572: Chapter 572 Opening Guidance Leads to Advancement to Dou Sheng

In the past, when suppressing the Heavenly Fiend Demon Emperor, it was Xuan Chen who held the fort.

At that time, one could feel Xuan Chen's power, but Hun Tiandi's cultivation was too shallow back then, so he did not pay it much mind.

It was not until later, when he heard Elder Dan speak of it, that he learned how Xuan Chen, for the sake of revenge, had single-handedly stirred up a storm of blood and slaughter across the Fighting Qi Continent.

He wiped out the Earth Demon Bear clan and slaughtered hundreds of millions.

The strongest among the strong!

The strongest in the Dou Zun realm?

Too arrogant!

"Is he a member of the Ten Thousand Swords Pavilion?" Liu Ling asked curiously.

"No, his wife was once the younger sister of the Tenth Generation Pavilion Master!" the Sword-Holding Elder sighed.

"Actually, I am not clear about his true origins, but his cultivation is extremely powerful. Later, for reasons unknown, his wife passed away."

"His wife fell at the hands of the Earth Demon Bear clan, so he slaughtered the bear clans across the continent—killing hundreds of millions single-handedly!" the Sword-Holding Elder said.

"Why is he in such pain now?" Hun Tiandi asked.

"Sigh, he wants to forget the memories of his wife, but his heart is unwilling to let go of his feelings for her!"

"Above the peak of the Nine-Star Dou Zun is the Dou Sheng level. A Dou Sheng is a peak expert of the continent, and Xuan Chen is known as the strongest Dou Zun."

"It is because he has reached the standards for advancing to Dou Sheng in all aspects; his only regret is his memories of his wife!"

"Therefore, this prevents his state of mind from reaching perfection, hindering him from attaining the Dou Sheng level, causing his cultivation to stagnate and preventing his advancement!"

The Sword-Holding Elder was also helpless.

"Let's go, the Pavilion Master is waiting for you!"

"A tribulation of love? This relationship must be deeply etched in his heart!" Hun Tiandi took a deep breath.

His figure flickered as he sped toward Xuan Chen's direction.

Liu Ling and the others followed closely behind. The Sword-Holding Elder's expression changed, fearing trouble might arise.

A quarter of an hour later, Hun Tiandi and his group stopped on a mountain peak.

A white pillar in the sky stood between heaven and earth, fully displaying the aura of a Nine-Star Dou Zun, and it had not dissipated.

Upon getting closer, Hun Tiandi truly felt that pressure. Standing on the mountain peak, the oppressive force on his body felt like a sacred mountain.

He looked into the valley.

Xuan Chen was dressed in white as snow, his hair and beard completely white, yet unlike an old man of his years, his eyes were silver.

Within those silver pupils, threads of gold were permeating.

He looked fierce, his hair disheveled, holding a silver horsetail whisk as he glared angrily at the firmament.

Beneath his feet was a Ten Thousand Swords Pool, radiating surging Sword Intent that enveloped Xuan Chen.

Hum!

Around Xuan Chen, endless illusions appeared—phantoms of Xuan Chen and a beautiful woman, replaying scene after scene without end.

His eyes were filled with baleful energy that condensed around him; Hun Tiandi knew these were memories.

For every increase in the illusions, Xuan Chen grew more painful. The phantoms grew more numerous, appearing out of thin air, as if sorting through his memories with his wife.

Xuan Chen seemed completely drained, his clothes soaked in sweat.

He tapped his toes, and the Ten Thousand Swords Pool shone brightly, illuminating the valley. He closed his eyes slightly; as long as the Sword Intent could touch his body, he could seal the memories.

In the valley, the Sword Intent retreated back into the Sword Pool, and the phantom of his wife disappeared.

"No, there is still one more, the last phantom, with eyes full of affection and tears glistening..."

It had not been sealed!

"He failed again!" the Sword-Holding Elder frowned and shook his head.

Roar...

Xuan Chen let out another painful roar, and countless rays of white light shot into the heavens, releasing that powerful aura once again.

Too strong, the momentum was too terrifying!

The strongest Dou Zun?

Repeating the cycle, Liu Ling sighed, "This is too arduous!"

Xuan Chen's willpower was a hundred or a thousand times greater than that of an ordinary person. If he did not succeed once, he would try again. Even if his mind and spirit were extremely exhausted, he would not give up.

Hun Tiandi observed Xuan Chen's persistence and understood his feelings and his intentions.

In the past, Hun Tiandi, in order to attain the legendary Dou Di, had annihilated ancient clans, blood-sacrificed the Central Plains, condensed the Emperor Pill, and even went so far as to slaughter the Hun Clan, pushing them into the abyss with his own hands.

In the end, he reaped what he sowed: sealed by Heavenly Flames, his body burned and his soul refined!

Immediately, he took a deep breath, stirred his Fighting Qi, and spoke with a voice like thunder: "Senior Xuan Chen, since you cannot forget, why force yourself to forget?"

The voice echoed in the sky. Hearing this, Xuan Chen's figure stalled, and he turned to look at Hun Tiandi.

His gaze was like ice, and baleful energy swirled, causing the air around Hun Tiandi to freeze.

Beside him, Wang Ku moved, blocking in front of Hun Tiandi.

But Hun Tiandi waved his hand, signaling Wang Ku to step back.

"If Senior cannot let her go, why force it? Keep her in your heart and let her accompany you for a lifetime!"

"With your beloved accompanying you in the depths of your heart, what does it matter if you never enter the Dou Sheng realm in this life?"

Hun Tiandi spoke again.

Wang Ku did not know what Hun Tiandi was planning, but he remained on guard by his side.

Upon hearing this, the tyrannical look in Xuan Chen's eyes calmed down, and he fell into deep thought, as if his mind and spirit were at war.

"Let me offer you a phrase, Senior!" Hun Tiandi spoke again.

The Ten Thousand Swords Pool beneath Xuan Chen's feet dimmed its light, and the phantoms disappeared. He stared intently, waiting for Hun Tiandi to speak.

"A hundred years of life and death, vast and boundless; without thinking, it is naturally hard to forget!" Hun Tiandi said.

"A hundred years of life and death, vast and boundless; without thinking, it is naturally hard to forget!" Xuan Chen softly repeated Hun Tiandi's words.

"A hundred years of life and death, vast and boundless; without thinking, it is naturally hard to forget..."

Like someone in a nightmare, Xuan Chen repeated it over and over, then suddenly stood still, immersed in a faint sorrow.

His whole person was like a sculpture, standing with eyes closed.

A breeze blew past, yet his clothes did not move. Liu Ling looked at this scene strangely, not understanding the phrase.

What life? What death? He only felt that love was such a nuisance!

His Majesty is truly awesome; a Three-Star Dou Zong pointing out a Nine-Star Dou Zun expert?

How could this be?

The truth was right before his eyes; upon hearing that phrase, Xuan Chen revealed a trace of enlightenment.

Of course, guidance also depends on the aspect. In terms of cultivation, Hun Tiandi could not help, but regarding human nature and emotion, he could.

Even though Xuan Chen's cultivation was superb, it could not compare to Hun Tiandi's experience from two lifetimes.

Hun Tiandi was merely offering some guidance; as for whether he would succeed, that depended on Xuan Chen's own destiny.

Yet, there was a trace of anticipation in his eyes.

One day... three days...

After the third day, the distant Xuan Chen made a move.

On his handsome face, a single tear appeared at the corner of his eye. At this moment, the surrounding wind fell silent.

Rumble!

A bolt of startling thunder appeared in the sky. Hun Tiandi looked up; there were no dark clouds, so where did the thunder come from?

Crack!

With a loud bang, a monstrous wind whipped up. The gravel in the valley turned to dust, and cracks appeared in the sky, filled with countless spatial fissures.

Everything before his eyes turned pitch black, just like the Black Demon Lightning drawn forth by the birth of an Eighth Grade Pill.

The energy of heaven and earth seemed to have been summoned, pouring down and flooding into Xuan Chen's body, forming a ten-thousand-foot energy vortex in the sky.

In the valley, Xuan Chen opened his arms, accepting everything without refusal, devouring the infinite energy.

The surrounding flowers and plants grew wildly, and the valley became vibrant, radiating an aura of vitality.

"This is... a sign of breaking through?"

Liu Ling widened his eyes and exclaimed.

Advancing to Dou Sheng? Xuan Chen had broken through, advancing to the Dou Sheng level, ranking among the peak experts of the Fighting Qi Continent, at the top of the pyramid.

Suddenly, a massive golden cloud appeared above Xuan Chen's head—it was the merit he had plundered not long ago when he annihilated the Burning Flame Valley.

It was like a reward from heaven and earth.

Xuan Chen looked up and waved his hand, sending the cloud of merit rushing toward Hun Tiandi.

"Many thanks for your guidance, sir. I gift this cloud of merit to you!" Xuan Chen said calmly.

As the vast amount of merit rushed over, Hun Tiandi did not refuse; this was also something he needed.