Xiao Qi's Purification Power, filled with protective intent, was like warm spring rain, silently nourishing the cold ancient altar and soothing the demonic energy rolling on Xu Zhan's phantom. Those few strands of purified demonic energy emitted unwilling faint hisses and retreated, allowing the clarity in Xu Zhan's phantom to be maintained, and even condensed a bit more!
His gaze toward Xiao Qi was intertwined with shock and hope, as if piercing through endless years and demonic barriers to finally see the continuation of his bloodline, a glimmer of light to break the deadlock.
This scene made Yan Feng and others attacking the restriction even more frantic, their spells striking more fiercely, yet still like ants shaking a tree, only creating slight ripples on the outermost light screen.
The demon's whisper carried a trace of flustered sharpness: "Stop! Ant, you dare...!"
It seemed to want to apply stronger interference, but Xiao Qi's mind was now closely connected to the altar and his father's remnant soul, protected by the jade pendant's clear radiance and the "Concentration Art," temporarily resisting that invisible soul erosion.
Xiao Qi seemed oblivious to everything around him, his entire spirit focused on communicating with the altar. He could feel that his weak but pure Purification Power, after touching the altar and his father's phantom, was like water drops merging into a dry riverbed, stirring something that had been dormant for a long time.
It was resonance!
The jade pendant at his chest became incredibly hot at this moment, as if an awakening heart was beating violently! And the Purification Source within him produced a clear resonance that transcended the restriction's obstruction with the massive Purification Essence sealed at the altar's peak!
It was a call and attraction of the same root and bloodline!
At the altar's peak, that mass of constantly evolving pure light source seemed to sense this call from a kindred source filled with goodwill. Its rhythm of birth and extinction showed obvious change for the first time! The flow of light became rapid, and the aura it emitted carried a joy and excitement as if finding a home!
"Weng—weng weng—"
The entire nine-layered altar, all its ancient runes, simultaneously emitted a low and magnificent resonance! The sound was like a musical piece silent for eons, finding the right performer and sounding its prelude once more!
Then, under everyone's incredulous gaze, the layers of terrifying seven-colored restriction light screens did not shatter, nor were they forcibly breached, but... as if possessing life, actively and gently parted to the sides!
Before Xiao Qi, that solid restriction light screen rippled like water waves, forming a passage stable and safe enough for only one person to pass through!
This passage, ignoring the Flaming Sun Sect's mad attacks, directly connected the altar's outer perimeter to Xiao Qi's position!
"How... how is this possible?!" Yan Feng was dumbfounded, his attacking motion frozen in mid-air, his face written with incomprehensible shock and jealousy.
Mu Qingfeng, Liu Yun, and others were also surprised and delighted, staring tightly at that passage and Xiao Qi.
The demon's whisper let out an angry roar, trying to stir the altar's power to counterattack, but that resonant power, originating from the core of this sealing system, temporarily suppressed its interference!
Xiao Qi looked at the passage opening before him, his heart clear without much surprise. He understood this was not conquest, but recognition. It was this ancient altar, this sealed essence, recognizing his "Dao," recognizing his protective will, recognizing his bloodline and power of the same source!
He didn't hesitate, took a deep breath, and stepped onto the passage formed by the restriction light screen.
His feet landed firmly and steadily. On both sides of the passage swirled destructive energy, yet it did him no harm.
He stepped forward one by one, passing the first layer, second layer, third layer... The altar's pressure still existed, but falling upon him, it was like a gentle baptism and scrutiny.
When he finally stepped onto the ninth layer of the altar and stood before that mass of pure light source and his father's phantom, another change occurred!
That light source no longer waited. It suddenly burst forth with unprecedentedly brilliant light! But this light was not an attack, but like finding an outlet, transforming into a stream of incomparably pure and vast Purification Power, like a galaxy cascading backward, surging toward Xiao Qi!
Xiao Qi instinctively spread his arms, not resisting but opening his heart to accept this power of the same source.
"Boom—!"
Vast Purification Essence Power poured into his body! This power was so enormous, far exceeding the limit his current cultivation could bear! His meridians were instantly stretched with agonizing pain, his body seeming about to explode!
But at this critical moment, the jade pendant at his chest burst forth with unprecedented heat and light! It seemed to transform into a bottomless black hole, a container and furnace exclusively for the Purification Source!
The vast majority of the incoming Purification Essence was madly absorbed by that seemingly inconspicuous jade pendant like a whale swallowing water!
On the jade pendant's surface, the originally ancient patterns became incredibly clear and bright, as if coming to life, with countless tiny light points undergoing some essential sublimation and transformation! Its color became deeper and more lustrous, and its aura became increasingly ancient and vast.
And the remaining small portion, the purest and most easily absorbed essence power, merged into Xiao Qi's own Purification Source, like pouring vast living water into a dry stream!
Xiao Qi could clearly feel that his Purification Source had undergone earth-shaking changes in both quality and quantity! It became purer, thicker, and closer to its original appearance! He could even faintly sense a trace of law implication contained within!
His cultivation, pushed by this power, began to soar naturally! The original mid-Foundation Establishment barrier was instantly broken, reaching late Foundation Establishment, and still steadily rising! His spiritual sense expanded madly, becoming more condensed and sharp!
When the light gradually subsided, Xiao Qi still stood at the altar's peak. His injuries had healed, his aura became deep and powerful. Although his cultivation finally stabilized at peak late Foundation Establishment, his entire temperament had undergone a rebirth-like change! He had gained an indescribable purity, majesty, and heaviness.
And the jade pendant at his chest had returned to calm, but upon close inspection, it seemed to contain a miniature starry sky within, with pure light points slowly circulating.
The resonance of the Purification Source not only greatly increased his strength but also established an unprecedented close connection between him and this altar!
He raised his head, his gaze falling once more on his father's phantom. With the transfer of large amounts of Purification Essence, the demonic energy wrapped around the phantom became thinner, and the clarity in Xu Zhan's phantom's eyes increased even more!
A determined light flashed in Xiao Qi's eyes. Now, it was time to try... completely purifying the demonic energy on his father!