In the bamboo forest, Ancient Yuan looked at Xiao Yan, who seemed a bit awkward, and glanced at the tranquil bamboo house, sighing with a hint of helplessness. Even as Xun’er’s father, this was his first time seeing her so close to a man.
“Xiao Xuan, you’ve met him, right?” Under the moonlight, Ancient Yuan walked slowly towards the awkward Xiao Yan, speaking in a calm tone.
Xiao Yan was slightly startled, hesitating for a moment before replying, “Yes, I have.”
“I sensed the bloodline power within you; it must be the most crucial part of the Xiao Clan,” Ancient Yuan said with a slight cluck, sighing, “Xiao Xuan truly went through a lot to preserve the last spark of the Xiao Clan, willing to turn himself into that state.”
Xiao Yan remained silent, understanding that the Celestial Tomb was actually a huge prison, and figures like Xiao Xuan, who existed as energy bodies, were prisoners inside. Although they had found another way to live, they had to endure endless loneliness.
“Ancient Ancestor, isn’t there a way to free him?” Xiao Yan asked, his voice somewhat heavy.
“At the very least, even I don’t have such power. It is said that the Celestial Tomb was created by a Battle King from long ago. To break the rules there and free Xiao Xuan, one might need to reach that level,” Ancient Yuan shook his head, and when he mentioned Battle King, Xiao Yan noticed a complex expression on his face. This realm was like a heavy burden on the souls of their ancient races, driving every clansman to strive for it.
“Battle King…” Xiao Yan smiled bitterly. This nearly legendary existence was too ethereal. Even Ancient Yuan, who could be considered a true peak of the Dou Qi continent, felt nothing but reverence before those two words.
“Is there really a Battle King in this world?” Hearing Xiao Yan’s question, Ancient Yuan fell silent. After a while, he mumbled, “Who knows? At that level, they are like deities, looking down on the entire continent. To them, anyone else would be as insignificant as ants.”
“Them?” Xiao Yan’s eyes narrowed slightly, but he didn’t understand what Ancient Yuan meant. Were these “they” just hypothetical, or did they refer to something real?
As Xiao Yan pondered, Ancient Yuan waved his hand, saying, “Tomorrow, you will leave. Be careful. With your current strength, the elders of the Ancient Clan should not give you too much trouble. Due to the Ling Clan’s matters, Xun’er can’t leave the Ancient Realm for a while.”
Xiao Yan nodded and asked, “Ancient Ancestor, do you think the changes in the Ling Realm were caused by humans or natural disasters?”
Ancient Yuan’s brows furrowed slightly, replying, “We aren’t certain. Whatever they encountered must be a huge problem. The possibility of it being human-made is very low. The Ling Clan’s strength is enough to be considered a superpower on the continent. To push them to this point, even the Ancient Clan would find it difficult.”
“What if it were the Soul Clan?” Xiao Yan asked slowly. Xiao Xuan had once said that the Soul Clan was too mysterious, and even after years of conflict, no one could fully understand this bizarre clan.
Ancient Yuan paused, then shook his head again, saying, “It should be impossible. If the Soul Clan wanted to push the Ling Clan to this point, they would need to mobilize significantly, and we would have noticed. Besides, even if the Soul Clan had the ability, why would they want to make an enemy like the Ling Clan? Though the Ling Clan has declined in recent years, they are still not easy to deal with…”
Xiao Yan nodded slightly, his doubts deepening. If not the Soul Clan, what other force could have pushed the Ling Clan to this state? Could it really be due to some natural disaster?
“Enough, these matters shouldn’t concern you much. After further investigation, everything will become clear,” Ancient Yuan waved his hand, gazing at the quiet bamboo house, and sighed, “Additionally, don’t forget what you promised me. Xun’er’s bloodline is crucial to the Ancient Clan. If anything goes wrong, even if I don’t act, some of the old men will be furious.”
Xiao Yan felt a bit awkward, then smiled and nodded.
“Alright, it’s getting late. You should rest. You’ll have to leave early tomorrow.”
Seeing this, Ancient Yuan finally nodded, his figure gradually fading until he disappeared.
Staring at where Ancient Yuan had vanished, Xiao Yan let out a sigh, feeling a lingering sense of unease. The next day, as the morning light began to pour over the vast and endless land, the mountains that had been silent all night became lively again. The sky was filled with the sound of air breaking, and as the commotion grew, Xiao Yan and Xun’er emerged from the bamboo house and flew toward the nearby mountains. When they arrived, several large warships were already floating in the air, surrounded by rolling clouds, making a grand spectacle.
Appearing in mid-air, Xiao Yan scanned the surroundings and saw many familiar faces. Ling Quan, Lin Ruo, and other young elites of the Ancient Clan were present. However, the latter group, upon seeing him, clearly showed some avoidance and fear. With Xiao Yan’s strength having surged to the peak of eight stars, they now understood that they had lost any qualifications to be arrogant in front of him. After all, when Xiao Yan was just a five-star Dou Zun, he could defeat an eight-star Gu Yao. How much more so with his current strength?
As Xiao Yan’s gaze swept around, he noticed another gaze focused on him. He turned slightly, stopping at a mountain peak not far away, where a figure stood, his black and white hair signifying Gu Yao, who had lost to Xiao Yan six months ago.
Their gazes met, surprisingly without any strong animosity. Gu Yao’s indifferent face nodded slightly at Xiao Yan.
Surprised by Gu Yao’s gesture, Xiao Yan smiled and nodded back. It seemed Gu Yao had stepped out of the shadow of his previous defeat. Such a talented individual would surely be heavily groomed by the Ancient Clan, and forming a good relationship with him would reduce potential future troubles.
As more and more people gathered, the warships in the sky sounded their horns, signaling the departure from the Ancient Realm.
“Xiao Yan.” As Xiao Yan was about to say goodbye to Xun’er, a figure descended from the sky. Xiao Yan recognized Medicine Clan’s Yao Xingji, frowning slightly, “What is it?”
Not particularly fond of Yao Xingji, Xiao Yan treated him with less courtesy than others.
Yao Xingji rolled his eyes, slightly annoyed, but restrained by Xiao Yan’s strength, refrained from saying anything insulting. He flicked his finger, and a jade slip flew towards Xiao Yan, “This is the invitation to the Medicine Clan’s Clan Ceremony. Don’t worry, your teacher will need it. He understands its significance, and whether he harbors grudges or not, I believe he will come.”
Taking the jade slip, Xiao Yan studied Yao Xingji for a moment, then accepted it, putting it in his storage ring, and gave a bow, “Thank you.”
“Next time, I hope we get the chance to compare our alchemy skills,” Yao Xingji clenched his fist and, without another word, quickly boarded a warship.
Watching Yao Xingji leave, Xiao Yan fell into thought. Regardless of what the Medicine Clan Ceremony was, he would first inform his teacher and see what he wanted to do.
“Xun’er, it’s time. I must go,” Xiao Yan turned to Xun’er, speaking softly.
“Take care…” Xun’er smiled softly.
Xiao Yan nodded, then swiftly turned and leaped onto a warship, disappearing in the eyes of the crowd.
Looking at Xiao Yan’s retreating back, Xun’er sighed, feeling a bit disheartened.
The horns sounded again as more people boarded the ships. The dark clouds roiled, and the warships shuddered, then, under the watchful eyes of the crowd, turned into a massive cloud formation, streaking rapidly toward the exit of the Ancient Realm.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage