163: Chapter 163 The Birth of the Fire Kirin

In the Undying Mountain.

Ever since Ye Fan was brought back to the Ji Family by the void mirror and everything was settled, Chu Tianjiao's life had returned to tranquility.

With the Ji Family's resources supporting him, the void mirror watching over him in secret, and the essence blood he had left behind protecting his body, there was no need to worry about Ye Fan in the short term.

What that youth needed was experience, battle, and to hone his own Dao through repeated life-and-death struggles.

These were things Chu Tianjiao could not give him; he had to forge his own path.

On this day, Chu Tianjiao sat beneath the ancient tea tree of enlightenment, holding a cup of clear tea, his gaze fixed on the distant horizon.

His expression was calm, yet his eyes held a hint of contemplation.

The Ancient Kirin Emperor sat across from him, also holding a cup of tea, sipping it slowly.

His two children were still sleeping within divine sources, a slumber that had lasted for two million years.

He had grown accustomed to waiting, but seeing Chu Tianjiao's thoughtful expression at this moment, he felt a faint premonition in his heart.

Willow Deity sat cross-legged to the side, eyes closed in meditation, with a faint green light flowing around her body.

Xiao Nannan leaned against Chu Tianjiao's shoulder, enjoying this rare moment of peace.

"The time is almost here."

Chu Tianjiao set down his teacup and spoke suddenly.

The Ancient Kirin Emperor was slightly taken aback.

"What time?"

Chu Tianjiao looked at him, a faint smile appearing at the corners of his mouth.

"Your two children, it is time for them to wake up."

The Ancient Kirin Emperor's hand paused slightly, causing ripples to spread across the tea in his cup.

He looked at Chu Tianjiao, a trace of complex emotion flashing through his eyes.

After waiting for two million years, he had finally reached this day.

Chu Tianjiao continued, "Ye Fan's situation is now settled. Everything that should be given has been given, and the path he needs to tread has been paved. Next, he needs someone to compete with."

He stood up, walked into the courtyard, and stood with his hands behind his back.

"The Great Era is about to arrive. In a few years at most, or less than a year at least, the Dao marks of the Azure Emperor will disappear."

The Ancient Kirin Emperor raised his eyebrows slightly.

"The Dao marks of the Azure Emperor?"

Chu Tianjiao nodded.

"When the Azure Emperor achieved the Dao back then, his Dao marks suppressed the heavens and earth, making it difficult for later Cultivators to achieve a Breakthrough. Even after he vanished, the Dao marks remained, which is why no one has been able to sever the Dao or become an Emperor in the last ten thousand years. But the Dao marks will eventually dissipate, and the Great Era will eventually arrive."

He turned around to look at the Ancient Kirin Emperor, his eyes carrying a hint of a smile.

"I interfered slightly to make the Azure Emperor's Dao marks dissipate ahead of time. I estimate it will take about two years."

The Ancient Kirin Emperor was stunned.

"Two years?"

The Azure Emperor's Dao marks had suppressed the heavens and earth for ten thousand years, and now they would dissipate in two years?

Chu Tianjiao watched his expression and smiled.

"Therefore, let your children come into the world first to adapt. When the Great Era truly arrives, they will be in the best state to compete."

The Ancient Kirin Emperor was silent for a moment, then slowly stood up.

His face showed little expression, but his hands were trembling slightly.

Two million years.

His two children had been sleeping in divine sources for two million years.

He had waited for this day for far, far too long.

"Very well."

He spoke, his voice steady.

"I will go now."

He turned and walked toward the back of the courtyard.

There, two massive divine sources stood quietly in a stone chamber.

Chu Tianjiao watched his back but did not follow.

Xiao Nannan wanted to stand up, but he gently held her down.

"Let him go himself," Chu Tianjiao said softly, "This is his business; we should just watch."

Xiao Nannan nodded and leaned back against his shoulder.

Willow Deity opened her eyes and looked in the direction the Ancient Kirin Emperor had left, a gentle light flashing in her eyes.

In the stone chamber, the Ancient Kirin Emperor stood before the two divine sources, remaining motionless for a long time.

He was all too familiar with these two divine sources.

Two million years ago, it was he who had personally sealed his two children inside.

Back then, he was an Emperor of the Primordial Era, the pride of the Kirin Clan, and an existence who suppressed an entire era.

Back then, his two children were still small; Huo Liner had just learned to walk, and Huo Linzi had just learned to speak.

Back then, he thought he could protect them for a lifetime.

But later, the heavens and earth underwent a great change, the Great Dao became incomplete, and the substances of longevity ceased to exist.

For the sake of his two children, he resolutely severed a piece of his own Dao and fled into the Forbidden Area, then sealed his two children away.

His goal was to wait for the road to immortality to open; he wanted to break into the Immortal Domain and bring his two children with him to achieve Immortal Ascension.

Then, he slept in the Ancient Mine of Primordial Beginning for two million years.

Until the man named Chu Tianjiao appeared.

The Ancient Kirin Emperor reached out and gently stroked the slightly larger divine source.

The surface of the divine source was ice-cold, but he could feel the sleeping aura within.

That was his son, Huo Linzi.

Two million years had passed, yet he still looked like the youth he was back then, with a youthful face, but his brows held an innate heroic spirit.

He looked at the slightly smaller divine source beside it.

That was his daughter, Huo Liner.

She was curled up inside the divine source, her hands clasped in front of her chest, her long eyelashes drooping, and the corners of her mouth slightly upturned, as if she were having a sweet dream.

The Ancient Kirin Emperor looked at them, his eyes slightly reddening.

"Children..."

He murmured, his voice so soft it was almost inaudible.

"Father has come to get you."

He took a deep breath, suppressing the surging emotions in his heart.

Then, he raised his hand and began to break the Seal.

The first divine source.

His palm pressed against the surface of the divine source, and a gentle power surged from his palm.

It was the unique power of the Kirin Clan, gentle and pure, carrying the warmth of life.

Under the influence of this power, the divine source began to glow.

The formation patterns that had sealed it for two million years lit up one by one, then slowly dissipated.

Cracks began to appear on the surface of the divine source.

"Crack——"

With a soft sound, the first crack appeared.

Immediately afterward, more cracks spread like a spiderweb, covering the entire divine source.

Golden light surged from the cracks, illuminating the entire stone chamber.

"Crack, crack, crack——"

The cracks grew more numerous, and the light grew brighter.

When the final Seal dissipated, the entire divine source shattered with a boom, turning into countless crystalline fragments that scattered in all directions.

A youth's figure drifted slowly down from the fragments.

Huo Linzi.

He kept his eyes closed, his face peaceful, as if he were merely sleeping.

His body slowly relaxed in the light, and his limbs, which had been curled up during his slumber, slowly stretched out.

His breathing became steady, his heartbeat grew strong, and his aura began to recover bit by bit.

The Ancient Kirin Emperor caught him and gently placed him on a soft couch that had been prepared long ago.

Then, he turned to begin breaking the Seal on the second divine source.

The same light, the same cracks, the same sound of shattering.

Huo Liner's figure drifted down from the fragments.

She was shorter than her brother, with softer features, and her long hair fell down, covering half her face.

She still maintained the posture from her slumber, hands clasped in front of her chest, the corners of her mouth slightly upturned.

The Ancient Kirin Emperor gently placed her on the soft couch, lying side-by-side with Huo Linzi.

Then, he stepped back and watched them quietly.

Waiting.

Two million years of waiting, all for this moment.

Time passed bit by bit.

"Finally——"