Having possibly experienced the true End and the absolute Beginning, these Black and White Qilin, though generations removed from the Progenitor, were still instinctively reshaping the very laws of the twin black and white apertures.
As if mirroring the influence of this ultimate Dharma Body of Beginning and End, the physical bodies and bloodlines of the two Qilin appeared even purer.
“I cannot grasp it in one moment of enlightenment; it seems a period of secluded cultivation is required—”
Even as a decidedly unprofessional Spirit Master, to be completely ignorant of the structural changes in one's own Dharma Manifestation True Form would be utterly bizarre.
The journey back was uneventful. Barely two hours later, Zong Shou finally returned to the peak of Qiantian Mountain.
Before he even arrived, a dragon roar echoed above Qiantian Mountain City. It was that Yin Dragon, bursting forth from the mountaintop, its silver-white body unfurling as it looked in his direction.
A massive draconic might pressed down upon him.
Zong Shou merely pursed his lips, wondering if this was an intentional show of force meant to intimidate him.
He continued his flight through the void, completely unperturbed. His Unity Sword Intent served as a protective shield, forming a flawless circle around him that deflected the essence of the dragon's intimidating presence ten zhang away.
In the Yin Dragon’s eyes, a flicker of surprise appeared, and it couldn't help but stare intently at Zong Shou.
It seemed astonished that its ‘provider and master’ had grown to such a degree in such a short span.
Zong Shou let out a soft chuckle, casually tossing out several jade bottles of sheep-fat jade.
The Yin Dragon’s eyes immediately brightened. It swallowed all the jade bottles whole, then actually nodded thankfully toward Zong Shou.
Those bottles contained treasures Zong Shou had plundered over the years—items capable of nourishing the Yin Soul and even dispelling malevolent resentment.
He had long realized that this state-protecting Divine Beast still harbored a significant amount of residual baleful energy that had not been eliminated.
It was the most stubborn residue, accumulated over ten thousand years. Only if this Yin Dragon could utilize his Kingly Qi to temper it for another three thousand years might it be completely purged.
However, external aids could certainly accelerate that process.
Satisfied, the Yin Dragon paid Zong Shou no further mind, flicked its tail, and soared heavenward, basking comfortably in the sun above the clouds.
Zong Shou burst into a soft laugh. Though this dragon was lazy, having it here meant he did not need to worry about the safety of Qiantian Mountain.
“So, the Dragon Core has reformed itself—”
It must be noted that the Yin Dragon clan possessed some mastery over the methods of converting reality and illusion.
However, this dragon seemed to have forged an entirely new Dragon Core; Zong Shou couldn't discern what kind of Grand Dao Law governed it.
Its strength increase, having crossed into the High Saint Realm, was not surprising.
Kong Rui had long stated that this state-protecting Divine Beast was intrinsically linked to the fortunes of Qiantian; it thrived under the blessing of the nation's destiny.
The stronger the national fortune, the more naturally the Divine Beast's power would rise.
If the national fortune weakened, the Divine Beast risked a corresponding drop in its rank.
Great Qian currently controlled seventy-six major and minor myriad worlds. Even within this entire domain, it counted as a significant power.
And within the Cloud Realm, its territory had nearly doubled. It was thus perfectly logical for this Yin Dragon to have ascended to the Saint rank.
Gong Yuan possessed the Heavenly Evasion Child-Mother Swords, yet he hadn't dared attack Qiantian Mountain, likely out of caution regarding this dragon. Or perhaps he had already suffered a loss beneath its claws, which Zong Shou couldn't know.
This dragon, in its previous life, had most likely already possessed Saint Realm strength. Therefore, it wouldn't be unable to fully utilize its power following such a rapid breakthrough.
Compared to Zong Shou, who had only managed to squeeze into the Saint Realm through the manipulation of Kingly Martial Arts within the Cloud Realm, the dragon was truly far stronger.
Having sent the Yin Dragon away, Zong Shou turned his gaze towards the mountaintop. He saw Xuan Yuan Yiren standing there, cradling an infant that looked about one or two years old, smiling warmly as she watched him approach.
She remained graceful and spirited, yet now there was an added layer of gentle maternal warmth about her.
Zong Shou’s eyes then fell upon the child. In Yiren’s arms, the little one was kicking his tiny fists, babbling incoherently with excited sounds—clearly a lively, restless handful.
His features were delicate and handsome, taking more after his mother than him. Even at such a young age, a hint of heroic spirit shone through his features, lacking the inherent seductive allure common to the Celestial Fox Clan, which pleasantly surprised Zong Shou.
The first glance brought with it an undeniable feeling of kinship through the bloodline.
Zong Shou’s lips curved upwards slightly, and he strode forward, snatching the little fellow into his arms before planting a fierce kiss on his cheek.
However, the infant was shy of strangers. Unable to resist effectively, he did not cry, but instead clamped down hard with his mouth, biting Zong Shou’s face.
Though he hadn't fully grown his teeth yet, the force was considerable.
Zong Shou immediately burst into hearty laughter, thinking, This is my son, Zong Shou’s child.
Then, a thought struck him as odd: "How is he still so small?"
He had been away from the Cloud Realm for five years. How could this little one still look under two years old?
When this matter was raised, Xuan Yuan Yiren’s eyes clouded with worry: “I don’t know either. Not long after you departed that last time, Dan’er simply stopped growing like this. Though I pride myself on my medical expertise, I could never confirm the cause of the ailment, and I dared not administer random medicines, so I postponed everything until you returned—”
Zong Shou froze and immediately grasped Dan’er’s wrist.
When he had last returned to the Cloud Realm, he worried that his child might suffer the same fate as himself—a body of dual-vein deficiency and a fragmented soul. Thus, he had specifically investigated Dan’er’s physique.
The results from that time had brought him great relief. It was indeed a dual-vein body structure, but the bloodline had stabilized significantly.
His child had inherited nearly everything from him, yet crucially lacked the numerous inherent flaws Zong Shou had carried initially.
A dual-vein constitution made cultivation difficult, but with the World-Shaking Spirit Art he created, the child's future achievements would certainly not be inferior to other cultivators.
As for the pain associated with twisted meridians, if Zong Shou could endure it, his child should naturally be able to bear it too!
Otherwise, there would be no need for cultivation; he could simply live out a peaceful, unremarkable life.
A thread of True Force probed inward, following the nine circular meridians as it circulated throughout Dan’er’s body.
There was no other abnormality, save for a distinct resonance, a throbbing sensation within the bloodline.
A moment later, Zong Shou let out a wry, bitter laugh: “It is the World-Burning Blood, flowing backward through the lineage.”
It was likely due to him developing the mutated World-Burning Blood Eyes that Dan’er’s growth had halted.
The advancement of the bloodline, becoming the World-Burning Blood, benefited his mother and Dan’er the most.
Little Dan, at this stage, had not yet mutated into having the World-Burning Blood Eyes. However, the process of advancing the bloodline demanded an immense expenditure of True Essence, and this extreme extraction by the bloodline caused Dan’er’s growth to slow.
It was fortunate that Zong Shou had returned in time; otherwise, the consequences would have been dire.
If this continued, it would inevitably lead to a depletion of True Essence and death.
Hearing this, Xuan Yuan Yiren’s expression shifted slightly. No wonder she could never diagnose the cause.
“We must seal it first!”
The process of bloodline advancement could not be forcibly halted, lest the consequences become unpredictable. Zong Shou could only slow the rate at which True Essence was being drawn from Dan’er’s body.
But this alone was far from sufficient.
The Lu Family of Fen Kong contained too many instances of those born with the World-Burning Blood who died prematurely because they could not bear it.
“Neither you nor I can ensure Dan’er’s safety in this state. The only solution is to send him to my Martial Uncle Xiu Guan; he must look after the child.”