The sun was already beginning to set.
Ye Xuan and Su Lian had been walking for nearly two hours.
The deeper they went into the Azure Ancient Secret Realm, the stranger the environment became.
The spiritual energy was thicker.
The trees were older.
Even the beasts seemed stronger.
But Ye Xuan's mind remained occupied by the mysterious creature.
Dragon Emperor.
Upper Realm.
The first one has awakened.
He still couldn't understand what it meant.
And for now, he decided not to think about it.
He wasn't strong enough.
There was no point worrying about mysteries he couldn't solve.
Ye Xuan looked toward Su Lian.
"Senior Sister."
"Hm?"
"How long have you known Master?"
Su Lian was slightly surprised by the question.
"Master?"
"Yes."
She thought for a moment.
"Almost thirty years."
Ye Xuan blinked.
"Thirty?"
She nodded.
"I was taken into the sect when I was seven."
"Master found me while traveling."
Ye Xuan smiled.
"She seems to have a habit of collecting talented children."
Su Lian laughed.
"Perhaps."
"Then I'm not special?"
She looked at him.
"You are."
Her answer was immediate.
Ye Xuan paused.
Su Lian continued.
"Master has accepted many disciples throughout the years."
"But she rarely takes someone as a direct disciple."
"You are the first direct disciple she has accepted in a very long time."
Ye Xuan nodded.
"I see."
Su Lian smiled.
"You seem happy."
"Of course."
"Why?"
Ye Xuan looked at her with a grin.
"Because it means I'm special to Master."
Su Lian rolled her eyes.
"You're shameless."
"That's the second time you've said that."
"Because it's true."
Ye Xuan laughed.
For some reason, the atmosphere became much lighter.
Suddenly—
Little Snow jumped off Ye Xuan's shoulder.
The rabbit stood on the ground.
Its ears pointed forward.
Ye Xuan stopped.
"What happened?"
Little Snow sniffed the air.
"Treasure."
Ye Xuan's eyes brightened.
"Treasure?"
"Big treasure."
Su Lian looked suspicious.
"Are you sure?"
Little Snow nodded.
"Very."
Ye Xuan smiled.
"Then let's follow it."
Su Lian sighed.
"You really trust a rabbit?"
"She's surprisingly reliable."
Little Snow looked proud.
"Smart rabbit."
Ye Xuan patted its head.
"Yes, yes."
They followed Little Snow into a narrow valley.
After several minutes—
The surroundings suddenly changed.
A massive stone wall appeared between the trees.
Ancient symbols covered its surface.
Ye Xuan stopped.
"An ancient ruin."
Su Lian's expression became serious.
"This wasn't on the map."
Ye Xuan walked closer.
His Heavenly Alchemy Eye activated.
Nothing.
He switched to his spiritual sense.
Still nothing.
Then—
The Golden Azure Dragon Emperor Bloodline reacted.
A faint golden-blue glow appeared beneath his skin.
Ye Xuan's eyes narrowed.
"This place..."
Su Lian noticed.
"What?"
"My bloodline is reacting."
Her expression changed.
"Again?"
Ye Xuan nodded.
"Yes."
They approached the stone wall.
At its center was a giant circular door.
There were no handles.
No formation visible.
Only a strange dragon-shaped symbol.
Ye Xuan placed his hand on it.
BOOM!
The entire ruin trembled.
Su Lian immediately stepped backward.
"Junior Brother!"
"I'm fine!"
The dragon symbol suddenly lit up.
Golden-blue light spread across the door.
Then—
KRRRRR...
The enormous stone door slowly opened.
Cold air rushed out.
Ye Xuan stared into the darkness.
Su Lian grabbed his arm.
"Wait."
He looked at her.
"What?"
"We don't know what's inside."
Ye Xuan smiled.
"That's why we should be careful."
"That's not what I meant."
She stared at him.
Ye Xuan smiled innocently.
"Don't worry."
He looked toward Little Snow.
"She'll protect us."
Little Snow immediately hid behind Su Lian's leg.
"No."
Ye Xuan's smile disappeared.
"Traitor."
Su Lian laughed.
They entered.
The moment they crossed the threshold—
The door closed behind them.
BOOM!
Darkness swallowed the corridor.
Su Lian summoned a small flame.
The light illuminated ancient stone walls.
Ye Xuan looked around.
"This place is enormous."
They continued forward.
After several hundred meters, they reached a large hall.
At the center stood twelve stone statues.
Each statue depicted a different creature.
A tiger.
A phoenix.
A turtle.
A qilin.
A serpent.
And several creatures Ye Xuan didn't recognize.
Su Lian looked at them.
"These aren't ordinary beasts."
Ye Xuan nodded.
"They're ancient bloodline creatures."
He walked toward the center.
At his feet was an ancient inscription.
He read it.
"The bloodline determines the vessel.
The vessel determines the path.
Only those capable of carrying the ancient blood may enter."
Su Lian frowned.
"Ancient blood?"
Ye Xuan looked at the statues.
His Golden Azure Dragon Emperor Bloodline began reacting again.
One of the statues suddenly lit up.
BOOM!
The dragon statue.
A golden-blue dragon phantom emerged from it.
Su Lian stepped back.
"Junior Brother!"
Ye Xuan remained still.
The dragon phantom circled him.
Then—
It entered his body.
[Ding!]
[Ancient Bloodline Temple detected.]
[Host has fulfilled entry requirements.]
Ye Xuan's eyes widened.
"What is this place?"
The system was silent for several seconds.
Then—
[The system has insufficient information.]
Ye Xuan frowned.
"You don't know?"
[Correct.]
The system paused.
[However, the system has detected a valuable inheritance.]
Ye Xuan smiled.
"Where?"
The twelve statues suddenly began glowing.
One.
Two.
Three.
All twelve.
The hall shook.
A mysterious voice echoed.
"Choose."
Ye Xuan froze.
Su Lian looked around.
"Who said that?"
The voice continued.
"Choose one ancient inheritance."
Twelve beams of light appeared.
Each contained an ancient image.
A golden tiger.
A crimson phoenix.
A black turtle.
A jade qilin.
A silver serpent.
And more.
Ye Xuan stared.
His heart beat faster.
"Can I choose more than one?"
Silence.
Then—
"No."
Ye Xuan sighed.
"Expected."
He slowly walked forward.
His eyes passed over each inheritance.
The Phoenix inheritance was powerful.
The Qilin inheritance was mysterious.
The Black Tortoise inheritance focused on defense.
The Golden Tiger inheritance focused on physical strength.
But—
Something caught his attention.
The final statue.
It was completely different.
A strange creature with nine tails.
Its body was covered in silver fur.
Its eyes were violet.
Unlike the other statues—
There was no information beside it.
Ye Xuan frowned.
"What's that?"
The voice answered.
"Unknown."
Ye Xuan's eyes narrowed.
Even the ancient inheritance couldn't identify it.
The system suddenly spoke.
[Host.]
"What?"
[The system recommends selecting that inheritance.]
Ye Xuan blinked.
"You?"
[Yes.]
"Why?"
[The system cannot analyze it.]
Ye Xuan smiled.
"That's exactly why you want it?"
[Correct.]
He stared at the mysterious nine-tailed creature.
Something about it felt familiar.
Not like the Dragon Emperor.
Something softer.
Older.
Strangely beautiful.
He stepped forward.
Su Lian immediately asked,
"Are you sure?"
Ye Xuan nodded.
"Yes."
He placed his hand on the statue.
The world suddenly became silent.
Then—
BOOM!!!
A terrifying spiritual wave exploded.
The other eleven inheritances disappeared.
Only the nine-tailed creature remained.
Its violet eyes slowly opened.
Ye Xuan's consciousness was dragged into another space.
Inside the inheritance space
Ye Xuan stood beneath a silver moon.
A beautiful woman sat beneath an ancient tree.
She had long silver hair.
Violet eyes.
Nine enormous silver tails slowly moved behind her.
She looked at Ye Xuan.
Her expression was unreadable.
"You're late."
Ye Xuan blinked.
"Have we met?"
The woman smiled.
"No."
"Then why did you say I'm late?"
She looked toward the moon.
"Because someone has been waiting for you."
Ye Xuan frowned.
"Who?"
She looked back at him.
"That is not something you should know yet."
Ye Xuan sighed.
"Why does everyone keep saying that?"
The woman laughed softly.
Her voice was strangely captivating.
"You ask too many questions."
"I like answers."
"Then become strong enough to obtain them."
Ye Xuan looked at her.
"Who are you?"
She smiled.
"Call me..."
She paused.
Then whispered—
"
Yue Li.
"
The moment Ye Xuan heard that name—
His bloodline trembled.
But this time—
It wasn't the dragon bloodline.
Something else.
Something sleeping deep within his soul.
The woman's smile disappeared.
Her eyes widened.
"You..."
Ye Xuan noticed.
"What?"
She stared at him in disbelief.
"How can you possess..."
Her voice faded.
Ye Xuan stepped closer.
"Possess what?"
Yue Li looked at him for several seconds.
Then she smiled again.
But this time, her smile was mysterious.
"It seems..."
"You really are interesting."
The world suddenly shattered.
Ye Xuan opened his eyes.
He was back inside the ancient hall.
Su Lian was standing beside him.
"Junior Brother!"
Ye Xuan looked at her.
"How long was I unconscious?"
"Only a few seconds."
He looked toward the statue.
The nine-tailed creature had disappeared.
In its place was a small silver crystal.
[Inheritance obtained.]
[Nine-Tailed Moon Fox Bloodline Fragment.]
[Bloodline Compatibility: Extremely High.]
Ye Xuan's eyes widened.
"Bloodline fragment?"
[The complete bloodline cannot currently be acquired.]
"Why?"
[Insufficient cultivation.]
Ye Xuan nodded.
Then the system added:
[However, the fragment can evolve alongside the host.]
Ye Xuan smiled.
"Interesting."
He reached toward the crystal.
But before he could touch it—
BOOM!
The entire ruin shook violently.
Su Lian's expression changed.
"What happened?"
Ye Xuan looked toward the entrance.
A terrifying aura was approaching.
Not one.
Several.
He immediately became alert.
"We have company."
Outside the ruin—
More than twenty cultivators stood before the ancient entrance.
At their center stood Zhou Han.
His injuries from the earlier battle had already healed.
Beside him were several powerful young cultivators.
And behind them—
A beautiful woman wearing a crimson robe.
Her eyes were cold.
Zhou Han bowed slightly.
"Senior Sister Luo."
The woman looked toward the ancient ruin.
"I can sense an inheritance inside."
Zhou Han nodded.
"Yes."
She smiled.
"Then break the door."
A powerful aura erupted from her body.
Spirit Sea Ninth Layer.
Zhou Han stepped aside.
"Yes, Senior Sister."
Inside the ruin—
Ye Xuan heard the explosion.
Su Lian looked at him.
"What do we do?"
Ye Xuan smiled.
His golden eyes became sharp.
"Apparently..."
He clenched his fist.
"Our treasure hunt just became a little more exciting."
Little Snow climbed onto his shoulder.
"Carrot?"
Ye Xuan sighed.
"After we survive."
"Okay."
Outside—
The ancient door began cracking.
CRACK...
CRACK...
And then—
BOOM!!!
The entrance exploded.
A wave of dust swept through the valley.
Ye Xuan stood at the center of the ancient hall.
White hair fluttering.
Golden eyes shining.
Behind him—
The ancient inheritance crystal floated quietly.
A beautiful woman walked through the smoke.
Her crimson robe moved with the wind.
Her gaze landed directly on Ye Xuan.
For several seconds, neither spoke.
Then she smiled.
"Hand over the inheritance."
Ye Xuan smiled back.
"No."
Her smile disappeared.
"Then..."
Her spiritual energy erupted.
"...I'll take it myself."
Ye Xuan's eyes gleamed.
"Finally."
He stepped forward.
"Someone interesting."