The group climbed the stone steps and arrived outside the bamboo courtyard.There Emily saw the plain‑looking old man inside, bending down to slice bamboo shoots.“Grandfather,” Albert called out first.Thomas’s hands paused. He did not lift his head, yet his hoarse, aged voice drifted over.“Bring them inside. I will cook a dish for you all.”“You two may leave now.” Those words were clearly directed at Dennis and Cyrus.The two men nodded with smiles and turned to depart.After walking some distance away, Dennis let out a soft laugh and sighed to Cyrus, “The old man is apologizing for what happened all those years ago.”“This dish…”“It was meant for our third sister‑in‑law long ago.”The quiet courtyard nestled amid a sea of bamboo. Mountain winds swept through the grove, stirring a rustling sound.Albert felt completely at ease. He pulled Emily into the courtyard. Tina hesitated for a moment before following cautiously behind them.A small table stood in the yard, already set with

“The current Guard Lord of our Dragon‑Tooth Guards is Vance. In terms of seniority, he is several generations above you and has reached the Fourth‑Grade God‑Tier Realm. Vance is extraordinarily gifted and maintains strict discipline over his subordinates; he is a capable commander. As a matter of fact, when he was young, your father Andrew recommended him. Through years of cultivation, he rose from a collateral‑line clansman all the way to Guard Lord of the Dragon‑Tooth Guards.”“Vance, Fourth‑Grade God‑Tier Realm?” Albert inwardly clicked his tongue in amazement. The Dragon‑Tooth Guards truly harbored countless hidden powerhouses.Beneath the Guard Lord stand two Dragon‑Tooth Envoys, whose strength generally ranges from Two‑Star to Three‑Star God‑Tier Realm. Below the Envoys are the Four Grand Commanders, all of whom are One‑Star God‑Tier Realm experts.Albert’s eyes narrowed slightly. So the Four Grand Commanders he had known about occupied only the third tier within the Dragon‑Toot

That was why Albert dared not reveal it out in the open.Even the Tianyuan Ancient Academy was reasonably safe, yet with so many people around, no one could predict what unexpected trouble might arise.If its completion triggered a huge commotion and drew greedy covetous eyes, even if no one struck at that very moment, countless obstacles would plague his journey home.Thus, only after returning to the Dragon‑Tooth Mountain Range did Albert dare to proceed.This was the main stronghold of the Dragon‑Tooth Branch, home to countless powerhouses, and guarded by a trustworthy double‑crown sovereign. Only here could Albert feel entirely at ease.Inside the top‑floor cultivation chamber, Albert took out the golden cauldron he had obtained from the White Ape. He channeled a wisp of soul power, and the cauldron swelled in the wind, growing to more than ten meters across before crashing heavily onto the ground.Golden light swirled within the cauldron, as if countless ancient and mysterious ru

“My Heavenly Spirit Diagram should now reach six thousand meters.”Albert was overjoyed. He was drawing ever closer to the God‑Tier Realm he had long dreamed of.“This Divine Creation Nectar is truly a marvelous treasure.”Albert sighed in admiration. Unfortunately, he had obtained only one portion of it. He wondered whether more of it could still be found within the ruins of the Nether Sacred Sect.Having experienced its tremendous power firsthand, Albert wanted more.Level‑by‑level soul advancement was an exhaustingly slow grind. Thanks to his Empty Soul, Albert could make steady progress over time. For ordinary cultivators, however, absorbing impure soul‑liquid would seal their souls and block further evolution.Yet the Divine Creation Nectar could bring about instant, decisive advancement.As these thoughts ran through Albert’s mind, space rippled inside the cultivation chamber and Thomas appeared. He glanced at the golden cauldron and asked, “Did you get this from the cave‑heaven

When he had unleashed his Dual‑Soul Power before, similar marks would surface within his soul power, granting it greater sentience. Yet the seal‑script runes woven into Emily’s Dual‑Soul Power were clearly a far more sophisticated manifestation.“This is true Dual‑Soul Power. Strictly speaking, it lies beyond the Three Realms of Dual‑Soul Power that you know. It is called Soul Seal‑Script.”“Soul Seal‑Script represents a higher‑order evolution of soul power, and it is the very source of Dual‑Soul Power’s immense strength.”“This is the primary reason why God‑Tier powerhouses’ God‑Tier Arts vastly outshine those cast by cultivators below the God‑Tier Realm.”Having heard Thomas’s explanation, Albert pressed his lips together. Fine. Dual‑Soul Power was truly profound and extensive — truly worthy of being the hallmark of God‑Tier experts.Emily dispelled her Dual‑Soul Power at this point, her gaze returning to the Holy‑Thorn Crown before her. “Thank you, Grandfather, for this treasure.”