Chapter 843
Reunion with Xiao Xuan
As dawn broke, the soft light filtered through the sheer curtains of the window, gently bathing the tranquil bedroom in a warm, golden glow.
On the bed, a light gauze curtain hung down, and the atmosphere was tender and intimate.
Xiao Ling slowly woke up to a soft, steady breathing sound.
Before she was fully conscious, a faint, gentle fragrance, like a herb, lingered around her nose.
He lowered his eyes slightly and saw the girl in his arms sleeping peacefully. Her long eyelashes drooped like butterfly wings, and her cheeks were still flushed with a faint blush. She was curled up obediently in his arms, her little head resting gently against his chest, and her jade arms unconsciously wrapped around his waist, as if she were holding the most precious treasure in the world, unwilling to let go even a little.
A tender and doting look instantly filled Xiao Ling's eyes. He moved so gently that he dared not exert any force, for fear of disturbing the beauty in his arms.
He slightly raised his fingertips and gently brushed away the few stray strands of hair that fell across her forehead. Following her smooth forehead, his fingers slowly glided across her delicate cheeks, and his fingertips inadvertently brushed against her soft lips, causing the girl's eyelashes to tremble slightly.
"Brother Xiao Ling..."
Xun'er let out a soft moan, her long eyelashes slowly fluttering open. As soon as she opened her eyes, which were as clear as autumn water, they met Xiao Ling's gentle gaze. Her sleepy voice was soft and delicate, carrying the languor and dependence of someone who had just woken up.
She slightly raised her eyes, looking at the boy so close to her, and her cheeks instantly flushed a light blush. She snuggled even closer to him, her soft body pressed tightly against him, feeling his steady and powerful heartbeat and warm, reassuring presence.
"woke up?"
Xiao Ling chuckled softly, his voice deep and magnetic, with a husky raspiness unique to mornings. He tightened his arms slightly, holding her more securely in his embrace, his warm fingertips gently caressing the soft skin of her back, tenderness beyond words.
Xun'er buried her face deeply in Xiao Ling's chest, listening to his steady heartbeat. Her heart was filled with warmth and sweetness. Her originally cool and gentle eyes were now full of girlish shyness and tenderness.
She gave a soft "hmm," her voice barely audible, yet full of dependence and joy.
"Did you sleep well last night?"
Xiao Ling lowered his head, his nose gently brushing against the top of her soft hair.
"Brother Xiao Ling, you still say that? Really..."
Xun'er raised her head slightly, her watery eyes gazing at him, filled with starlight and tenderness. Her expression held a hint of embarrassment, and her voice was soft and melodious.
"However, now that this day has finally come, Xun'er will still feel very satisfied, very, very satisfied..."
One sentence softened Xiao Ling's heart. He lowered his head and gently kissed her forehead, his gesture devout and tender.
The morning light flowed quietly, and the two lay in each other's arms on the bed. There were no extra words, only the peace of relying on each other, the tender breaths, and the deep, inseparable affection.
A faint warmth and ambiguity filled the air, every inch of which was imbued with the sweetness and peace of liking each other to the extreme.
……
"Have you come here to discuss important matters?"
Inside the council hall, Gu Yuan raised his eyes and looked over, his gaze landing on Xiao Ling and Xun'er standing side by side. He slowly spoke:
He shifted his gaze slightly and glanced at Xun'er again.
The young woman remained as beautiful and refined as ever, with an ethereal air. Yet, her eyes held a gentle charm that defied description, a subtle allure hidden beneath her cool demeanor, and a touch of mature allure added to her fresh and youthful appearance.
As someone with experience, Gu Yuan could roughly guess what had happened between the two of them last night with just one glance.
He had already let it go, and his face showed no sign of anything amiss. He simply withdrew his gaze without making a sound.
Xiao Ling stepped forward, his expression solemn, and bowed respectfully to Gu Yuan:
"Father-in-law."
"I have come here to visit Tianmu and discuss some important matters with my ancestor Xiao Xuan."
He spoke sincerely and continued:
“Xun’er mentioned to me before that the ancient clan has been in control of the Sky Curtain for many years. You have already thoroughly studied its spatial laws and have the ability to forcibly open a passage through the Sky Curtain. Therefore, I have taken the liberty of coming here to humbly request my father-in-law to open a spatial passage into the Sky Curtain for me so that I may enter and see my ancestors.”
Upon hearing this, Gu Yuan nodded slightly, and after a moment's thought, readily agreed.
“Indeed, with my years of research into the Sky Curtain, I do have the ability to forcibly send people inside. You must have your own reasons for wanting to see Xiao Xuan.”
He paused, then gave a calm instruction:
"Wait here for a moment. Once I have finished dealing with my current matters, I will take you to the Sky Curtain and open the passage for you."
In his view, Xiao Ling was now one of his own, and his desire to go to Tianmu to see Xiao Xuan must have some deeper meaning and plan. As his father-in-law, he didn't need to investigate too much; he only needed to lend a helping hand where he could.
Xiao Ling was overjoyed and immediately cupped his hands in a respectful gesture, his tone full of sincere gratitude:
"Then I thank you in advance, father-in-law."
"We're all family, no need to be so polite."
Gu Yuan waved his hand, chuckled, and said in a casual and gentle tone, "You all find a place to sit down first. I'll finish what I'm doing soon."
Having said that, he withdrew his gaze and refocused on the matters at his desk, saying no more.
Xun'er and Xiao Ling exchanged a glance, then walked quietly to one side of the hall and found a quiet seat to sit down side by side.
The two were deeply in love, and even when they were just sitting quietly, they couldn't help but lean close to each other, their fingertips lightly touching, their eyes smiling, their subtle gestures full of tender affection.
Xiao Ling naturally pulled Xun'er to his side, letting her lean obediently on his shoulder. His fingertips would occasionally brush her hair gently, his movements tender and indulgent. Xun'er didn't resist; her cheeks flushed slightly, her eyes crinkled, and her heart was full of sweetness. Occasionally, she would look up and meet his gaze, her shyness and joy barely concealed.
Their cuddling together, though making no big fuss, was still quite eye-catching.
While Gu Yuan was engrossed in handling his affairs, he would occasionally glance up and see his usually aloof and ethereal daughter nestled in Xiao Ling's arms, looking gentle, shy, and with a spring-like expression in her eyes.
As the ancient clan chief watched, a strange sense of regret, both amused and exasperated, welled up within him.
If he had known these two young people would be so clingy, he shouldn't have made them wait here, only to needlessly annoy himself.
Looking at his daughter's rare, innocent, and happy expression, he could only shake his head helplessly, a gentle smile flashing in his eyes, before silently turning back to continue with his work.
Deep within the ancient realm, mountains stretch endlessly, their spiritual energy ethereal and boundless.
Suddenly, ripples spread across the void. As the pale golden spatial power flowed, three figures silently stepped into the air and stood there. They were Xiao Ling, Xun'er, and Gu Yuan.
Gu Yuan stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at the silent void before him, and spoke slowly, his tone steady:
“Xiao Ling, the Heavenly Tomb normally opens once every twenty years. You have already entered last time, and there is still quite a while before it opens normally again.”
He paused slightly, a hint of understanding of the rules of the Heavenly Tomb flashing in his eyes, before continuing:
"However, I will forcibly tear open a crack in the Heavenly Tomb for you so that you can enter it. But you must remember that you must not stay inside the Heavenly Tomb for more than a year, otherwise it will trigger the Heavenly Tomb's original repulsion, and even I will find it difficult to take you out easily."
Xiao Ling nodded solemnly upon hearing this.
"Then I'll have to trouble you, Father-in-law. A year is more than enough."
He understood that the flow of time inside the Heavenly Tomb was vastly different from that outside; five days were equivalent to one day outside, and a year inside was only equivalent to a little over two months outside. His purpose in going there was to meet with his ancestor Xiao Xuan and discuss the resurrection plan, and the meeting and discussion would not take such a long time.
"In that case, you must manage your time well and not delay, lest any unforeseen circumstances arise."
Gu Yuan said no more, his eyes flashed with a sharp light, and he waved his hand in the air.
In an instant, the vast energy between heaven and earth roared and surged like a churning ocean, producing a deafening roar. The void before them suddenly twisted and rippled violently, and a hideous and ancient black rift was forcibly torn open from the void.
From the depths of the rift, a wild and desolate aura wafts out, carrying a weight and mystery that transcends millennia—the very aura unique to the Heavenly Tomb.
"Xiao Ling, get in as soon as possible!"
Seeing that the cracks in the Heavenly Tomb had completely stabilized, Gu Yuan immediately spoke in a deep voice, his tone carrying a solemnity that brooked no delay.
"Ah."
Xiao Ling nodded slightly without the slightest hesitation. He turned around, his gaze gently falling on Xun'er's cheek. He looked at her deeply for a moment, his fingertips lightly brushing the back of her hand, carrying a moment of tender reluctance.
In the next instant, he moved swiftly, transforming into a sharp and light streak of light, and plunged straight into the dark crack of the Heavenly Tomb. In an instant, he disappeared into the wild aura and vanished without a trace.
Once Xiao Ling had fully entered, Gu Yuan gently swept his palm across the void, causing ripples in the space. The menacing crack then slowly closed and dissipated, and the void returned to calm.
He turned to look at Xun'er beside him, and saw a hint of reluctance on the girl's pretty face and a trace of longing hidden in her clear eyes. He couldn't help but deliberately purse his lips and tease her, pretending to be dissatisfied:
"I don't think this kid is anything special. He just got you, and then he just left you all alone and ran off on his own."
Upon hearing this, Xun'er immediately rolled her eyes at Gu Yuan, a charming blush rising on her cheeks, and softly complained:
"Father is just teasing Xun'er! Brother Xiao Ling has important business to attend to; he's going to meet with Senior Xiao Xuan to discuss important matters. How could he be so frivolous? Besides, if Father hadn't instructed us to improve our cultivation as soon as possible, Brother Xiao Ling wouldn't be in such a hurry to go to the Heavenly Tomb to pay respects to the senior. He's trying to improve his combat strength, and yet you still laugh at us..."
The girl's tone was soft and sweet with a hint of arrogance. The reluctance in her eyes was softened by her coquettishness, which made Gu Yuan feel both helpless and amused.
……
The Heavenly Tomb is shrouded in a thick, gray fog year-round; loneliness and desolation are the eternal themes of this ancient space.
In the silence, the void suddenly twisted slightly, and a figure stepped out from the spatial rift—it was Xiao Ling.
He gazed at this familiar yet distant environment and was slightly taken aback. It hadn't been long since he last left the Heavenly Tomb, yet returning now felt like yesterday; his previous experience here seemed to have just happened.
After a brief sigh, Xiao Ling swept his gaze around, and a vast, star-like soul power surged forth. Spatial power flowed gently around him, and with a flicker, he transformed into a blurry afterimage, hurtling towards the deepest part of the Heavenly Tomb at lightning speed.
Countless energy entities resided within the Heavenly Tomb, many of them possessing formidable strength. However, when they sensed the terrifying pressure emanating from the figure passing through the sky, they all showed expressions of alarm, daring not to offer the slightest obstruction, and could only watch helplessly as the figure vanished into the depths of the thick fog in an instant.
Spatial power surged around him, and with Xiao Ling's strength now far surpassing what it once was, he arrived at the core area of the Heavenly Tomb in just a quarter of an hour.
Gazing at the ancient stone tablet standing silently in the dark void ahead, Xiao Ling's lips curled into a slight smile. Then, he leaped forward, carrying a faint stream of light, and flew straight towards the stone tablet.
Xiao Ling landed steadily in front of the tombstone, his expression respectful, and bowed deeply with his hands clasped in a fist.
"Junior Xiao Ling pays respects to Ancestor Xiao Xuan."
"What happened? You only left the Heavenly Tomb not long ago, what brings you back here? Did something happen outside?"
As soon as he finished speaking, a gentle, soft laugh rang in his ears.
Xiao Ling looked up and saw a figure leaning casually against an ancient tombstone, his black hair loosely draped over his shoulders, looking carefree and unrestrained.
With a warm smile on his face, he was the very person who had come here specifically to pay his respects to Xiao Xuan.
"A late-stage three-star Dou Sheng, a soul at the Great Perfection of the Heavenly Realm, and the aura of the strange fire within your body is much stronger than before... It seems you have made considerable progress during this time."
Xiao Xuan glanced at Xiao Ling, nodded slightly, his eyes full of approval.
"As expected of the Xiao family's eternal pride, truly remarkable, truly remarkable."
Xiao Ling quickly bowed humbly and said sincerely, "Ancestor, you flatter me. I only made this slight improvement because of some minor opportunities. Compared with your unparalleled cultivation back then, it is really not worth mentioning."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Xuan shook his head indifferently. Back when he roamed the Dou Qi Continent, he was incredibly glorious, and he had heard countless praises and compliments. Yet, in the end, he still ended up like this, his physical body completely destroyed, leaving only a wisp of energy that wasn't even a remnant soul, trapped in this desolate Heavenly Tomb, barely clinging to life, no longer possessing the spirited demeanor of his youth.
Seeing a hint of melancholy flash across Xiao Xuan's eyes, Xiao Ling stopped being polite and immediately suppressed his smile, his expression becoming solemn and serious, and his tone becoming more composed.
“Ancestor, I have ventured into the Heavenly Tomb not to seek opportunities or to find answers to my cultivation questions, but because I have a very important matter that I would like to discuss with you in detail.”
Sensing the seriousness and earnestness in Xiao Ling's tone, Xiao Xuan instantly abandoned his casual demeanor, his expression turning solemn as he looked at him with grave concern: "Oh? What matter is so important that it has made you so cautious, even personally venturing into the Heavenly Tomb to find me? Please speak freely." (End of Chapter)