Immortal-Exterminating Divine Venerable

'Chang Xi's maid, Fire Kite, was looking for this. Yet, Xuan Yang placed it here in what was essentially my residence. He even set up a restriction so only someone with a Heaven and Earth Origin Flame could enter. He obviously left it for me. This item must be incredibly important, and it's connected to my past life.'

That was right. What appeared before Yang Xiao was none other than the mysterious Small Tripod that Chang Xi's personal maid, Fire Kite, had told him to find in the Profound Sun Secret Realm—the one he learned about when he opened her portrait.

The Small Tripod had an ancient, classical look. Its entire body was covered in fine patterns, too small to be seen with the naked eye.

It looked like a cross between a furnace and a tripod. It should have looked strange, yet a single glance revealed a perfectly natural and harmonious design.

It exuded an aura of mystery.

He didn't know what it was for.

But the fact that both Chang Xi's maid, Fire Kite, and his Junior Brother Xuan Yang were connected to it proved one thing.

This Small Furnace Cauldron was extremely important.

At the same time, it also indirectly corroborated one thing.

If Chang Xi was still alive.

If Fire Kite was still her maid.

Then.

There was definitely something wrong with her.

The destruction of the Nine Yang Celestial Palace, the death of Junior Brother Xuan Yang, and the disappearance of his master, the Nine Yang Ultimate Supreme—she was likely involved in all of it.

And the plot against him as well.

"If that's true, Chang Xi, you will regret this!"

Yang Xiao's eyes instantly turned bloodshot.

What he hated most in this life were those who plotted against him, toyed with him, and deceived him.

And if that person was Chang Xi.

He would hate her even more.

Enraged.

Because this woman had once been so important in his heart.

After tens of thousands of years of affection, it was safe to say that no one could ever replace Chang Xi's place in Yang Xiao's heart.

Not Yun'Er.

Not Xue Yi.

Not even Yue Lingxi.

And certainly not Yang Ziling or Bing Xin.

So, if a person like that betrayed him.

Yang Xiao would never forgive her!

'For now, I can't jump to conclusions. I'm not qualified to seek the answer yet, either—my power is too weak. This Small Furnace Cauldron, on the other hand... it's incredibly mysterious. I should study it carefully.'

After suffering for a million years in the Void Dark Realm, no matter how turbulent his emotions became, Yang Xiao could easily calm himself and correctly assess what he needed to do.

He took a step forward and grasped the Small Furnace Cauldron.

'Huh? How can it be this heavy? With my strength, I can't even pick it up?'

The moment he grasped it and tried to lift, Yang Xiao's expression changed.

He felt as if he weren't holding a Small Furnace Cauldron, but a hundred thousand great mountains. Even though his Physical Strength was already terrifying, having surpassed the power of One Thousand Flood Dragons, he couldn't even budge the Small Furnace Cauldron.

Just as Yang Xiao was considering whether to use the True Greater Yang Fire within him,

something miraculous happened.

The Small Furnace Cauldron, which had felt as heavy as a hundred thousand mountains, suddenly became incomparably light.

Yang Xiao lifted it instantly.

Because he hadn't let up on the immense force he was exerting,

he nearly threw out his back.

Fortunately, his reflexes were extremely sharp, and he steadied himself with a quick shift of his feet.

'What's going on? How can it be so heavy one moment and so light the next? In my hand, it feels lighter than a feather.'

The more he examined it, the more miraculous the Small Furnace Cauldron seemed to Yang Xiao.

With a flicker of his thoughts,

the True Greater Yang Fire inside him flared into existence, beginning to probe the Small Furnace Cauldron in his hand.

Unfortunately, there was no reaction at all.

Just as Yang Xiao, after experimenting for a long time, was about to give up,

Suddenly,

the Small Furnace Cauldron vanished.

It simply vanished from his hand into thin air.

When it reappeared,

it was inside his Qi Sea—or to be more precise, within his Heaven and Earth Origin Flame.

'What's going on? My Heaven and Earth Origin Fire feels... excited... Huh? What is that? Why did a wisp of aura suddenly emerge from the Small Furnace Cauldron?'

As Yang Xiao puzzled over this,

suddenly, a wisp of aura drifted out from the Furnace Cauldron.

This aura instantly merged into Yang Xiao's body, giving him an indescribable sensation.

Upon careful inspection,

Yang Xiao's expression changed.

He was shocked to discover a tiny, new pattern on his physical body.

'A Spirit Pattern? A Treasure Pattern? A Dao Pattern? Don't tell me it's a Sacred Pattern?'

Yang Xiao's mind was reeling.

He had no idea what this Small Furnace Cauldron was to have done such a thing. Furthermore, even with his discerning eye as a former Supreme Divine King, he couldn't tell what tier this pattern belonged to.

'Could it be a Secret Pattern even more powerful than a Sacred Pattern?'

The thought struck Yang Xiao, but he hardly dared to believe it.

He subconsciously tried to activate the pattern to see what it did.

However, the moment his True Greater Yang Fire entered the pattern, it vanished without a trace, like a stone dropped into a bottomless pit that could never be filled.

Unwilling to accept this, Yang Xiao continued to pour his True Greater Yang Fire into it.

Although his cultivation aura was currently at the Peak of Martial Saint Fourth Tier by the Celestial Cloud Region's standards—or more accurately, the True Intent Fourth Layer Peak, since Yang Xiao had not followed the Celestial Cloud Region's path—its strength was comparable to the Small Divine Power Realm Fourth Stage Peak.

Moreover, his reserves were considerable.

He poured all of it into the tiny pattern, yet the pattern swallowed it all without any reaction.

It only glowed a little brighter.

Yang Xiao was speechless.

'I'm determined to find out what you are!'

In a fit of stubbornness, Yang Xiao began to frantically absorb the world's Primordial Power to restore his True Greater Yang Fire.

But just then,

another wisp of aura drifted out of the mysterious Small Furnace Cauldron. It then merged into the pattern, and instantly, the originally tiny, invisible, and mysterious pattern swelled in size.

At this, Yang Xiao felt utterly defeated.

It meant he would need even more True Greater Yang Fire to activate the mysterious pattern and discover its purpose.

He had already used all his power when it was smaller and still failed to activate it.

Now it had doubled in size.

Yang Xiao sighed lightly. 'Looks like testing this pattern's abilities is going to be impossible for the time being. Still, this thing seems very important, and this Secret Pattern looks to be of a very high level, so it shouldn't be a bad thing. Who knows? Maybe as this Secret Pattern grows larger, my own constitution will ascend to the heavens and become a Sacred Body. Now *that* would be truly amazing.'

In fact, Yang Xiao had another theory.

This mysterious pattern seemed even more wondrous than an ordinary Sacred Pattern. If it were to cover his entire body, perhaps he wouldn't achieve a Sacred Body, but a constitution even more powerful still.

As for what that constitution might be?

Yang Xiao had no idea.

Shaking his head with a helpless air, Yang Xiao looked around the place one more time but found nothing else of note.

He then left the Celestial Fire Hall.

The moment he stepped out,

he saw two beautiful figures appear in front of the Great Emperor Tower.

Seeing him, they immediately rushed toward him.

'What's going on? What's wrong with these two girls? Hmm? They look like they've been crying. This doesn't look good. Did something happen?'

Yang Xiao's expression flickered.