561: Chapter 561 is here.

Boom!

A burst of flames exploded between Li Xihe and Liu Xuan, igniting all the tables and chairs in the hall and turning them into pitch-black charcoal.

If not for the starlight barrier that lit up around the room, the entire hall would likely have been burned to the ground.

Li Xihe pressed a snowy-white finger against her red lips, her expression complex as she said, "Fellow Daoist Liu, please show some self-respect!"

"I can understand your feelings regarding your son Tong Xiao being captured. You are free to report me as you wish, but I advise you not to think of using this method to retaliate against me!"

She smoothed out her dress and said coldly, "My Revered Master should be coming to the Southern Border soon. He will punish me even without you reporting it."

"Farewell!"

Out of consideration for Liu Xuan's grief over losing his beloved son, Li Xihe did not pursue the matter of his inappropriate behavior toward her.

But that was the extent of it. She believed the fault was not entirely hers, and Liu Xuan had no right to take his anger out on her.

Liu Xuan beckoned to the two maidservants outside the hall, signaling them to find someone to clean up the interior.

Watching Li Xihe's retreating figure in her red dress, a slight smile played at the corners of his mouth.

'The plan has to change. From now on, I can be more enthusiastic toward the Lihuo Lineage.'

Previously, out of concern about being noticed by Daoist Lord Lihuo, Liu Xuan had tried his best to avoid Li Xihe to prevent exposing certain unique aspects of himself.

This time, he had used Tong Xiao's capture as an excuse to make a move on Li Xihe, both to feign retaliation to deflect suspicion and because the situation had changed.

He knew most of the plans of Demon Saint Xuanyu and Ghost Queen Lianyue. Once Daoist Lord Lihuo's true body arrived, a great war would immediately break out.

The Liu Family only needed to survive the short period before the war; they didn't need to worry about being under Daoist Lord Lihuo's long-term scrutiny.

Therefore, he could be bolder in his treatment of Li Xihe and Daoist Lord Lihuo.

If he could further integrate into the Lihuo Lineage, it wouldn't matter if he exposed some small secrets; in fact, doing so might dispel deeper suspicions.

On the other hand, the power Liu Xuan now wielded was different from before.

With Peach Blossom on the verge of Soul Transformation, the tricked Ghost Queen Lianyue, and his own combat strength as the number one Nascent Soul True Lord of the current age, he had enough support to participate in the grand scheme.

...

One month later.

Liu Xuan and Li Xihe had a tacit understanding not to publicize the fact that Tong Xiao had been taken by the Endless Demon Court. Business continued as usual, territory was developed as usual, and in the eyes of outsiders, nothing had happened at the Star Academy.

The number of people in the academy gradually increased. There were teachers from the Beast Taming Sect's Main Mountain who had come to settle, Genius students who wanted to develop at the Star Academy, and many local geniuses who came to seek an education.

The Liu Clan Merchant Alliance monopolized various businesses in the Star Academy, which in turn drove trade in a large surrounding area. After hanging the banner of the Lihuo Sect, their influence expanded even further.

As the Old Ancestor of the Liu Family and the Dean of the academy, Liu Xuan's name had spread throughout the Southern Border, and his status was second only to the Late Nascent Soul Stage True Lords.

In terms of influence, he was even greater than some Late Nascent Soul Stage True Lords.

On this day.

A middle-aged man wearing scholar's robes suddenly appeared in the sky above Star Immortal City.

Unlike ordinary academy Cultivators, the scholar's robes on this person were not plain white, but orange-red, with complex purple patterns flowing across them, looking incredibly noble.

Despite the extreme luxury of his attire, it did not seem gaudy. The man had regular features and an elegant temperament; he looked like a true gentleman at first glance.

"A Tier 4 top-grade Formation, and the rare Star Array at that. Interesting!"

Daoist Lord Lihuo's gaze pierced through layers of barriers, wanting to see through everything in this place.

"Hmm?"

Suddenly! His brow furrowed slightly as he found several places where his perception was blurred; even his Divine Sense was being interfered with by the array.

Inside the city.

Liu Xuan was accompanied by a group of female academy Cultivators, enjoying a new routine researched by the dance troupe under Bai Shan. Suddenly, he felt a premonition, and with a flash of light, he flew up into the sky.

Flying above Star Immortal City and seeing that elegant middle-aged man, Liu Xuan's heart skipped a beat.

"I am Liu Xuan. Greetings, Daoist Lord Lihuo!"

Liu Xuan did not know Daoist Lord Lihuo, and no portraits of Daoist Lord Lihuo circulated in the outside world.

But someone who could trigger the core Divine Sense defense barrier he had placed within the Star Array was undoubtedly a Dao Lord.

He just stood there quietly, yet the fire attribute Origin of the surrounding world became thirty percent more active. Ordinary people couldn't sense this, but Liu Xuan, having comprehended the Hunyuan Great Dao, was most sensitive to the Five Elements Origin.

Combining these factors, the identity of the person before him was clear; he was almost certainly Daoist Lord Lihuo.

"Are you a Formation Great Master?" Daoist Lord Lihuo's expression showed intense interest. "To blur my perception is something even a Tier 4 top-grade Formation cannot do unless it is personally presided over by a Tier 4 Formation Great Master."

"In response to the Dao Lord, this Junior is indeed proficient in the path of Formations. This Star Array was set up by me with the help of a Formation Plate."

"Proficient in Formations and so young... you must be Liu Xuan, right?"

Without waiting for Liu Xuan's answer, Daoist Lord Lihuo took a step forward, and a scorching Divine Sense enveloped Liu Xuan.

A moment later, he withdrew his Divine Sense and said slowly, "A powerful Physical Body, Essence Blood comparable to a Yao Race Early Nascent Soul Stage Demon Lord. You have indeed awakened a Yao Race Bloodline."

"However..." Daoist Lord Lihuo showed a hint of confusion. "What a strange Bloodline. Even I haven't seen it before. It seems to be of an extremely high level, but it's just a bit too thin."

"Your magic power is pure fire attribute magic power, not the Legacy of the East Sea Joyful Union Sect. The rumors that you are the Joyous Union Sect Saint seem to be false!"

In just a few moments, Daoist Lord Lihuo had seen through Liu Xuan's background, resolving many of the doubts he previously had.

Liu Xuan had awakened a special Bloodline and possessed a special reproductive constitution, which was why he could father a son with a Tier 5 Bloodline.

His supreme talent in immortal arts like alchemy, smithing, talismans, and Formations should be the result of the powerful and exceptionally active Divine Soul brought about by the combination of these two factors.

Judging by his bone age, Liu Xuan was not some hidden-identity Joyous Union Sect Saint, nor was he likely to be the Reincarnation of some great power; he was simply a peerless Genius less than a hundred years old.

The reason he achieved Nascent Soul Formation at such a young age was because he possessed the dual talents of a Yao Race Bloodline and a Human Race spirit body.

'A talent!'

'My Lihuo Dao lineage needs this kind of top-tier talent!'

'A pity! The awakened Bloodline is a bit thin, barely at the Tier 4 High Grade level. It won't be easy for him to continue breaking through cultivation Bottlenecks later. If his Bloodline were a bit richer and reached Tier 5, his value would be much higher than his son's!'

The look in Daoist Lord Lihuo's eyes as he watched Liu Xuan was very fervent; even his anger over losing a Tier 5 Bloodline natal spirit beast had dissipated quite a bit.

Although Liu Xuan did not have a Tier 5 Bloodline, he had fathered Liu Tongxiao, who did.

What did this mean?

It meant he might still have the chance to father children with Tier 5 Bloodlines, or even higher.

From the situation Li Xihe had reported, all of Liu Xuan's children had good talent and could all become Disciples of the Lihuo Lineage. The entire Liu Family seemed to have been born for his Lihuo Dao lineage.

"You are Liu Xuan, yes?" Daoist Lord Lihuo slightly radiated a hint of his aura, a Fire Divine Body enveloping his true self as a voice, both gentle and majestic, rang out: "Are you willing to be my Disciple?"

"Disciple Liu Xuan greets Revered Master!"

Liu Xuan did not hesitate for a second, bowing his head immediately.