Just then,
"Ding! Host's eldest disciple, Ji Fuyao, is currently comprehending the Path of Spirit Fire! Initiating synchronization!"
Instantly, an immense torrent of enlightenment regarding the Path of Spirit Fire surged into Lu Xuan's mind. He had never before experienced such a comprehensive understanding of spirit fire!
"Is Fuyao about to achieve Perfected Mastery of the Path of Spirit Fire?"
Lu Xuan checked the System. Sure enough, Ji Fuyao had indeed achieved Perfected Mastery of the Path of Spirit Fire! He was slightly stunned. Ji Fuyao's talent for spirit fire was truly heaven-defying! No wonder she had achieved Great Emperor status through the Path of Spirit Fire in her past life!
Next, the System's voice chimed again.
"Ding! Host's eldest disciple's cultivation is advancing! Initiating synchronization!"
Once more, Lu Xuan felt a surging impact of spiritual energy within his meridians. This spiritual energy was several times more potent than before! On Ji Fuyao's character panel, her cultivation realm had directly leaped from late-stage Profound Sovereign to Stage One Profound Venerate! As for Lu Xuan, he directly stepped into Stage Three Profound Venerate!
Feeling the immense and surging spiritual energy within him, Lu Xuan felt a flicker of excitement. In less than two months, he had effortlessly reached the Profound Venerate realm! And he hadn't done a thing, merely lounged around! This feeling was simply indescribable!
Not long after, Ye Chen slowly opened his eyes, his gaze filled with joyous surprise as he looked at Lu Xuan.
"Master, I've reached mid-stage Grand Profound King!" he exclaimed, checking his body with an expression of disbelief and intense excitement.
Lu Xuan offered a faint smile. "You have three days left. From now on, don't consume any more pills or absorb any Spirit Stones. I'll help you devour the seed of the Bone-Chilling Ghost Flame!"
Ye Chen's eyes widened in shock. The Bone-Chilling Ghost Flame seed?
Just then, whoosh! Yao Yan directly emerged from the jade pendant on Ye Chen's chest.
"Hehehe. Devouring a Heaven and Earth Spirit Flame seed, you say? That happens to be this old man's specialty!" Yao Yan announced, making himself at home and offering to help Ye Chen absorb the Bone-Chilling Ghost Flame.
Lu Xuan chuckled softly. "Since Elder Yao is so confident, then by all means, you take the lead."
Ye Chen immediately retrieved the Bone-Chilling Ghost Flame from his storage ring. Whoosh! Though the Bone-Chilling Ghost Flame was covered in seals and restrictions, a terrifying, bone-chilling aura still permeated the room the moment it reappeared. Ye Chen could feel the immense power contained within this Heaven and Earth Spirit Flame seed!
Upon seeing this, Yao Yan grew excited. As an alchemist, he dealt with spirit flames constantly, yet this was his first time seeing a Heaven and Earth Spirit Flame up close. Given such a rare opportunity, he naturally proposed to Lu Xuan that he should assist Ye Chen in devouring it. After all, this was merely a seed, not a fully matured Heaven and Earth Spirit Flame! Yao Yan was quite confident he could suppress this particular Bone-Chilling Ghost Flame.
He extended his right hand, and the Bone-Chilling Ghost Flame instantly floated before him. Yao Yan began to carefully examine the spirit flame seed, muttering, "Ye Chen, let this old man prepare first! Devouring a Heaven and Earth Spirit Flame is simple, but this particular seed contains terrifying power. I must ensure it doesn't harm your Dao Foundation. Give me a little time."
He continued, "Oh, and by the way, once the seals on this Heaven and Earth Spirit Flame seed are broken, it will undoubtedly trigger Heaven and Earth Phenomenon. I will help you suppress it!"
Ye Chen respectfully replied, "Many thanks, Elder Yao."
Yao Yan nodded, a faint divine radiance emanating from his body as he began to meticulously remove the seals from the Bone-Chilling Ghost Flame. His Path of Spirit Fire had reached the Transcendent Realm, so suppressing this Heaven and Earth Spirit Flame was not overly difficult for him.
Perfected Mastery, Grand Perfected Mastery, Transcendent Realm...
Meanwhile, deep within the Ye Family ancestral land, the three Old Ancestors sat cross-legged in the depths of the void, slowly imparting their wisdom. What they were teaching was none other than the Supreme Secret Arts of the Fuyao Dynasty! These arts were the very foundation upon which the Ye Family had remained unyielding for millennia.
Once, they had leveraged these Supreme Secret Arts, bestowed by the Empress herself, to become one of the three great pillars of the Fuyao Dynasty!
As the three Old Ancestors of the Ye Family imparted the arts, the profound mysteries of the Supreme Secret Arts stirred, as if the Grand Dao itself was being affirmed, coalescing into resplendent divine radiance across this expanse of heaven and earth. The void was painted with this divine light, resembling a cascading river of stars. The three Old Ancestors sat amidst this starlit river, appearing immensely profound and distant.
They gazed down upon the Ye Family Patriarch and the other elders. These were the most talented cultivators of the Ye Family, all of whom had already stepped into the Profound Saint realm. The Old Ancestors surmised that, by imparting these Supreme Secret Arts, many would surely comprehend a trace of their profound mysteries. With this thought, the three Old Ancestors waited quietly.
In the grand hall, the Patriarch and the Grand Elder both erupted with radiant treasures, and a subtle yet potent battle intent began to coalesce, a murderous aura soaring skyward, directly forming various Heaven and Earth Phenomenon in the void above. In the heavens, the murderous power continuously gathered, evolving into myriad awe-inspiring visions.
The Patriarch's cultivation had progressed significantly! A towering long spear manifested directly above his head, striking out like a dragon, its roar echoing across the four seas, causing mountains to split and rivers to boil, shattering stones and piercing clouds. It was terrifying!
The Grand Elder followed suit, comprehending the profound art. Above his head, a boundless sea of spirit fire directly condensed, the towering flames resembling a fiery abyss, ceaselessly boiling and sending scorching heat waves directly into the sky, a truly magnificent sight!
Following them, several other Profound Saint elders also gained enlightenment. Heaven and Earth Phenomenon similarly condensed above their heads. However, due to the powerful formation collaboratively laid by the three Old Ancestors within the ancestral land, these Heaven and Earth Phenomenon did not manifest outside, and the rest of the Ye Family remained oblivious.
The three Old Ancestors nodded. "Excellent. To comprehend to such a degree demonstrates your commendable talent!"
The Grand Elder asked with a hint of surprise, "Old Ancestors, could it be that this Supreme Secret Art is meant to unleash our intrinsic 'Dao'? I cultivate the Path of Spirit Fire, which explains why my offensive power has increased several-fold, even generating Heaven and Earth Phenomenon during attacks!"
The grey-robed Old Ancestor nodded. "Indeed! This Supreme Secret Art can ignite a cultivator's potential. Continue your cultivation. Heaven and Earth Phenomenon is just one benefit; you will experience many more advantages later on."
Upon hearing this, the Ye Family elders were all stirred with excitement. The Supreme Secret Arts of the Fuyao Dynasty were indeed incredibly profound! Such was the heritage of a Great Emperor-tier power!
Witnessing this scene, the three Old Ancestors of the Ye Family felt a slight regret. While the Patriarch, Grand Elder, and others possessed commendable talent, their cultivation time was less than a millennium, only allowing them to reach the Profound Saint realm. However, with the support of these Supreme Secret Arts, reaching the Saint King realm was merely a matter of time. More importantly, their combat prowess would increase several-fold! Among peers, they would be practically invincible, unless they encountered true monstrous talents.
Just then, the Grand Elder asked, "Old Ancestors, may I impart this Supreme Secret Art to my son, Liangchen?"
The grey-robed Quasi-Emperor nodded. "Naturally, you may. Now that our Ye Family is about to return to the Empress's command, it is imperative to enhance our family's overall strength."
The Patriarch sighed inwardly. He too wished to impart this Supreme Secret Art to Ye Chen. Alas, Ye Chen's current problem wasn't his combat prowess but the Ominous Power within him. Thinking of this, the Patriarch turned to look at the Grand Elder.
Perhaps the Empress would have a solution! If only the Young Master challenge could be canceled!
The Grand Elder, sensing the Patriarch's gaze, saw through his thoughts and said coolly, "Our esteemed Ye Family is about to return to the Empress's command. Allowing a cripple who cannot cultivate to be the Young Master would be quite unfitting."
"I hope the Patriarch will prioritize the greater good! The Empress's strength has yet to fully recover, and this is her first visit to our Ye Family in three thousand years. I hope the Patriarch refrains from making excessive requests. Disrupting Her Majesty the Empress is a minor concern, but if her strength were to be diminished, the Patriarch would bear an unforgivable responsibility."
The Patriarch frowned deeply. Damn it! The struggle for the Patriarch position had caused friction between him and the Grand Elder, leading to continuous conflict. Especially in the years since Ye Chen's cultivation declined, the Grand Elder had relentlessly targeted him! This time, with the Empress's imminent arrival, the Patriarch harbored a glimmer of hope. If the Empress could help Ye Chen eliminate the Ominous Power within him, he would willingly relinquish his position as Patriarch!
At this moment, the grey-robed Quasi-Emperor Old Ancestor looked at the Patriarch and slowly said, "Longfeng, you must not mention the matter of Chen'er's Ominous Power this time. When the time is ripe in the future, I will naturally petition Her Majesty the Empress!"
The Patriarch's expression turned extremely grim. He glared coldly at the Grand Elder, then could only respectfully say, "Understood!"
The Grand Elder let out a soft chuckle, remaining silent.
Immediately, the three Old Ancestors waved their sleeves, their faces solemn as they declared, "By our reckoning, Her Majesty the Empress should arrive at our Ye Family in about three or four days. I have just communicated with Commander Wang Man of the Dragon Guards, and Her Majesty may not arrive precisely during the family gathering."
"Now, go and make your preparations! Remember one thing: this matter must proceed with the utmost discretion! At that time, our Ye Family will activate the guardian formation! The Empress's arrival is of paramount importance; not a single shred of information must be leaked."
"We shall temporarily enter seclusion within this ancestral land. When the Empress arrives, we will naturally emerge!"
As their voices faded, the Patriarch, Grand Elder, and others loudly declared, "Understood!"
The three Old Ancestors waved their sleeves, directly lifting the Heaven and Earth Restriction on the ancestral land.
The Patriarch and the others slowly left the Ye Family ancestral land. The Grand Elder approached the Patriarch. "Patriarch, I remind you once more: I hope you prioritize the greater good! On the path of the Ye Family's rise, some useless individuals ought to be sacrificed! Seven years have passed; are you still harboring fantasies about certain wastes?"
Upon hearing this, the Patriarch's face contorted in a ferocious expression, filled with murderous intent.
The Grand Elder let out a cackling laugh. "Patriarch, you needn't be angry. I wasn't referring to Ye Chen." With that, the Grand Elder departed. He was in high spirits. He couldn't wait to see his son, Ye Liangchen. The Old Ancestors' imparting of the Fuyao Dynasty's supreme secrets to them was incredibly timely!
When Empress Fuyao arrived, he could have Ye Liangchen demonstrate his prowess. Although Ye Liangchen's talent wasn't on par with Ye Chen's peak abilities back then, he was still the Ye Family's second most talented… though now, he was undeniably the first! This visit from Empress Fuyao was a colossal opportunity for Ye Liangchen!
"If my son, Liangchen, can also manifest Heaven and Earth Phenomenon," the Grand Elder muttered, "he will surely astonish the Empress! Perhaps he'll even be taken as a disciple by Her Majesty! Hahaha..."
Not far away, the Patriarch watched the Grand Elder's excited demeanor. How could he not have grasped the Grand Elder's intentions? The Patriarch's face grew exceedingly grim. On the day of the family gathering, how would Ye Chen face this?