Chapter 244: Incredible Inheritance

"Kid, I forgot to mention, besides the necessity of our mutually beneficial cooperation, Xue Qinghan's earnest recommendation was also a major reason I chose to sacrifice myself to you. That girl is completely devoted to you; you mustn't let her down!"

Xu Yang was momentarily stunned, but Taotie had already poured the entire soul conversation he'd just had with the Empress directly into Xu Yang's mind.

Instantly, an incredibly intense emotion ignited within him, burning like a scorching flame. It felt as if the Empress's essence had been deeply etched onto Xu Yang's life path.

A voice within him echoed, affirming that he could never, under any circumstances, let this woman down.

The ritual sacrifice was complete.

Xu Yang internally examined his physical body. His muscle and bone strength had nearly doubled, a direct result of Taotie's inherent blessings. His bloodline energy was now more abundant, and his vitality was incredibly robust. Xu Yang even felt as though he could now live for hundreds of thousands of years without issue.

Beyond the enhancements to his physique and bloodline, the surge in his spiritual power was also evident.

However, what astonished Xu Yang the most was that he had gained access to two of Taotie's inherent talents!

The first was "Devour," Taotie's most iconic and supreme talent.

Initially, Xu Yang believed this talent was exclusive to beast forms, but after the sacrifice, he found that he too now possessed this innate ability.

The Devour talent allowed him not only to absorb spiritual energy but also the very soul essence of vanquished foes, which was incredibly potent. While not entirely humane and certainly not meant for unlimited use on opponents, employing it as a last resort would undoubtedly significantly raise Xu Yang's power ceiling.

Any essence absorbed through this talent could be unconditionally refined by his bloodline power, without requiring any personal energy expenditure. This meant a substantial increase in Xu Yang's sustained combat ability and overall stamina reserves.

Regarding the second talent, Taotie remained elusive. It seemed this ability wasn't directly inherited by Xu Yang's main body and could only be accessed with Taotie's explicit permission. The ancient beast didn't reveal its specific nature, merely stating that it was a last-resort ability to be used only in life-threatening situations, which Xu Yang found rather frustrating.

It was safe to say that after this significant boost, Xu Yang's overall power had reached an astonishing level.

Previously, Xu Yang at his peak could suppress experts in the early stages of Tribulation Transcendence. Now, even if he were to face a cultivator at the peak of Tribulation Transcendence, he would likely have a fighting chance if he unleashed his full power.

At present, Xu Yang's only potential weaknesses in terms of power lay in his speed and mastery of illusionary techniques.

Compared to opponents like the Ghost Shadow Asura, who possessed extreme movement techniques, Xu Yang inwardly conceded that he still had room for improvement in speed.

Furthermore, when confronting pure illusionary masters like the Empress, he would still have vulnerabilities. Taotie's sacrifice had provided no enhancement in this specific area.

If the Empress were to reach the Divine Infant Realm, her illusionary arts might become irresistible even to Xu Yang.

A powerful aura spontaneously emanated from within him. When Xu Yang's radiant figure reappeared before the group, everyone was inevitably awestruck by his increased power.

"Wow, is this the power boost from a sacrifice by a Primordial Ancestral Beast? Boss, you were already incredibly formidable; now how are us little brothers supposed to live? Alright, from now on, we can save our energy when we face opponents. You can just single-handedly dominate in every direction, and we'll happily follow along and enjoy the spoils, hehe!"

Long Kun seemed quite content to 'retire early,' finding nothing more appealing than simply clinging to Xu Yang's coattails and enjoying the fruits of his labor.

It was understood that after this battle, should Xu Yang appear in any of the Three Thousand Dao Provinces again, he would be recognized as a supreme figure. Various factions would likely vie to extend invitations and recruit him. As members of Xu Yang's team, everyone present would undoubtedly have a brilliant future ahead.

After all, on this continent where strength commanded ultimate respect, possessing power meant possessing everything.

"Alright. It's not as exaggerated as you think. Once we safely leave this place, I'll dedicate some time to help all of you collectively advance your cultivation levels. After all, we might face even stronger adversaries in the future, and I absolutely cannot allow your cultivation to fall behind."

As Xu Yang finished speaking, he instinctively glanced at the Empress. They exchanged a smile, and though countless words seemed to hang unsaid between them, their shared glance conveyed everything.

*Rumble!*

Above them, within the vast sea of fire, a sudden and violent tremor erupted without warning. The ensuing sonic blast seemed even more potent than before.

"Hahahaha! Xu Yang, did you really think cowering would spare you from death? Who would have thought this fire barrier would perfectly synchronize with my poison arts, allowing me to refine even more potent fire-poison elements! My combat strength has risen once more! I'm eager to see how you pathetic wretches will resist me now!"

As the resonant voice echoed from within the Fire Domain, Xu Yang knew the time for a decisive battle with Tuoba Hong had arrived.

"All of you, stay here. I will enter the Fire Domain alone. Ah Xue, no matter what transpires, ensure their safety. If the illusion cannot withstand the impact, let it shatter, but you must not get hurt. I have a plan to deal with them."

Everyone nodded, their eyes reflecting a shared sense of reassurance.

Previously, even if Xu Yang had recovered to his peak, the group would never have agreed to let him face Ghost Shadow Asura and Tuoba Hong—two supreme experts on the brink of Tribulation Transcendence—by himself.

But now, the situation was entirely different. Although Xu Yang's current cultivation realm wasn't outwardly discernible, everyone understood that the aura emanating from him was no weaker than anyone they had ever encountered. Given Xu Yang's confidence, they all chose to trust him unconditionally.

"Go. We'll await your safe return."

*Whoosh!*

Xu Yang transformed into a streak of ethereal light, soaring skyward and vanishing into the endless fire illusion in a single instant.

The Empress, with her mind attuned, once again activated her cultivation techniques using her formidable spiritual power. She altered the illusion within the boundless fire domain and, simultaneously, projected a mental resonance perspective for everyone nearby, enabling them to clearly witness the confrontation unfolding within the fiery illusion.

It was well known that witnessing a confrontation between supreme figures like Xu Yang, who had reached the Tribulation Transcendence realm, would be profoundly enlightening for lower-level cultivators. It was entirely possible that merely observing could trigger a sudden enlightenment for a cultivator at the Great Perfection stage.

After all, practical combat remained the most crucial path to advancing one's cultivation and power.

Within the sea of fire, as Xu Yang arrived, a faint, icy blue glow began to emanate into the air.

As he once again confronted Tuoba Hong, the calm and dignified aura radiating from Xu Yang was even more profound than before.