Catching sight of the Ancient Heaven Serpent's greedy little act, the Ancient Void Dragon's eyes revealed faint disdain. It clearly regarded the opportunistic serpent with utter contempt.
After obliterating the Ancient Heavenly Phoenix, the dragon's lingering obsession began to fade. By all rights, it should have dissipated into the world completely—but the presence of Zi Yan gave it another path.
With a flash of its enormous body, the dragon suddenly swooped toward Liu Xi and Zi Yan. Liu Xi's expression shifted; he instinctively reached to pull Zi Yan away. But she didn't move.
"Zi Yan!" Liu Xi called sharply.
Zi Yan placed a hand over her chest, her expression tinged with both sorrow and joy. "Big Brother, don't worry. He wants me to take him home. That's his final wish."
Liu Xi froze for a moment. Indeed, the Ancient Void Dragon attacking Zi Yan would make no sense—but wanting her to bring it back to the tribe? That was very possible.
In the blink of an eye, the colossal dragon was before them. The wind from its descent whipped their robes into a frenzy. Its massive head lowered, eyes dim yet filled with an inexplicable gentleness as it looked at Zi Yan.
Seeing it remain still, Liu Xi relaxed and turned to watch Zi Yan. This kind of ritual between dragons was beyond him.
Zi Yan, usually so lively and mischievous, now appeared solemn. She bowed deeply. From her chest, a purple-gold dragon seal floated out, hovering between her and the dragon, radiating a sacred light.
The faint glow reflected in the dragon's lifeless eyes, and for the first time, a trace of emotion—joy—seemed to stir within.
"Junior Zi Yan," she said respectfully, "is willing to bring Senior home."
"Roar…"
The Ancient Void Dragon responded softly. It sounded almost sentient again. Its immense body began to glow with a gentle violet light.
As the radiance intensified, its form gradually faded. When the light finally dimmed, its vast body had vanished entirely, leaving behind only a glowing purple orb the size of a fist.
The orb floated toward the dragon seal, merging into it. The seal blazed with brilliant light before spinning and sinking back into Zi Yan's chest, merging seamlessly into her body.
Zi Yan closed her eyes. Her brows furrowed and relaxed as if she were digesting a torrent of memories. After a long while, she opened her eyes again—the violet gleam fading, replaced by her usual lively brightness. She blinked and smiled sweetly.
"All done, Big Brother. Let's check on Qing Lin. That Ancient Heaven Serpent's still around!"
Liu Xi chuckled softly as he walked toward the serpent. "Seems like you've gained quite a lot?"
Zi Yan nodded and pressed a hand lightly against her chest, smiling. "The senior didn't leave much behind—his consciousness had mostly faded. But he passed on his comprehension of the Dou Saint Realm and centuries of combat experience."
"That's good news," Liu Xi said with a grin. "Once you refine the Dragon Phoenix Origin Fruit and step into the Dou Saint Realm, these insights will help you master your new strength quickly."
Meanwhile, the Ancient Heaven Serpent had finished devouring the phoenix's remains. Its eight remaining heads chewed relentlessly until not a trace of the phoenix was left.
When Liu Xi approached, sixteen crimson eyes turned toward him, still filled with killing intent—but beneath it lingered exhaustion.
After all, the phoenix had been a level above the serpent. Having swallowed such a being, the serpent had… overeaten.
And a serpent that has eaten its fill—no matter how ancient—just wants to sleep.
"Qing Lin, wake up!"
Seeing the serpent's strange stillness, Liu Xi decided to try. His voice boomed like thunder, carrying immense Spiritual Power as it echoed directly into her mind.
"Young Master~"
In that instant, Qing Lin awakened as if from a dream. She immediately activated her Green Snake Three-Flowered Pupils, suppressing the Ancient Heaven Serpent's turbulent energy.
The crimson-scaled serpent's killing aura gradually receded. Its sixteen blood-red eyes each blossomed with a faint turquoise mark—a three-petaled flower—signifying Qing Lin's complete control.
The serpent's massive body dissolved into a crimson mist that slowly contracted, converging at the center. Within the mist, Qing Lin's figure appeared, before she fell weakly toward the ground.
Liu Xi vanished and reappeared beneath her in the next instant, catching her in his arms. Her body trembled with exhaustion, beads of sweat glistening on her forehead.
"Y-Young Master," she whispered guiltily, "I'm sorry… I couldn't keep the Ancient Heaven Serpent contained. I caused trouble for you and Sister Zi Yan."
Liu Xi smiled faintly and shook his head. "It's fine. With your current strength as a 2-Star Dou Zun, handling the Ancient Heaven Serpent was already a challenge. Now that it has devoured the Heavenly Phoenix, it's bound to grow stronger. You'll just have to work hard—make its power truly yours."
He then looked toward Zi Yan. "Zi Yan, go ahead and pick the Dragon Phoenix Origin Fruit. There shouldn't be any more surprises."
"Got it!"
Zi Yan's eyes gleamed with excitement as she hurried to the altar. Compared to any treasure she'd tasted before, this fruit was something from an entirely different realm.
Liu Xi followed, carrying the tired Qing Lin in his arms. She bit her lip, eyes flickering with determination. Deep inside, she vowed to strengthen herself as quickly as possible.
At the altar's center, Zi Yan knelt beside the small golden-violet sapling. She bit her fingertip and let blood well up, spreading it across her hands. Her expression grew solemn as she cradled the Dragon Phoenix Origin Fruit in both palms.
The blood seeped into the fruit. The intertwined dragon and phoenix shadows upon it shone brilliantly, the entire fruit liquefying into radiant light that merged into her palms.
When the glow finally faded, the sapling was bare—and on Zi Yan's hand remained a glowing pattern of a dragon and phoenix circling one another.
Exhaling softly, she stood and turned toward Liu Xi's curious gaze. "Once the Dragon Phoenix Origin Fruit leaves this space, its medicinal essence will start to dissipate. I sealed it within my body for now. When I return to the tribe, I'll complete the refinement."
She then looked at Qing Lin, half-concerned and half-envious. "How's Qing Lin? Any injuries?"
Qing Lin blushed faintly, but before she could answer, Liu Xi spoke for her. "She just exhausted too much energy suppressing the serpent's rampage. Nothing serious. But we'll need to find a place that helps her stabilize it—otherwise, if the serpent stirs again, it might try to seize control."
Zi Yan nodded, her eyes softening as she looked at them both.
Liu Xi's lips curved in quiet satisfaction. "Let's go home."
(End of Chapter)
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