core, accumulating in their hands. Thus, their harvest over these two months had been quite substantial. Yet, there remained a sense of slight regret: the energy bodies they had met had consistently been of moderate strength, resulting in energy cores of only two or three levels. Initially, these cores proved useful, but as Xiao Yan absorbed more and more, their effectiveness gradually diminished. Now, they finally realized that even with prolonged absorption, these cores began to develop resistance—though this resistance was considerably weaker than that of medicinal pills. In this still world, cultivation truly proves highly beneficial, though it demands endurance several times stronger than that of the outside world. Fortunately, Xiao Yan and Xun'er can accompany each other, so although the days are somewhat monotonous, they are far from lifeless. "Ah…" Xiao Yan's absorption of the energy nuclei didn't last long; his eyes slowly opened. Taking a deep breath, the swirling energy around him coalesced into a dragon-like aura, which he then swallowed whole in one go. "How do you feel?" Seeing Xiao Yan finish, Xun'er stretched lazily, her graceful curves clearly visible, her tone carrying a pleasant, relaxed charm. "Somewhat improved, but still some distance from reaching the six-star level. It seems we must seek out higher-grade energy nuclei," Xiao Yan said, slightly frowning. "Hehe, we're gradually approaching the central area of the first level of the Heavenly Tomb. The energy beings ahead will grow stronger and stronger—should our luck hold, we might even encounter wandering energy beings with strength at the six-star Battle Sovereign level or above. Their core energy sources would be perfectly suited for you right now." Xun'er smiled warmly, and her radiant expression gently dispelled the mild restlessness and dullness that had been lingering in Xiao Yan's heart. "How far is it until we reach the second level?" "It should take us about another month, perhaps a little more. The first level is the most expansive, while the lower two levels are more compact, though the danger steadily increases," Xun'er explained. "Another month, then?" Xiao Yan paused thoughtfully, then nodded, stood up, and turned his gaze toward the horizon, smiling, "Then let's keep moving. I wonder how the others are doing these days." "Those who can enter the Heavenly Tomb are outstanding individuals among their respective tribes, well acquainted with the Tomb. Unless they encounter exceptionally powerful beings, nothing untoward should happen. Moreover, such powerful beings are quite rare within the first level." "Come on..." Xiao Yan nodded, then waved his hand and stepped forward, moving swiftly toward the deep parts of the Sky Tomb. Behind him, Xun smiled and followed closely. Though the world here was often monotonous, being with him made even the most ordinary places feel warm and comforting. Yet under this monotonous routine, the very concept of time seemed to grow faint. Thus, when Xiao Yan and his companion had journeyed for nearly four months, traversing the vast Tianmu, and gazed upon the shimmering energy wall appearing at the horizon, they found themselves momentarily stunned. "Is this the entrance to the second layer?" Xiao Yan remarked, slightly astonished, as he stared at the energy wall cascading down from the very edge of the sky. Now, Xiao Yan's entire demeanor carried a sense of weariness, his black hair slightly longer than before, his face more slender, yet the deep black of his eyes sparkled with vibrant intensity. Since entering the deeper parts of the first layer, He and Xu'er have been frequently subjected to attacks from powerful energy entities. Most of these assaults have been handled by Xiao Yan, as after witnessing Xu'er effortlessly destroy an energy entity of six-star Douzun strength with just her movements, Xiao Yan had been forced to silently restrict her from intervening further. Clearly, given Xu'er's capabilities, the first layer posed no significant challenge to her—thus offering little room for substantial cultivation progress. In contrast, Xiao Yan himself, who currently holds the rank of five-star Douzun, finds the encounters quite effective when not employing his Dou Techniques. Without such techniques, he is able to match and even overcome the six-star energy entities. Of course, this effectiveness is only temporary. As he engages in more battles, he grows increasingly familiar with these entities, and consequently, the duration of each encounter has steadily decreased—from initially lasting dozens of rounds down to just ten rounds now. Indeed, even some slightly weaker six-star energy entities are now being defeated within just three rounds. "Xiao Yan, you're now at the peak of the Five-Star rank and are just about to break through into the Six-Star level. I suggest you make that breakthrough before entering the second layer. Otherwise, your inner qi will overflow, causing instability in your energy flow. Moreover, the second layer is more dangerous than the first—advancing there might not be without complications..." Xun'er looked at the vast energy screen far ahead, then turned to Xiao Yan with a warm smile. "The energy required for a rank advancement among the Sovereigns indeed proved overwhelming. The energy I've absorbed over these four months—though it would take a full year even outside—has only just met the threshold for breakthrough. I wonder what kind of staggering energy will be needed to advance from six-star to seven-star..." With a soft sigh, Xiao Yan quickly focused his attention and turned to Xun'er, saying, "Then, I'll need you to serve as guardian once again." Xun'er smiled and nodded. Noticing this, Xiao Yan glanced around, then leapt onto a towering stone, swiftly settling into a meditative posture. As Xiao Yan gradually entered his state of cultivation, a vast surge of combat energy began to radiate from within him, gradually spreading out to cover a radius of one hundred meters. Watching Xiao Yan close his eyes and make the breakthrough, Xun'er lightly lifted her foot, her body drifting to another part of the stone, and gently closed her eyes, absorbing every movement and change within a radius of one hundred paces. As the two grew still, the realm once again became silent and desolate... However, after this stillness had persisted for nearly two hours, a cold, gentle breeze suddenly swept in, penetrating the quiet. At the moment this breeze appeared, Xun on the great stone suddenly opened her eyes, her face cold as she gazed steadily toward the northern sky. In a soft voice, she said, "If you've come, why hide and hesitate further? Has the Hún clan truly reached such a state of desperation?" "Indeed, it's no surprise—what a remarkable sense of perception for a descendant of the ancient clan's divine lineage!" As Xun's words settled, ripples spread across the distant space, and then two figures in black robes slowly stepped into view, their solemn aura gradually spreading throughout the air.