"In about five more days, the three-year journey will be complete—this trip to the Heavenly Tomb has finally come to an end," smiled Xun'er, observing the thoughtful expression on Xiao Yan's face. Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan couldn't help but softly exhale. He hadn't expected that in just a blink of an eye, three years had passed so swiftly—though only half a year had elapsed externally, they had genuinely endured three years of rigorous cultivation. Fortunately, though the cultivation life had been monotonous, its results had been surprisingly outstanding. When Xiao Yan first entered the Heavenly Tomb, he had only just reached the sixth star of the Battle Sovereign rank. Now, however, he had ascended to the peak of the eighth star. With the various techniques and ancestral patterns he had acquired, he could now stand a strong match against even a ninth-star Battle Sovereign. Over these three years, Xiao Yan had undergone a transformation that was truly remarkable. "Hehe, it's truly time to go now. The time has flown by so quickly..." At the same moment, Xiao Xuan smiled, his voice carrying a subtle sense of melancholy and solitude. Though the Heavenly Tomb had allowed him to survive in a different way, it had also bestowed upon him endless loneliness. In this world devoid of human presence, they were like prisoners, confined by the very world around them. "Ancestral one... will you continue to exist like this in the future?" Xiao Yan paused, then asked. Xiao Xuan took a deep breath and nodded. "This must be the price of surviving in another way. We cannot leave the Heavenly Tomb; once we step beyond it, we vanish instantly. Thus, we can only exist within this world, enduring solitude all along." Hearing the quiet melancholy in Xiao Xuan's voice, Xiao Yan found his heart deeply moved. Though they had only stayed here for three years and already found it unbearable, Xiao Xuan had lived here for hundreds, even thousands of times longer. "Is there any other way to bring you completely back to life?" Xiao Yan asked gently. "Heh, I know you're a master alchemist—some advanced pills truly can revive the dying. But I? I'm a soul that's already been dead for countless years, even a fragmented one." Xiao Xuan smiled, showing remarkable composure, and patted Xiao Yan's shoulder. "Young one, if you're feeling down, just push yourself as hard as you can to reach the Emperor's realm. Once you reach that level, perhaps you'll find ways to free me. But for now, no matter how much you think or try, it'll all be in vain." "I've endured solitude, staying here for this very reason—not to be resurrected again, but to ensure that the bloodline strength of the Xiao clan continues to be passed on. I don't want the Xiao clan's bloodline strength to be forever buried beneath the eternal darkness of this skyless tomb." Xiao Yan took a deep breath, suppressing the swirling emotions within him. He knew that Xiao Xuan was right—though there might indeed be a way to free the latter, he himself currently lacked the ability to achieve that. "Ancestors, rest assured. I will surely return to the Heavenly Tomb once again. But when I come back next time, I will definitely break through to the level of Battle Saint!" Xiao Yan said firmly. Though reaching the level of Battle Saint was extremely difficult, no matter what, he would give it his absolute best. Seeing Xiao Yan's earnest expression, Xiao Xuan smiled warmly and nodded in satisfaction. Suddenly, he raised his hand, and Xiao Yan's nacreous talisman trembled slightly, then a luminous orb the size of a palm drifted out and hovered before Xiao Xuan. "What is this?" "Seeing this scene, Xiao Yan was slightly taken aback. Inside the glowing orb floated a jade pupa, about the size of a clenched fist, from which a peculiar aura subtly diffused..." "This is the ancient insect queen—the queen has reached a level equivalent to a human half-saint. However, she is currently in a dormant state. Otherwise, you wouldn't have easily penetrated the energy barrier." Xiao Xuan smiled gently. "A half-saint-level insect queen?" Hearing this, Xiao Yan's face flushed and his palms grew slightly numb. Indeed, the unfamiliar were fearless—had he known how formidable this creature truly was, he would never have dared to approach it with curiosity back then. "That explains why, after we passed through the crystal barrier, the ancient insect species became so frantic—it was Xiao Yan brother who brought the queen with him," Xun said, gazing curiously at the jade pupa. "If this thing is carried out with you, once the queen insect awakens, it will silently seep into your body without a sound, then gradually consume your qi from within. Unless a Qi Saint-level master intervenes, it will be impossible to locate and remove it from your body..." Xiao Xuan smiled. Hearing this, cold sweat immediately broke out on Xiao Yan's forehead. Qi disappearing... He had already tried this once before. Even though he had grown significantly stronger now, he still didn't want to be tainted by these eerie creatures. "Thank goodness my ancestor had such sharp eyes—otherwise, he would have truly been killed by this dreadful queen insect..." Xiao Yan said, his voice trembling slightly. "Heh, the queen insect indeed poses a challenge, but she is an excellent material for crafting the ancient royal insect armor..." Xiao Xuan smiled slightly, noticing the slightly puzzled expressions of Xiao Yan and himself, and explained, "The ancient royal insect armor is actually a unique defensive technique. However, when refined, it transforms into a shield-like form that envelops the body. In ancient times, this was extremely popular. Based on my expectations, if we use this queen insect to craft the armor, it should be able to withstand attacks from half-saint-level warriors without sustaining damage." "Oh?" Hearing that such an unassuming item could endure attacks from half-saint-level warriors, Xiao Yan's eyes brightened. He himself already possessed the Dragon-Phoenix Ancient Armor. With the addition of the ancient royal insect armor, even if struck by a single blow from a Saint-level warrior, he would surely have a good chance of surviving. "Rest assured, I'll take care of this. Before you leave, I'll hand you the ancient robe of the Primordial Insect Emperor..." Xiao Xuan smiled. "Right now, however, you might want to focus on something else." "What is it?" Xiao Yan blinked, asking. "Of course—deal with those two members of the Spirit Clan. After suffering such a major loss, how could they possibly forget? The Xiao Clan people aren't known for their forgiving nature." Xiao Xuan said with a calm smile. "The Spirit Cliff and Spirit Li, surely?" Xiao Yan's eyes narrowed slightly. "I can't believe I've forgotten them. Though now I'm not sure where they've gone." With his strength greatly enhanced, Xiao Yan now could easily handle both Spirit Cliff and Spirit Li even without summoning the Heavenly Demon Puppet. Moreover, the Heavenly Tomb is nearly populated only by the living—dangerous and isolated. Even if they perished here, their deaths would likely go unnoticed. It would truly be the perfect place to eliminate them silently. "As long as they remain within the Celestial Tomb, they will never escape my perception..." Xiao Xuan smiled faintly, lightly waving his hand, and the space before him rippled, a crack gradually spreading outward. "Enter through here, and you'll be within a hundred li of them. From now on, it's up to you—my hands will remain completely idle. Any questions?" Xiao Yan shook his head slightly, a cold, sharp smile curling at the corner of his mouth. Without further words, he stepped into the space crack, followed by Xun'er. As the two vanished into the crack, Xiao Xuan smiled. This, then, would be the final trial for Xiao Yan before his departure... Amidst the scattered rocks, a figure clad in silver armor hovers midair, seated with poised grace. A powerful energy radiates from within, clearly indicating that this entity has reached at least the nine-star level. Now, with steady vigilance, the figure scans the area below—though the ground is empty—his long-standing intuition senses a subtle threat. After prolonged observation, yielding no immediate results, the nine-star energy entity gradually relaxes. Yet, just as his tense body begins to unwind, the surrounding space suddenly freezes. Two dark chains, like lightning, pierce through the void with a rushing sound, swiftly entering the entity's body. As black mist spreads, they tear it apart completely. Then, from the now-empty space, a dark silhouette swiftly emerges, seizing the nine-star energy core. "These energy bodies possess immense power, yet they offer not a single trace of combat capability..." The black figure casually stored the energy cores into his storage relic, then slightly raised his head to reveal a pale, shadowed young face—none other than the one from the day before, Houni. "There are indeed many powerful energy bodies deep within the Heavenly Tomb, but that one is truly terrifying. We'd better keep our distance..." A second figure stepped forward, bearing the dreadful wounds clearly etched across his face—Hounli. "Hmph. I never expected to find such a strong member of the Xiao clan here within the Heavenly Tomb. Xiao Yan's luck truly is remarkable..." Houni's gaze was cold and sharp. "We're about to leave the Tomb. Remember to use the spatial scroll to teleport out immediately upon exit. Otherwise, once word spreads, the ancient clan will surely detain us. As for Xiao Yan—ah, I'll personally ensure that, when the time comes, I'll have my forces wipe out both him and the Starfall Pavilion completely." Hun Li nodded slowly, his eyes filled with cold, lethal intent. Since entering the Heavenly Tomb, they had been consistently countered by Xiao Yan—how could two proud individuals accept such treatment? "I don't think we need to wait until next time. Resolving this right now would be far more convenient, wouldn't it? I'm right, aren't I?"