Battle Through the Heavens: Purple Heaven Thunder Emperor

Chapter 563 The Ancestral Symbol of Life and Death (Happy New Year, fellow readers!)

In the void, the old man Mu Lan's aura gradually rose, and the Yuan Power around him surged like a tide, exuding a suffocating sense of oppression.

The pressure from a Transcendent Realm expert was almost tangible!

Ling Qingzhu and Xiao Hong sensed the powerful fluctuations of Yuan energy around them. The relaxed expressions on their faces instantly vanished, and their Yuan energy began to circulate quietly within their bodies, revealing a look of vigilance in their eyes.

Even though they knew that their strength was simply not enough to face a Transcendent Realm expert.

Only Xiao Bai remained calm, standing with his hands behind his back.

He ignored Mu Lan's imposing aura as if it were just a gentle breeze.

Instead, a thoughtful look appeared in his eyes.

He has now undergone the Ninefold Nirvana, and is only one step away from entering the Life Profound Realm.

This step was nothing to him.

With a meditation cushion made of the branches and leaves of an ancient Bodhi tree, he could break through to a higher level at any time, if he so desired.

But that's not what he wanted.

In the Tianxuan Continent, the path of cultivation involves stealing Yin and Yang, seizing creation, undergoing Nirvana, grasping life and death, and controlling reincarnation.

It must be said that the concepts of Yin and Yang, creation, Nirvana, life and death, and even reincarnation are all involved.

He had grasped these mysteries on the Dou Qi Continent, and he had a particularly deep understanding of some of them.

Therefore, the Yuanli system is extremely suitable for him, as if it were tailor-made for him.

When he first created the Yuanli cultivation method, he had some vague ideas about the Life and Death Profound Realm.

The Realm of Life and the Realm of Death appear to be two different realms.

But from his perspective, this is a whole new level.

Start with life, and from life to death.

He was all too familiar with this process.

When Xiao Bai first refined the Life and Death Purple Lightning, he also started with the life force, comprehending the power of life and destruction to an extremely profound level.

When life reaches its extreme, it is destroyed; when destruction reaches its extreme, life begins to grow again.

The two are in balance and blend together, complementing and generating each other.

Therefore, he had a bold idea about the Mysterious Realm of Life and Death: since he held the power of life and death, could life and death occur simultaneously?

Based on his understanding of the two forces, it shouldn't be too difficult in theory.

The only thing that made him somewhat hesitant was the first step—

Ideally, there should be a divine object that can perfectly balance life and death, allowing him to enter a state of balance between life and death the moment he breaks through to Nirvana.

The first thing that came to his mind when he thought of such a divine object was the Life-Death Purple Lightning.

However, after fighting Ren Yuanzi in the ancient battlefield, he gave up on this idea.

The moment the Purple Lightning of Life and Death appeared, the repulsion between planes arrived instantly.

If he uses this as a starting point, he will need to gradually wash away the power from the other world later on.

Instead of wasting time like this, it would be better to start cultivating from the Life Profound Realm; that might be faster.

but----

The moment he saw Mu Lingshan, he knew that a divine object had arrived.

Ancestral Symbol of Life and Death.

That mysterious state of perfect balance and harmonious coexistence between the two forces of life and death —

It was simply the perfect choice for what he needed!

If he were to use the Ancestral Symbol of Life and Death as a guide, he could directly enter the profound realm of life and death balance during his Nirvana breakthrough. In fact, he might even be able to skip the Life Profound Realm and the Death Profound Realm in one step and directly reach the pinnacle of reincarnation!

Of course, this requires the assistance of the Life and Death Ancestral Talisman.

The Mu Lingshan before them was the original talisman of the Life and Death Ancestral Talisman.

Xiao Bai fell into deep thought and remained silent for a long time.

Upon seeing this, Mu Lan frowned slightly.

The person's Yuan Power fluctuations were only at the Nirvana Realm, but his expression did not change at all when faced with the oppressive aura of a Reincarnation Realm expert.

So calm.

He could tell that this wasn't feigned composure, but rather a kind of—

He seemed completely indifferent to his status as a being in the cycle of rebirth.

If it were an ordinary Nirvana Realm cultivator, the instinctive awe and fear they felt in his presence, no matter how much they tried to feign calmness, would still be evident in certain details.

The black-robed youth before them showed no fear or awe, only calmness.

Even—it seems—that they are still pondering something, not to mention any other emotions.

It was as if his current state of reincarnation was less important than the question he was pondering.

This made Mu Lan secretly angry.

He was, after all, a Transcendent Realm expert!

Even some top-tier forces in this chaotic Demon Sea will be more cautious.

But while he was angry, he was also somewhat wary.

After all, he couldn't ignore what Aokiji said.

The person who could make the Azure Dragon King, who was at the second stage of the Reincarnation Realm, personally say the words "cannot see through" must be no ordinary person.

Mu Lan sighed.

He regretted coming closer earlier.

If he were alone, he would simply fight back to test the opponent's strength.

But Ling Shan was right beside her at that moment.

He had no idea what methods the other party had.

If anything happens to Ling Shan at that time, he will be a sinner of the Undying Holy Whale Clan.

He really didn't want to make an enemy of someone of unknown origin unless absolutely necessary.

He also wanted to turn around and leave.

But now that Ling Shan's identity has been exposed, he can't rest easy until he finds out the truth.

after all----

It's not the theft itself that's scary, it's having someone eyeing it.

Ling Shan is a person, not an object; it's impossible to lock her up somewhere.

"Your Mightiness----"

Mu Lan slowly opened her mouth, about to say something, "I mean no harm."

Xiao Bai suddenly spoke, interrupting him.

He looked up at Xiang Mulan, a faint smile on his lips: "I just felt a connection with this young lady."

Mu Lan was taken aback.

They clicked?

What kind of reason is that?

He was a little confused and didn't understand what Xiao Bai meant.

Ling Qingzhu and Xiao Hong were both taken aback upon hearing this.

They all thought of the words Xiao Bai had said to Xiao Hong when they were at the Great Wilderness Ancient Stele: "We are destined to meet."

Then Xiaohong received an incredible opportunity.

A drop of her essence allowed her to break free from the shackles of her bloodline, giving her the potential to take human form.

Could it be that...?

Is the senior about to give someone another opportunity?

Xiao Bai did not explain.

He raised his right hand—

"Buzz!"

A pitch-black vortex suddenly appeared in his palm!

The vortex spun slowly, only the size of a fist, yet it seemed to contain endless depths, capable of swallowing everything in the world!

A pure and extreme power of devouring quietly spread out!

That is————

"Ancestor Symbol?!"

Mu Lan's pupils suddenly contracted, and an expression of disbelief appeared in her eyes!

He would never admit to being wrong about this fluctuation!

The scent emanating from He Lingshan has a similar aroma!

That was the unique aura of the Ancestral Symbol!

"Swallow—devour the Ancestral Symbol?!"

Mu Lan's voice trembled slightly.

He never expected that the black-robed youth in front of him was actually the master of the Ancestral Symbol!

And it's the most mysterious Devouring Ancestral Symbol!

The little girl in the blue dress, Mu Lingshan, stared intently at the dark vortex in Xiao Bai's palm with her big eyes, her gaze full of curiosity.

Some kind of power within her seemed to have been activated!

Suddenly, a strange black and white light emerged from that petite body!

The light flowed and formed mysterious patterns all over her body.

On his forehead, a black and white rune appeared and disappeared!

Ling Qingzhu's beautiful eyes widened as her gaze shifted back and forth between the black vortex in Xiao Bai's hand and the black and white runes on Mu Lingshan's forehead.

Ancestral Symbol!

Two ancestral talismans!

She never expected to see the legendary ancestral symbols so soon, and there were two of them!

Mu Lan isn't much better off.

He was speechless at the sight of Aokiji.

That old dragon never told him that this black-robed youth also possessed the Devouring Ancestral Symbol!

But then he thought about it again and realized what was going on.

Given how much Aokiji cares about that ancient calamity, he would never reveal the information about the Ancestral Symbol Master to anyone else.

After all, he knew Ling Shan's situation, and Qing Zhi had never told outsiders about it.

"Uncle, what did you do to it?"

Mu Lingshan suddenly spoke, tilting her head to look at the dark vortex in Xiao Bai's hand, her eyes filled with doubt: "It seems to be—"

She frowned slightly, seemingly unsure how to describe it.

She could sense that something was missing from the Devouring Ancestral Symbol.

Xiao Bai's gaze sharpened slightly.

He hadn't expected that Mu Lingshan could sense that the Devouring Spirit was no longer there.

As expected of a fellow ancestral spirit, their perception is so sharp.

"Your uncle is the same as yours."

Xiao Bai smiled without batting an eye and without panting, "Because of certain reasons, I became the spirit of this Devouring Ancestral Symbol."

Upon hearing this, everyone was shocked!

Like Ling Shan?

Devouring the spirit of the Ancestral Symbol?!

Ling Qingzhu and Xiao Hong stared wide-eyed, glancing back and forth between Xiao Bai and Mu Lingshan.

A moment later, they realized—

So that's what the senior meant by "getting along well"!

Both of them are spirits!

No wonder————

No wonder the senior was so interested in this little girl!

Mu Lan was also stunned.

He glanced at Xiao Bai, then at Ling Shan, a complex look flashing in his eyes.

I see----

No wonder he could see through Ling Shan's identity at a glance!

"Little guy."

Xiao Bai dispersed the Devouring Vortex in his hand, looked at Mu Lingshan, and smiled slightly: "Uncle would like to borrow your Life and Death Ancestral Symbol for a while, what do you think?"

Mu Lingshan was taken aback upon hearing this.

Borrowing the Ancestral Symbol of Life and Death?

She blinked her big eyes, looking at Xiao Bai's gentle smiling face, and a strange sense of goodwill welled up in her heart.

Ever since the Devouring Ancestral Symbol appeared, she felt a sense of familiarity with the uncle opposite her.

She was about to subconsciously agree when she asked, "What do you intend to do with the Life and Death Ancestral Symbol, sir?"

Mu Lan quickly spoke up and took over the conversation.

He couldn't help but be anxious.

Ling Shan's safety is related to the future of the entire Undying Holy Whale Clan!

"rest assured."

Xiao Bai glanced at Mu Lan and said calmly, "I'm just using the Life and Death Ancestral Symbol for a bit of cultivation; it won't harm her."

He paused, then added, "As payment—"

Before he finished speaking, Xiao Bai flipped his hand and three eggs-sized beads, emitting a clear light, appeared in his palm!

The beads are emerald green and crystal clear, with faint, mysterious patterns visible on their surface, as if they contain some profound truths of the universe.

An intensely rich vitality emanated from the bead!

What's even more unsettling is that within that vitality, there's a faint, mysterious Daoist aura flowing through it.

"These are Bodhi seeds."

Xiao Bai said calmly, "It contains a trace of the mysteries of reincarnation. After the Death Profound Realm is fully absorbed, it can increase the chance of advancing to the Reincarnation Realm."

Upon hearing this, the void fell silent!

Everyone held their breath, their eyes fixed on the three Bodhi seeds!

That was—

A trace of reincarnation!

Mu Lan's expression changed, her eyes filled with disbelief.

That trace of Daoist aura is definitely the aura of reincarnation!

He himself was in the cycle of rebirth, and it was precisely because of this that he clearly knew—

How difficult is it to go from the Death Profound Realm to the Reincarnation Realm!

In this world, those at the Death Profound Realm can be considered top-tier experts, but to become a powerful figure, one must step into the Reincarnation Realm.

But this hurdle is not so easy to overcome.

Countless powerful cultivators who have reached the peak of the Death Profound Realm have spent their entire lives unable to take that final step.

And this Bodhi seed, just as the boy said, can definitely increase the chances of promotion.

If those outside who are trapped at the peak of the Death Profound Realm knew that such a thing existed—

They'll probably go absolutely crazy and do whatever it takes to get their hands on it!

"Really—it won't hurt Ling Shan?"

Mu Lan struggled to look away from the Bodhi seed and turned to Xiao Bai, her voice hoarse.

He admitted that he was moved.

The Daoist aura emanating from the Bodhi seed moved even him, a being in the cycle of rebirth.

Clearly, the Bodhi seed's function is not limited to targeting those in the Death Profound Realm.

It also holds immense appeal for him!

"good."

Xiao Bai nodded: "Not only will it not harm her, it might even be quite beneficial to her."

He wasn't lying.

With his level of cultivation, Mu Lingshan, as the spirit of the talisman, can also benefit from using the Life and Death Ancestral Talisman for cultivation.

The power of the Life and Death Ancestral Symbol resonates with him and will nourish Mu Lingshan, the symbol spirit.

"good!"

Mu Lan gritted his teeth and finally made up his mind: "I agree to this!"

He was moved by Xiao Bai's "heroic spirit".

Three Bodhi seeds imbued with the essence of reincarnation—this reward is undeniably generous.

Moreover, Xiao Bai said that it would not harm Ling Shan, but would actually benefit her.

The last trace of hesitation in his heart dissipated.

As for whether Xiao Bai harbors ulterior motives—

He wasn't too worried.

If this person were truly a treacherous individual, he could not possibly have become the master of the Devouring Ancestral Symbol.

When choosing a master, the most important factor is the master's character and temperament.

Those who can become the master of the Ancestral Symbol are by no means petty people.

"When will you begin your cultivation?"

Mu Lan asked.

Xiao Bai waved his hand: "There's no rush."

His gaze drifted into the depths of the void, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his eyes: "Have you heard of the Reincarnation Cave in the Heavenly Thunder Sea?"

Mu Lan was taken aback.

Thunderous Sea Area?

The Reincarnation Cave?

He was somewhat out of sync with Xiao Bai's conversation.

We were just talking about cultivation, how did we end up back to the cave dwelling again?

"If you're referring to the Cycle of Reincarnation deep within the Heavenly Thunder Sea—"

Mu Lan stroked his beard and nodded slowly: "I do know."

As a top force in the Chaotic Demon Sea and a member of the sea monster race, they have a considerable understanding of various sea areas.

"That cave is said to be the legacy left behind by an ancient Reincarnation Realm expert. However—"

Mu Lan paused, then frowned slightly: "To open that cave, you need to collect three keys. And not long ago, the Xuan Tian Palace reportedly obtained one. The whereabouts of the other two are unknown."

"Why are you asking this? Do you have a key too?"

He looked at Xiao Bai, a hint of doubt flashing in his eyes.

Xiao Bai chuckled lightly: "I don't have the key, but that's the cultivation ground I chose."

With that, he led the two women beside him toward the Thunder Sea, saying, "Besides—why would I need a key to enter?"

His tone was calm, yet it conveyed an undeniable confidence.

Upon hearing this, a glint flashed in Mu Lan's eyes.

Can one enter the Reincarnation Cave without a key?

What kind of tactic is this?

He hesitated for a moment, then waved and took Mu Lingshan with him, following after them.

Anyway, this trip was worthwhile.

Even if we can't get into that cave, those three Bodhi seeds are worth it.

not to mention----

He was also eager to see what this mysterious young man in black robes was capable of.