Immortal-Exterminating Divine Venerable

"What's wrong?"

Sensing a strange emotional ripple from Yue Lingxi, Yang Xiao couldn't help but ask.

But his question only made the girl's face flush an even deeper red.

'He's already done it, and he still has the nerve to ask me what's wrong! What a jerk!'

Though she was fuming with embarrassment, she didn't say a word.

She just lowered her head and stomped her foot, the very picture of shy indignation.

This left Yang Xiao rather baffled.

However, he could sense that Yue Lingxi wasn't genuinely angry, so he just smiled and didn't press the matter.

Right now, a great many things were weighing on his mind.

Issues from every direction, all tangled and chaotic.

Yang Xiao truly had neither the time nor the inclination to guess the thoughts of the girl beside him.

If he had known that Yue Lingxi was flustered because their auras had mingled, he would have cried foul. It truly wasn't intentional; his aura had simply stirred on its own.

And their auras had become entangled.

It was as if they were innately drawn to one another.

There was nothing Yang Xiao could do about it.

Of course, Yue Lingxi wasn't actually angry. On the contrary, deep down, she felt a little sweetness, like a mortal woman suddenly being stolen a kiss by the man she loves.

Especially since this had happened before. Although she felt shy, and even a little annoyed...

...what she felt more was a sense of sweet bliss.

So, Yue Lingxi unconsciously tightened her small hand, which was being held by Yang Xiao.

It was the young woman's private response.

Just like that, the two walked the rest of the way in silence.

「Soon.」

They emerged from the Nine Nether Earth Rift.

By this time, Golden Flame had already left.

He had gone to find a place to undergo his tribulation.

Yang Xiao wasn't concerned.

A golden radiance flashed around him as he manifested his Golden-Winged Roc True Body. He swept Yue Lingxi into his arms, and with a powerful beat of his wings, he tore through the sky and departed.

「Soon.」

The two had left the Nine Nether Earth Rift far behind and were about to reach the Northern Wilderness Sword Mansion.

At that moment, a sudden tremor ran through Yang Xiao's mind.

His expression changed in an instant.

But it was immediately followed by a look of boundless joy.

"Haha, it's out! It's finally out!"

Yang Xiao burst into laughter.

This left Yue Lingxi, who was beside him, somewhat puzzled.

She stared at him, her large eyes wide with confusion.

Her gaze seemed to ask, 'What's out?'

"A Clone I was cultivating has come out of seclusion," Yang Xiao explained openly.

"You cultivated a Clone?"

Yue Lingxi's face was full of curiosity.

Yang Xiao nodded, his mood soaring.

Previously, Yang Xiao had been worried about leaving the Celestial Cloud Region right now. There was still a mountain of unresolved issues, many trivial matters that needed to be handled, and instructions that had yet to be given.

For instance, he needed to maximize the use of the Northern Wilderness Sword Mansion's resources to build the Carefree Sect into a truly powerful Sect.

Although the original Nine Great Sects had now vanished into thin air, there were still some other minor sects. These sects were no cause for concern, but the Carefree Sect's foundation was still too weak. Even with Fifth Tier Barbarian Beasts, his father, and the others, their forces seemed far too thin.

Moreover, in one year, that Vast Heaven Immortal Lord would likely break out of his seclusion. When that happened, the Immortal Dao would launch a full-scale invasion, and his Carefree Sect would bear the brunt of the attack.

Naturally, Yang Xiao hoped for more time to cultivate this force he had created.

He was desperate to see it grow stronger.

He also planned to have his father and several sworn brothers go in to seek their own opportunities and become stronger.

Beyond that, he himself faced the prospect of clashing with True God Level experts from the Immortal Dao. But because his main body was unique, it was impossible for him to cultivate to the Great Divine Power Realm, let alone the Demigod Realm, simply through seclusion.

Therefore, Yang Xiao couldn't just stay at the Northern Wilderness Sword Mansion and cultivate in peace.

But his Fire God Clone could.

One year on the outside was a thousand years inside. Could this Clone, with its potential to reach the Divine King Realm, achieve the rank of a True God?

Yang Xiao didn't know.

But he knew it could definitely reach the Demigod level. Moreover, it could help him comprehend various Secret Patterns. For example, Yang Xiao had only comprehended the first Third Layer of the Greater Yang Secret Pattern; there were still the Last Three Layers.

As for the Star Secret Pattern, he had only reached Perfection in the 1st Layer and had just scratched the surface of the 2nd Layer. Of course, that was because he previously lacked a follow-up Cultivation Technique. But now, Nangong Tianling had given him an Emperor Skill, the All Heavens Starry Fist. Although he only had the first four layers, it was enough for Yang Xiao to comprehend the first four layers of the Star Secret Pattern.

The same went for the Nine Yang Celestial Skill.

Its Divine Power Chapter required one to at least step into the Martial Saint Realm to even begin studying it.

Yang Xiao's main body hadn't reached that level, but the Fire God Clone could now comprehend it.

As for the Fire Secret Pattern, neither Yang Xiao himself nor the Fire God Clone actually needed to comprehend it. For the former, he would automatically grasp it simply by enhancing his Heaven and Earth Origin Flame.

As for the latter, it had already condensed the Fire God's Heart, a feat that had long since surpassed the level of the Fire Secret Pattern, making comprehension completely unnecessary.

And although the power cultivated by the Fire God Clone couldn't be shared with his main body—even the enhanced Spiritual Power would have to be re-fused to benefit him—the comprehension of Secret Patterns and the like could be synchronized.

In other words, in the days to come, Yang Xiao's main body wouldn't need to comprehend Secret Patterns at all. He could simply leave it to the Fire God Clone to master them completely.

Coupled with the advantages offered by the Northern Wilderness Sword Mansion...

'Perhaps, before long, all my various Secret Patterns can reach Perfection. Especially the Greater Yang Secret Pattern. If I can condense the Heart of the Greater Yang ahead of schedule, my True Greater Yang Fire will become incomparably tyrannical and terrifying. Once the Fire God Clone advances to Demigod, I should have it make a trip to the Rising Dragon Tower.'

Although Elder Long had once told Yang Xiao to wait until he was at least in the True God Realm before going to the Rising Dragon Tower, he knew his own situation best. The Greater Yang Secret Pattern was tyrannical, so much so that even members of the Lu Family, who possessed the Greater Yang Body, needed to be in the True God Realm to challenge the 7th Layer.

But he was different.

He had this confidence.

As long as his Clone reached the Demigod Level, it would absolutely be possible for it to possess the combat power of a True God. If it then challenged the Rising Dragon Tower, there would be a high chance of obtaining the Last Three Layers of the Greater Yang Secret Pattern.

When that time came, his odds of victory against the Immortal Dao would increase yet again.

Of course, that was a matter for the future.

For now, with the Fire God Clone emerging from the Poison King Valley, all of Yang Xiao's plans in the Celestial Cloud Region could be carried out simultaneously.

But what concerned him even more was the item the Fire God Clone had brought out of the Poison King Valley.

That item had been left behind by Celestial Poison.

It was a Supreme Treasure that would be incredibly useful to Yang Xiao.

Even Yang Xiao himself hadn't expected it.

He never imagined his clone would actually obtain such a Supreme Treasure.

It made him eager to get his hands on it right away.

At once, Yang Xiao flew even faster, carrying Yue Lingxi with him.