Chapter 389: Rescue and Three Heaven Sovereigns
"Min'er, Lingyun, I'm sorry I'm late. You've suffered so much!"
In the ancestral dungeon of the True Phoenix Clan within Dragon Phoenix Heaven, Xiao Tiance stood before the last cell. His heart ached for his disciples, but his body radiated an unstoppable killing intent. Were it not for the concealment array shielding him, this aura alone would have spread across the entire True Phoenix Clan's ancestral grounds.
A Glimmer of Hope
"Teacher…?"
Min'er and Lingyun slowly opened their weary eyes, disbelief flashing across their faces. Yet, seeing no one before them, their expressions quickly turned to disillusionment.
But the next second, as Xiao Tiance extended the range of his concealment array to encompass them, they finally caught sight of him.
Their despair turned to unrestrained joy.
"Teacher! It's Teacher! How did you get in here?"
Lingyun's voice trembled with excitement, but his weakened body robbed him of the strength to speak clearly.
Min'er, sitting beside him, was equally overjoyed. Tears welled in her eyes as her emotions surged.
For over a month, they had been trapped here. At first, they thought returning to the ancestral grounds meant fulfilling their clan's dream of honoring the Tianhuang Clan's ancestors. But betrayal awaited them instead ambushed, chained by iron hooks through their collarbones, and subjected to a cruel ritual draining their bloodline essence.
"Teacher… sob… you've finally come to save us!"
Min'er broke into tears, her voice choked with emotion. All the fear, humiliation, and despair from the past month erupted in her cries.
Seeing their pitiful state, Xiao Tiance clenched his fists tightly, his nails digging into his palms. These were his first disciples the ones who had been with him the longest, who shared the deepest bond with him. Now they were reduced to this.
If not for the need to ensure their safety, Xiao Tiance would have already unleashed his wrath upon the entire clan.
Taking a deep breath, he suppressed his boiling fury. His hand ignited with the Golden Emperor Burning Heaven Flame, which he pressed against the cell door.
The iron door glowed red hot before melting into a pool of liquid metal.
Stepping inside, Xiao Tiance gently cupped Min'er and Lingyun's faces, his voice soft but resolute:
"I'm here now. I'll make sure every ounce of suffering you endured is repaid a hundredfold."
He carefully removed the iron hooks and restraints from their bodies. Then, recalling Feng Zhen's memories, he located the devices collecting their bloodline essence and destroyed them.
A Promise of Restoration
Pulling two chairs from his spatial ring, he helped them sit down.
"Your bloodline essence is nearly depleted. I will replenish it for you. This process will be painful, but you must endure it," Xiao Tiance said gently.
"We're not afraid of pain, Teacher," the two disciples said in unison.
Xiao Tiance smiled faintly. "I know you're both strong. Take these pills first to heal your external injuries. Once your bodies are stable, I'll restore your bloodline essence."
From his spatial ring, he retrieved two jade bottles and handed them to his disciples.
Min'er and Lingyun swallowed the pills without hesitation, immediately beginning to circulate their energy to absorb the medicinal power.
Their condition was so dire that even basic movements were laborious. Seeing this, Xiao Tiance placed his hands on their backs, infusing his spiritual energy to accelerate the process.
In just three minutes, their wounds began to heal. However, their clothes, tattered and bloodstained, were unfit to wear.
Using his spiritual energy, Xiao Tiance cleaned the grime off their bodies. Then, he took out fresh clothing and handed it to them.
"These are mine, so they may not fit perfectly, but they'll do for now. Once we're out of here, I'll prepare better ones for you," he said with a warm smile.
After Min'er changed, she called out softly:
"Teacher, I'm ready."
Soon, Lingyun also finished.
The Restoration Ritual
"Pangwa, bring us into the Heavenly Dao Tower. I'll perform the restoration there," Xiao Tiance instructed.
Pangwa didn't hesitate, activating the Heavenly Dao Tower and absorbing all three into its first floor space.
Inside, Min'er and Lingyun were awestruck by the sight of countless floating orbs of light in various colors.
"Teacher, what is this place?"
"This is the Heavenly Dao Tower," Xiao Tiance explained. "This is only the first floor; there are eight more above. Now, sit down and focus. I'll begin the process of restoring your bloodline essence here."
The two nodded, their faces filled with gratitude.
"Stay alert and remain conscious," Xiao Tiance instructed. "This will be painful, but as your bloodline essence returns, the Nirvana Flame within you will also grow stronger, helping to alleviate the discomfort. Once it stabilizes, the pain will lessen."
Min'er and Lingyun sat cross legged as instructed.
Xiao Tiance took the bloodline essence collected in the containers he had destroyed earlier. His spiritual energy enveloped the blood, extracting strands as thin as threads.
"Hmmph!"
The moment the threads of blood entered their bodies, both disciples grimaced in pain. Despite their mental preparation, the agony was far more intense than they had expected.
"Focus! The bloodline essence has lost its vitality since being removed from your bodies. It must pass through your heart to regain its full potency. This process is essential for it to merge with your body. Endure it a little longer," Xiao Tiance explained.
"We understand, Teacher! Please proceed!" Min'er and Lingyun gritted their teeth, their determination unwavering despite the searing pain.
As Xiao Tiance continued the delicate process of restoring their bloodline essence, his heart burned with rage and determination. Those responsible for harming his disciples would soon face the wrath of a Heaven Sovereign.
"Alright, the restoration process will now speed up, but the pain will also intensify. Be prepared."
Xiao Tiance's tone was calm yet firm as he increased the output of his spiritual energy. The fine threads of blood infused into his disciples' bodies began flowing faster.
Sweat began to bead on Min'er and Lingyun's faces, dripping down their foreheads and bodies. Despite the excruciating pain, they gritted their teeth and endured, not uttering a single complaint.
Time Passes
Fifteen minutes passed in the blink of an eye. With the last thread of blood fully integrated into their systems, Xiao Tiance finally let out a sigh of relief.
The most crucial part of the process was complete.
He observed them closely as their auras began to strengthen gradually. A satisfied smile tugged at his lips. While full recovery would take more time, they were on the right path.
Xiao Tiance instructed Min'er and Lingyun to continue recovering in the Heavenly Dao Tower while he turned to Pangwa.
"Pangwa, take me out. It's time to deal with the ones who dared harm my disciples."
Discovering a Hidden Threat
Back in the dungeon, Xiao Tiance expanded his soul energy, scanning every corner. Suddenly, his senses locked onto an alarming presence a faint but unmistakable aura belonging to someone at the late stage of Celestial Heaven Sovereign level.
"What?"
Xiao Tiance inhaled sharply. The presence was faint and weak, almost imperceptible, but it carried a terrifying pressure.
"This person is at the far northern end of the dungeon," he thought, narrowing his eyes.
As his scan continued, Xiao Tiance noticed two other auras both at the late stage of Spiritual Heaven Sovereign level.
"The True Phoenix Clan is terrifying. To imprison three Heaven Sovereigns simultaneously what kind of monstrous strength does this clan wield?"
Xiao Tiance marveled at the implications. Any one of these sovereigns could rule over an entire continent in the Great Thousand World. Yet here they were, imprisoned in the depths of the True Phoenix Clan's dungeon, likely left to rot.
A Voice in the Void
As he mused, a weak but clear voice reached his ears:
"Young friend, we sense you've come to rescue someone. If it's within your power, we humbly ask that you rescue us as well."
Xiao Tiance froze.
"Someone detected me? Even while I'm concealed within a master level array?"
The realization struck him hard. His soul energy, no matter how refined, was not infallible. Against certain powerful beings or those with acute senses, his presence could still be noticed.
Meeting the Imprisoned
Determined to investigate, Xiao Tiance followed the voice to the northernmost part of the dungeon.
The cell before him was vastly different from the others. It was constructed entirely of high grade metal, from the walls to the floors, leaving only a fist sized viewing window.
Through the small opening, Xiao Tiance saw three figures inside. They were little more than skin and bones, with unkempt hair and long beards. Thick chains each as wide as a bowl's rim bound their necks, wrists, waists, and ankles.
Even the cell itself was reinforced with a powerful suppression array designed to weaken their already fragile states.
"Impressive," Xiao Tiance murmured.
For most, breaking into this cell would be nearly impossible. But with his Golden Emperor Burning Heaven Flame, even the strongest metals were no match.
The Sovereign Speaks
Another voice, weak yet steady, resonated in Xiao Tiance's ears:
"Young friend, your methods are extraordinary. No one has ever walked through this dungeon so freely. May I ask your name and why you've come here?"
Xiao Tiance expanded the concealment array to envelop the entire cell. Then, he responded aloud:
"Junior Xiao Tiance greets the three seniors. I came to rescue my two disciples, who were imprisoned here. Having succeeded, I was preparing to leave when I heard your voice."
The elder inside chuckled hoarsely.
"Then allow this old man to address you as Tiance, young friend. You are truly remarkable your concealment array has reached grandmaster level. Even a Heaven Sovereign might not detect you unless you revealed yourself. Yet, your soul energy is sharp enough to notice us. How intriguing."
Xiao Tiance smiled faintly.
"You flatter me, senior. May I know why you've summoned me here?"
The elder didn't hesitate.
"Tiance, my siblings and I have been imprisoned here for countless years. In fact, this dungeon was originally constructed for the sole purpose of holding us. Over time, it evolved into a general prison. We hope you might lend us your aid."
A Difficult Request
Xiao Tiance's brows furrowed.
"Seniors, why should I help you?" he asked bluntly. "If I'm not mistaken, you hold something the True Phoenix Clan desires. Otherwise, in your current states, any high level sovereign could easily kill you. Why are you still alive?"
The elder chuckled again.
"Sharp and perceptive as expected. Yes, we do possess something the True Phoenix Clan covets. Should you help us escape, we will owe you a great debt of gratitude."
Xiao Tiance remained silent, pondering the situation.
If these three had been spared for so long, they must possess something of immense value. But aiding them might further entangle him with the True Phoenix Clan, already a daunting opponent.
Finally, he asked:
"What guarantee do I have that helping you won't lead to further complications for me?"
The elder's voice grew resolute:
"Tiance, the True Phoenix Clan is a monstrous force, but the three of us have our own legacies and resources. Free us, and we will not only reward you but also aid you in any way you require."
Xiao Tiance's expression remained unreadable, but his curiosity was piqued.
"Very well," he said at last. "But I will decide how and when to proceed. Until then, tell me everything about what you hold and why the True Phoenix Clan imprisoned you."
The elder nodded slowly, his sunken eyes gleaming faintly.
"Of course, young friend. Let us tell you a story of betrayal, power, and secrets buried deep within the annals of the Great Thousand World…"
(End of Chapter)
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