1359 Mortal Shedding Stage!

"Young Miss, if he were still alive, he'd most likely have gone back to Half Moon Island to wait for you," one of the middle-aged men said.

"I'll go back to have a look on Half Moon Island." As a brilliance flashed across Han Xue Nai's eyes, she turned around and blasted out towards Half Moon Island like a cannonball.

However, when she arrived at Half Moon Island, the answer that she obtained was evident. Duan Ling Tian had never once returned in this one year or so.

Hovering above the air on Half Moon Island, a look of self-accusation could be seen on her face. "It's all because of me… Had I not been so headstrong and refused to bring Ah Jiu and Ah Shi with me, nothing would've happened to Brother Ling Tian at all."

After taking a deep breath, Han Xue Nai finally regained her calmness.

"It's better for me not to show myself for the time being, lest Sister Ke'er, Sister Fei'er, and Little White would all be worried." In the end, Han Xue Nai did not reveal herself.

"Ah Jiu, Ah Shi, let's go back." Turning around to look at the two sturdy middle-aged men following behind her like shadows, Han Xue Nai announced in a deep voice, "I want to go and look for Dad to find a solution. I must find Brother Ling Tian regardless of whether he's dead or alive!"

She wanted to find him dead or alive!

"Not only that, but I have a strong feeling that Brother Ling Tian must still be alive." As Han Xue Nai's train of thought changed directions, she heaved a sigh of relief.

Soon, under the escort of both Ah Jiu and Ah Shi, Han Xue Nai proceeded to head towards the north at a breakneck speed so fast that it set off raging waves on the ocean surface.

Only a year had passed outside, but it was already three years on the second level of the Seven Treasures Exquisite Pagoda.

In these whole three years, Duan Ling Tian's Ninth Level Emperor Stage Fused Profundity had already 99% perfectly merged with the Origin Energy in his body.

"According to Xue Nai, after I've taken a closer step and merged the Fused Profundity perfectly with the Origin Energy, I'll then be able to open the Saint Veins hidden in my body. From there, I can then make a breakthrough to the Early Mortal Shedding Stage!"

As Duan Ling Tian thought to himself, he cultivated even more painstakingly. The Mortal Shedding Stage was just right in front of him!

Right now, there was only one thought left in his mind: to breakthrough to the Mortal Shedding Stage.

Ten days went by in just the blink of an eye.

Boom!

Suddenly, a violent wind swept out tyrannically inside the second level of the Seven Treasures Exquisite Pagoda as a loud boom erupted. It was so loud that it was deafening to the ears.

In the next instant, a series of dragon's cries echoed in the air.

"Huh?" Even Elder Huo, the Three-legged Golden Crow, who was on the first level of the Seven Treasures Exquisite Pagoda had also noticed the commotion on the second level. Immediately, he climbed up.

After he had reached the second level, he noticed that the wooden house that he erected had been shattered to pieces.

Inside the wooden house was a purple figure who was sitting cross-legged in the air. A sense of bloodcurdling aura was emanating out of his body. This, of course, was not the most shocking thing there.

The most unexpected thing was the illusion of the nine Divine Dragon's silhouettes above the purple figure.

"T-They are all Nine-Clawed Divine Dragons?" Upon seeing the illusion of the nine Divine Dragons' silhouettes, Elder Huo's heart thumped for a moment. "W-What exactly has happened to him? Why would he be able to call nine dragons to resonate with him, and on top of that, they're all Nine-Clawed Divine Dragons?"

Even though Elder Huo had lived for a long time, it was still his first time seeing such a phenomenon. Heck, he had never even heard about such a thing before!

However, although he had neither seen nor heard of such a phenomenon before, he could also sense that this was an extraordinary Heaven and Earth Phenomenon.

He realized that this man must be very exceptional!

Soon, Elder Huo noticed that after the illusion of the nine Divine Dragons' silhouettes had cried out loud, they transformed to become nine rays that shot into Duan Ling Tian's body before disappearing.

At the same time, Duan Ling Tian opened his eyes.

A rolling airwave spread out tyrannically from him as the epicenter.

"Hahahaha… I've made a breakthrough! I've made a breakthrough!" Duan Ling Tian whose eyes were now opened burst out with hearty laughter as he howled without restraint. "15 Saint Veins! It's actually 15 Saint Veins! That's a whole five Saint Veins more than Xue Nai's!"

At that moment, when he had broken through to the Mortal Shedding Stage, he realized that he had already opened 15 Saint Veins.

"Wait a minute!" Suddenly, Duan Ling Tian noticed a problem.

"Aren't there only 81 Saint Veins in total? I've already opened 15 Saint Veins now that I'm only at the Early Mortal Shedding Stage. By right, when I reach the Intermediate Mortal Shedding Stage, I should be able to open 16 Saint Veins at the very least. And then, it would be at least 17 Saint Veins at the Mastery Mortal Shedding Stage, at least 18 at the Perfection Mortal Shedding Stage and lastly, at least 19 at the Paramount Mortal Shedding Stage! All these added up together would be… 85 Saint Veins? 85 Saint Veins?!"

Duan Ling Tian's eyes were as large as saucers. Didn't they say that there were only 81 Saint Veins hidden inside a person's body?

Even in the long history of Dao Martial Saint Land, only three people managed to open 81 Saint Veins. These three had then proceeded to become the powerhouses who stood on the summit of Dao Martial Saint Land as they overlooked the entire world.

Perplexed, Duan Ling Tian went to ask Elder Huo about this.

"Saint Vein?" It seemed to be the first time Elder Huo had heard of such a term. "The 'Saint Vein' that you refer to is known as the Geographical Vein on Yan Huang Planet. There are more than 81 Saint Veins hidden in all living beings. However, being able to open up to 81 Saint Veins can already be considered as having an eminent innate ability. Such people would have great achievements."

Elder Huo continued, "Actually, there are a total 99 Saint Veins hidden inside a human body. The other 18 Saint Veins are deeply hidden and unless you're richly endowed by nature, it's impossible for you to open them."

"99 Saint Veins?" Upon hearing Elder Huo's words, Duan Ling Tian's heart thumped like mad.

There were actually 99 Saint Veins hidden inside a human body?

"The other 18 Saint Veins mainly connect to the eyes, nose, and ears. Once they are opened, your sight, smell, and hearing senses will reach an alarming level. Those whose sights are powerful can train until they obtain the Clairvoyance skill, while those whose hearing ability is powerful can train to obtain the Clairaudience skill," Elder Huo explained.

"I've never heard of anyone who has opened up to 99 Saint Veins in the Jade Emperor Heaven… Even Gautama, the old monk, is rumored to have only opened 95 Saint Veins. The Horse Protector should be the one who opened the most after him with a total of 93 Saint Veins," Elder Huo added.

The Gautama Buddha had opened 95 Saint Veins?

Su Wu Kong had opened 93 Saint Veins?

Duan Ling Tian was extremely baffled.

Of course, Duan Ling Tian knew that the Saint Vein was the term used on this planet. It was not known as Saint Vein elsewhere.

"Elder Huo, what's the Jade Emperor Heaven that you mentioned just now?" After Duan Ling Tian had snapped back to reality, he asked curiously.

"You'll only bring vexation on yourself knowing about this now. By the time you already have the power to leave this planet, you'll naturally find out about it." Elder Huo dodged the topic.

Duan Ling Tian nodded. Still, he speculated in his heart.

The Jade Emperor Heaven that Elder Huo mentioned must have something to do with the Great Emperor of Jade, the character in the ancient mythology of his past life.

Be it the former Elder Huo, or the Gautama Buddha, or even Sun Wu Kong, all of them must be in the Jade Emperor Heaven.

"Right now, the fact that you can open 15 Saint Veins means that your innate ability is indeed astounding. With your endowed gift, you can open at least 85 Saint Veins in the future. There aren't more than ten people in the entire Jade Emperor Heaven who have a gift like yours," Elder Huo mused.

"Elder Huo, how many Saint Veins did you open at that time?" Duan Ling Tian asked curiously.

"87 Saint Veins."

"8-87?" Upon hearing that, the corner of his mouth instantly twitched violently. The pride that rose in his heart just now disappeared without a trace at that instant.

So what if he could open 85 Saint Veins?

Elder Huo, the Three-legged Golden Crow, who was standing in front of him now had also only opened 89 Saint Veins. Yet, someone had still imprisoned him in this Seven Treasures Exquisite Pagoda to become the pagoda spirit.

As though a bucket of cold water had been poured down on his head, Duan Ling Tian completely returned to his senses.

"Wait a minute!" Suddenly, as though he remembered something, Duan Ling Tian looked at Elder Huo in confusion before asking, "Elder Huo, since Yan Huang Planet could already come up with so many talented powerhouses, why are there only three people who could open 81 Saint Veins on this planet in this long history of time?"

"Yan Huang Planet is the closest mundane planet to the Jade Emperor Heaven. The myth that a later generation like you has heard of might not necessarily all be true… Although the Horse Protector and I were born on Yan Huang Planet, we don't originate from there. I'm a Three-legged Golden Crow that's transformed by the Sun Divine Flames that descended to Yan Huang Planet from the Jade Emperor Heaven. As for that Horse Protector, he was formed from the Ancient Goddess Nuwa's five-colored stone that was originally an item from the Jade Emperor Heaven. In the future, you'll learn that those mythical characters that you've heard of are mostly not from Yan Huang Planet," Elder Huo explained.

"How about Li Jing?' Duan Ling Tian asked again.

"Li Jing was a native to Yan Huang Planet. It's also because of this that he was acknowledged by the Seven Treasures Exquisite Pagoda. The earliest master of the Seven Treasures Exquisite Pagoda was the old Dipankara monk. He was also a native of Yan Huang Planet as well. He could be considered the most outstanding person who originated from Yan Huang Planet!" Elder Huo replied unhurriedly.

"How many Saint Veins did he open?" Duan Ling Tian's eyes lit up right away.

"85," Elder Huo replied.

"Just 85?" Duan Ling Tian was stunned. In fact, even he could open at least 85 Saint Veins in the future.

"Just?" Elder Huo shook his head. "As the native of a mundane planet, the fact that the old Dipankara monk could open 85 Saint Veins is already considered extremely astounding already. At the very least, before he was killed, I've never heard of anybody else who is native to Yan Huang Planet who could open more than 82 Saint Veins other than him. Even Li Jing could only open 80 Saint Veins. His son, Nezha, was slightly stronger than him. He opened a total of 81 Saint Veins," Elder Huo continued.

"On top of that, the number of Saint Veins will only affect the speed of one's energy, leaving the body up to a certain level until detonation energy is formed within a second. One can't judge just how powerful a person is solely based on their number of Saint Veins opened," Elder Huo finished in one breath.