"Yang Tian... uh, I mean, Senior Brother, do you recognize this?"
Yang Xiao had originally intended to call him by his name.
But then he thought about it. This Yang Tian seemed a bit mysterious and acted like some lofty expert when he spoke—it was a little annoying. Still, he had been calling him "Junior Brother" the whole time.
'There's probably a reason for that.'
Besides, throughout their interaction, he had helped him a great deal and told him many things.
Otherwise, he probably wouldn't even know how he died in the end.
Calling him "Senior Brother" really wasn't too much to ask.
"Ha! Junior Brother, you're finally willing to acknowledge me as your Senior Brother!"
Yang Tian's reaction was extremely exaggerated.
However, he didn't disappoint Yang Xiao and immediately began to explain, "The Desolate Divine Fruit is a unique Divine Fruit of the Northern Wilderness Sword God. This Divine Fruit contains the Power of Time and has many wondrous uses, but the two main ones are..."
"One affects the physical body, allowing it to remain unchanged for a certain period. In other words, if you wanted your body to stay at its current age, a single fruit could preserve it for about a thousand years without any change."
"Of course, this effect is more often used to save people. For example, if someone is on the brink of death, using one can keep their physical body alive. Then, if you can find their soul or figure out a way to resolve the cause of death, you can bring them back. It's quite miraculous."
Hearing this, Yang Lin suddenly cried out, "If I'd had a Desolate Divine Fruit back then, my body might have been preserved!"
Yang Xiao shot him a look.
The guy immediately fell silent.
Yang Tian continued, "In comparison, the second wondrous use is even more widespread. It can be used on the spirit, causing time to slow down in a person's spiritual space. However, while it can halt the body for a thousand years, it can only do so for the spirit for one hundred years. A century can pass in your spiritual space in the blink of an eye in the outside world. It's perfect for comprehending things."
"A hundred years in an instant?"
This time, Yang Xiao was truly shocked.
Just the blink of an eye could grant him a hundred years of comprehension.
If he had many of these Desolate Divine Fruits...
Wouldn't that mean...?
"Otherwise, do you think Xuan Tianzhan could have comprehended the 7th Layer of the Celestial Desolation Swordsmanship in a mere ten thousand days?"
Yang Tian saw what Yang Xiao was thinking and said faintly.
Yang Xiao nodded at once.
'Celestial Desolation Swordsmanship.'
'A Swordsmanship no less inferior to my own Flame Emperor Divine Fist.'
'Even just comprehending it to the 7th Layer...'
'...was by no means an easy feat.'
But with the help of the Desolate Divine Fruit, it was a different story.
One fruit was a hundred years.
Ten fruits, a thousand years.
A hundred fruits, ten thousand years.
If used well, such an item was an absolute Supreme Treasure for cultivation.
"A thousand years ago, someone from the Profound Celestial Sect entered the Northern Wilderness Sword Mansion. If I'm not mistaken, Xuan Tianzhan should have at least five Desolate Divine Fruits in his possession."
Yang Tian's expression remained indifferent.
But Yang Xiao's face changed drastically.
'Five fruits.'
'Five hundred years.'
Moreover, Yang Xiao couldn't believe it. He had managed to obtain a Desolate Divine Fruit; was it possible that Xuan Tianzhan, backed by the full power of his Sect and years of preparation, hadn't?
'Looks like I really need to hurry.'
Urgency gnawed at Yang Xiao.
Just then, Yang Tian spoke again. "Actually, you still have a chance. If I'm not mistaken, your Spiritual Level has already reached the Observing Micro High Peak. You're just shy of breaking through to the Void Observation Realm. If you could reach the Void Observation Realm, comprehending the Celestial Desolation Swordsmanship would be as natural as a fish taking to water. It's just a shame... although you're not far off, breaking through in one's Spiritual Level is incredibly difficult. Forget one hundred days; even with double that time, it would be very hard for you to break through."
Yang Tian sighed.
But Yang Xiao's eyes lit up.
'He's right. As long as my Spiritual Level breaks through, comprehending the Celestial Desolation Swordsmanship will be a hundred, even a thousand times easier.'
A glint flashed in his eyes.
He had made a decision.
"Senior Brother, I'm going into seclusion to break through right now. I wonder, could you stand guard for me?" Yang Xiao said.
"Seclusion? You really want to try?"
Yang Tian was stunned for a moment.
He had only mentioned a possibility.
He never expected Yang Xiao to actually do it.
"That's right. I'll need about twenty days."
Yang Xiao's expression was firm.
Seeing his resolute look, even though Yang Tian didn't believe for a second that Yang Xiao could succeed, he still nodded.
"Alright. In twenty days, I hope you'll immediately go find the Third-Layer Inheritance Tower. If you can't do it, then leave this place. The world is vast. Even if Xuan Tianzhan obtains the inheritance, as long as you're willing, I can make sure he never finds you."
Yang Tian made his promise.
Yang Xiao knew what he meant.
But he didn't say much.
He did want to leave the Celestial Cloud Region, but absolutely not because he was being forced out.
In the past, Xuan Tianzhan had forced him to flee for his life.
But this time...
Yang Xiao would never allow such a thing to happen again.
"If you have the time, perhaps Senior Brother could help me find Brother Lu and Bing Xin. Even though Xuan Tianzhan isn't on this level, they might not be safe."
"Understood. Just focus on your seclusion."
Yang Tian waved his hand dismissively.
Seeing his confident demeanor, Yang Xiao's heart was put at ease.
He sat down cross-legged on the spot and took out a Spirit Fruit.
It was none other than the Greater Yang Spirit Fruit he had obtained from the Rising Dragon Tower.
He had gotten thirteen of them in total back then.
He hadn't consumed a single one.
Now, they were about to be put to great use.
'As long as I break through to the Yellow Flame Early Stage Limit, I can draw out Origin Essence Qi from the Heaven and Earth Origin Fire to refine my body and spirit. At my current Spiritual Level, there's an eighty percent chance I can break through in one go.'
In fact, if he hadn't self-destructed a wisp of his Spiritual Brand while resisting the Immortal Dao Will earlier, which had consumed a trace of the Heaven and Earth Origin Fire's Essence Qi... probably would have already broken through to the Void Observation Realm by now.
And just now, when he gave the Qilin True Body to Yang Lin, his spirit had been depleted a little more.
That was what led to his current situation.
It was why Yang Tian was so pessimistic about his chances.
But Yang Tian didn't know that Yang Xiao possessed a trump card like the Heaven and Earth Origin Fire.
'Let's begin.'
Yang Xiao swallowed a Greater Yang Spirit Fruit.
The moment he swallowed the Spirit Fruit, a massive amount of Greater Yang Essence Qi gushed forth.
It refined Yang Xiao's entire body, filling him with the aura of a Greater Yang Body.
'Huh? It has this effect too? Is this how everyone in the Lu Family can attain a Greater Yang Body? Never mind, the most important thing right now is to raise my cultivation.'
Yang Xiao focused his mind.
Sensing the Greater Yang Qi, Yang Tian came to a realization. 'So the Greater Yang Qi on Junior Brother came from this Spirit Fruit. Tsk, tsk, what an extraordinary opportunity.'
He felt a twinge of envy but said nothing.
Meanwhile, Yang Xiao had already begun to guide the Greater Yang Essence Qi into the Heaven and Earth Origin Flame.
It was a familiar process.
Soon, the Greater Yang Essence Qi was completely absorbed.
The somewhat depleted Heaven and Earth Origin Fire once again reached the limit of the Early-stage Yellow Flame.
At this point, if Yang Xiao were to spend some time and effort to consolidate his power, he could probably break through normally.
But he couldn't wait.
So, he took out another Greater Yang Spirit Fruit.
And swallowed it.
BANG!
This time, the reaction was much more violent.
Yang Xiao felt a BOOM in his head. The Heaven and Earth Origin Fire surged, shattering its shackles and breaking through the Yellow Flame Early Stage Limit. A massive amount of Essence Qi was generated.
And, if Yang Xiao was willing, he could enter the Mid-stage Yellow Flame right away.
However... the most pressing matter... was refining his body and spirit.
This was a rather time-consuming task.
'I hope twenty days is enough.'
Closing his eyes, Yang Xiao began to guide the Essence Qi to refine his body and spirit.
Meanwhile, in the distance, Yang Tian also glanced at Yang Xiao at this moment.
He seemed to have sensed something, but after discovering it was just a breakthrough in cultivation, he couldn't help but shake his head and look away.