Word Count: 3,053 Words
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"Xiao Yan ge-ge, did you rest well?" Xun Er asked sweetly as he emerged.
Xiao Yan furrowed his brow. "Not particularly. The first thing I saw when I awoke wasn't Xun Er."
Xun Er shot him a shy glare at his sweet talk. Had they shared a bed last night, who knew what might have happened! Even now, she remained under the constant surveillance of the Gu Clan elders.
Still, his words filled her heart with honeyed sweetness.
She approached with a gentle smile, her jade-like hands smoothing the wrinkles from his robes. The tenderness in her movements carried the devotion of a young wife, a sight so natural and intimate that any other Gu Clan member witnessing it would surely turn red-eyed with envy.
For years, Xun Er had maintained an ethereal, goddess-like image before them. Who could have imagined the heartbreak of seeing their goddess fussing over a man's attire with such loving care?
Of course, no amount of heartbreak could compare to Gu Yao's, who had watched the woman he loved kiss another man—no, passionately kiss another man.
One could only wonder how well the poor fellow had slept last night.
Xiao Yan smiled and nodded, savoring the sensation of her cool, delicate fingers brushing across his chest. His heart fluttered momentarily before he quickly composed himself. They had spent the previous day engaging in playful banter; today demanded serious business!
His gaze shifted to the distant space enveloped by a massive barrier. "The coming-of-age ceremony is about to begin, isn't it?"
"Mm. The guests should all be here by now. It's time we head over." Xun Er nodded. Her voice remained calm, but her eyes revealed that she knew today would mark a turning point in their fate.
The two walked side by side, naturally becoming the most striking pair in the Gu Realm and drawing countless looks from all around. Some were envious, some jealous, and some simply curious.
They moved swiftly and soon arrived at the ceremony plaza. From a distance, it differed starkly from the Hun Clan's plaza. It was far grander, more magnificent, and without any of that gloomy atmosphere.
Soldiers of the Black Submerged Army guarded the entire square. Because the Heavenly Tomb was opening, the Gu Clan had invited not only the other major clans but also many hidden factions with whom they had past alliances, making security especially tight.
CLANG!
Just as Xun Er prepared to step into the VIP section, the sharp sound of crossing spears cut through the air. Two warriors in golden armor had blocked Xiao Yan's path.
The jarring sound made Xun Er's expression darken as anger began to simmer within her.
"Stand aside!"
Her tone carried such fury that even these armored guards trembled. None dared show disrespect to the Gu Clan's princess.
"Young Miss, you needn't make things difficult for them. This area is restricted; only clan members and specially invited guests may enter. Please understand."
Xiao Yan's calm gaze swept toward the source of the voice and landed on two elders standing with their hands clasped behind their backs: Gu Qian and Gu Xu.
Clearly, these two belonged to Gu Yao's faction and hoped to strengthen their branch by arranging his marriage to Xun Er.
Xiao Yan immediately understood this was a special restricted zone. While he had no particular interest in such areas, Xun Er thought differently. Since he had come to the Gu Clan, she was determined to provide him with the finest reception.
The location was already conspicuous, and with Xun Er present, numerous gazes converged on them. Many watched with barely concealed amusement, eager to see how Xiao Yan would handle the Gu Clan's opposition.
Xiao Yan gently patted Xun Er's shoulder to calm her, then addressed the two elders. His voice, infused with Dou Qi, carried across the entire plaza: "Greetings, honored elders. I am Xiao Yan, current Little Clan Leader of the Xiao Clan, here to observe our allies' coming-of-age ceremony."
His voice echoed throughout the square, with particular emphasis on the word 'allies'.
The invited factions who had entered through the regular entrance exchanged uneasy glances. They were not true allies of the Gu Clan but rather dependents seeking protection. If their own factions declined someday…
Gu Qian and Gu Xu's expressions soured. Xiao Yan's eyes narrowed as he sighed dramatically. "Ah, how things change. When I was born, Uncle Gu Yuan himself held me in his arms, inviting me to visit the Gu Clan whenever I wished and promising the finest hospitality. Yet now… ah."
He spread his hands in feigned resignation. "Never mind. Xun Er, I'll simply take another seat."
Xun Er covered her mouth to hide a smile, her anger giving way to amusement at his theatrical display. "Xiao Yan ge-ge, don't be upset. Father has simply been too busy to make proper arrangements. It's not that Elders Gu Qian and Gu Xu intended offense. I'll accompany you elsewhere and fulfill my duties as host."
The two elders found themselves in an impossible position. Xiao Yan had saddled them with such a heavy accusation that they would have no defense if the Clan Head reprimanded them. Yet backing down publicly would mean a great loss of face!
At that moment, a familiar voice called out, "Gu Qian, Gu Xu, don't be rude. The Xiao Clan is our ally and deserves a seat among the honored guests."
Xiao Yan frowned and looked toward the source of the voice. It was, without a doubt, Elder Tong Xuan, the one who had taken Xun Er away years ago!
Now Xiao Yan could finally gauge his strength: a high-level Half-Saint, merely half a step from Dou Saint, with cultivation surpassing even Zhu Li's.
With Elder Tong Xuan providing them a way out, Gu Qian and Gu Xu hurriedly stepped aside and allowed Xiao Yan to pass.
Having achieved his goal, Xiao Yan said nothing more and accompanied Xun Er to the VIP section reserved for Dou God Clans. He was, however, curious to see that the Ling Clan had yet to appear, even though the other clans were all present.
"Shouldn't there be seven Dou God Clans besides the Xiao Clan? Why is the Ling Clan missing?" he asked.
Xun Er glanced around and saw that the Ling Clan was indeed absent. She shook her head. "I don't know either. Whenever the Heavenly Tomb opens, all Dou God Clans typically send representatives to enter and strengthen their young talents."
While they spoke, Gu Yao, who was preparing for the ceremony, stared at Xiao Yan with ice-cold eyes. Judging by his bloodshot gaze and the dark circles beneath his eyes, he likely hadn't slept a wink.
Xiao Yan completely ignored the bone-chilling killing intent.
He saw Mang Tian Chi and Huo Xuan and greeted them both. Before long, the time for the coming-of-age ceremony arrived.
Whether it was the Gu Clan, the Hun Clan, or even the Xiao Clan, the rituals remained largely the same. It began with testing the Dou God Bloodline of the new generation. The criteria matched the Hun Clan's: anyone under fifteen who couldn't reach Grade 4 was unqualified to become a member of the Gu Clan and couldn't receive a Clan Mark.
Next came the re-evaluation of the younger generation. Any breakthroughs would result in an updated Dou God Bloodline grade and an enhancement of their Clan Mark's power.
The Clan Mark functioned like a formation or special Secret Technique that could mobilize the unique power within their Dou God Bloodline.
It resembled the Hun Clan's Clan Mark, which had two effects upon activation. The first was a boost in cultivation. With only a Grade 6 Dou God Bloodline, if Xiao Yan were to use the Hun Clan's Clan Mark, his Dou Qi would only increase slightly, perhaps from an early 8-star Dou Venerate to a middle-stage 8-star Dou Venerate, not even half a rank.
However, the Dou Qi boost was secondary. The truly powerful effect was the enhancement of one's Spiritual Strength; that was its fundamental purpose, with the Dou Qi increase being a mere bonus. Xiao Yan guessed the Gu Clan's mark also possessed other effects besides raising Dou Qi.
He had little interest in watching the bloodline re-testing. Most results matched his expectations. Ling Quan possessed a Grade 6 Dou God Bloodline, as did Lin Xiu, though the golden light from Lin Xiu's shone a bit more brilliantly.
Among the Eight Commanders, seven were Grade 6. Only First Commander Gu Zhen had reached a Grade 7 Dou God Bloodline, and his original golden Clan Mark was redrawn into a faint purple-gold!
"That pen… it must be a priceless treasure." Xiao Yan's gaze fell on the instrument used to draw the purple-gold Clan Mark. The Hun Clan possessed a similar pen, though of a different color.
"The golden Clan Mark is drawn by the Golden Heavenly Dragon Pen, while the purple-gold one requires the Purple-Gold Heavenly Dragon Pen. The pens used to create Clan Marks were all forged by a Dou God and are unique in this world," Xun Er explained. The Xiao Clan had once possessed such a pen, but now, who knew where it had gone?
"You little elf, I bet your mark is more than just purple-gold," Xiao Yan teased, glancing at her. Although they had sparred the previous night, neither had gone all out, so he hadn't seen the color of her Clan Mark.
Xun Er blinked her large, innocent eyes. "Why don't you guess, Xiao Yan ge-ge~"
While the two flirted, the pitiful Gu Yao had already taken the stage. The sight of Xiao Yan and Xun Er acting so intimately made his Dou Qi surge uncontrollably.
"Gu Yao, steady your mind!"
"Yes, Elder!"
As expected, anyone who could become a general couldn't have a weak Dou God Bloodline. Eight full golden stars flew out from the testing plate, indicating that Gu Yao had reached a Grade 8 Dou God Bloodline!
"Grade 8 bloodline… truly worthy of the Four Great Generals."
"I remember the Young Miss was only at eight stars when she was tested, right? Commander Gu Yao has almost caught up to her…"
"But that was a long time ago. Who knows how much stronger the Young Miss's bloodline has become by now?"
A streak of purple-gold was inscribed on Gu Yao's forehead, forming a Clan Mark that made him appear even more outstanding and spirited. As the mark fully merged into his body, Gu Yao's eyes snapped open. He glared furiously at Xiao Yan, his fists cracking loudly.
"Elder! According to clan rules, am I permitted to challenge someone?" Gu Yao's face was grim as he asked in a deep voice.
His words made everyone, from the Dou God Clans to the Gu Clan's own generals, look back and forth between Gu Yao and Xiao Yan. Gu Yao's intentions were clear to all!
"You are," the elder in charge of inscribing the marks replied. "But I must remind you, if the person is not of our clan, they have the right to refuse."
Gu Yao nodded slowly and turned around, his distinctive black-and-white hair catching the light. His icy, bone-chilling gaze locked onto the slender young man standing not far away. "I am giving you the opportunity to challenge me. Whether you possess such courage is your business. However, if you refuse, I expect you to leave the Gu Realm on your own accord before the day is out!"
The rules of the ceremony allowed Gu Yao to challenge anyone, yet he had phrased it as an opportunity for Xiao Yan to challenge him!
A challenge was typically issued from a lower station to a higher one. Clearly, in Gu Yao's mind, he wasn't the one who should be issuing the challenge, but rather Xiao Yan!
Swoosh!
The moment Gu Yao finished speaking, nearly every gaze in the plaza swiveled to rest on that slender figure. Many were filled with schadenfreude.
"That Gu Yao certainly is quick on the draw. I was hoping to test the boy myself and let him understand that his so-called Pill Gathering championship is nothing more than a child's game, worthless in the eyes of my Yao Clan." The man called Human Medicine commented from the VIP section, sitting lazily with a small smile.
"Don't worry. As long as he survives Gu Yao, you'll get your chance," a curvaceous and enchanting woman in revealing clothes beside him said with a dismissive curl of her lip. "What real skill can these alchemists from the outside possibly have?"
As Xuan Kong Zi had said, the people of the Yao Clan were arrogant and looked down on all alchemists from the Dou Qi Continent.
The Hun Clan members naturally gloated as well, while others watched with mild interest, curious to see how Xiao Yan would respond. After all, Gu Yao possessed a Grade 8 Dou God Bloodline and cultivated Tian Class Qi Methods and Dou Techniques! His setup was maxed out!
Xiao Yan, still seated, cast a lazy glance at the high-spirited Gu Yao on the stage. He slowly rose to his feet, his expression as placid as an old well. "So be it. I suppose I count as half a member of the Gu Clan. Since some people lack self-awareness, it falls to me to teach them what it means to overestimate one's abilities."
How perfect. He actually wants me to be the one to challenge him.
"Xiao Yan ge-ge…"
Xiao Yan patted Xun Er's hand reassuringly. "Don't worry. I know my limits."
Space distorted, and he appeared in the center of the ceremony plaza.
Gu Yao revealed a cruel smile when Xiao Yan appeared and sent a grim sound transmission: "Don't worry. For Xun Er's sake, I won't kill you. But I will cripple you!"
Xiao Yan's eyes swept over Gu Yao as he replied aloud for all to hear, "Face is given by others, but thrown away by oneself."
The tension between the two was evident to the three Gu Clan elders on the stage, who shook their heads and departed, leaving the arena to them.
"That Xiao Yan has courage, at least, to dare fight Gu Yao," Second Commander Lin Xiu said this, but his praise was accompanied by a cold sneer.
"Ten moves," Ling Quan said, gloomy coldness in his eyes. He wished for nothing more than Xiao Yan's death. "I bet Xiao Yan can withstand ten of Commander Gu Yao's attacks before he's left like a dead dog on the ground."
Only First Commander Gu Zhen, standing beside them, wore a thoughtful expression. Although Xiao Yan had been arrogant since entering the Gu Realm, their brief conversation had left Gu Zhen with the impression that he wasn't a blindly confident person.
"Huo Zhi, who do you think will win?" Huo Xuan asked the woman beside him.
Huo Zhi's fine brows knitted slightly. Her voice was clear and cold, and her answer surprised most who heard it. "Xiao Yan."
"Oh?"
"He has two Heavenly Flames. Even without the boost from a Dou God Bloodline, refining Heavenly Flames causes a qualitative change in one's Dou Qi. The benefits are subtle but accumulate over time. Furthermore, their cultivation levels aren't far apart."
"Let's watch. The show is about to start."
In the center of the arena, Gu Yao's aura swelled continuously, and the air around him grew frigid. His black-and-white hair whipped about as his eyes focused. "Make your move!"
Xiao Yan's face remained impassive as he silently recited a list in his mind:
Ancient Phoenix Wings, Ten Thousand Beast Flame, Wind and Thunder Fury Flame, Nine Dragon Lightning Flame, Skyfire Three Mysterious Change…
Octane Blast!
In less than a ten-thousandth of a second, the combination of a Tian Class flying Dou Technique, three Heavenly Flames, and the Skyfire Three Mysterious Change made Xiao Yan faster than even Spiritual Strength could track. In a span so brief most couldn't perceive it, his figure materialized before Gu Yao.
His eyes remained calm and sharp. Supporting his body with his left foot, he twisted his torso and whipped his right leg out, driving toward Gu Yao's chest with overwhelming force and speed.
CRACK! BOOM!!
The two sounds came almost simultaneously. The first was the crack of Xiao Yan's kick shattering Gu Yao's sternum. The second was the thunderous boom of Gu Yao's body smashing into a massive stone pillar at the edge of the plaza.
Only in the next moment did the roar echo from the impact. The huge, hard pillar cracked and began to collapse, instantly filling the entire plaza with rolling clouds of dust and smoke.
In an instant—less than a thousandth of a second—the so-called 'peak showdown' had ended. The vast majority of those present would have missed it completely had they blinked.
Everyone, including prodigies from the other Dou God Clans like Gu Zhen and Huo Xuan, hadn't even reacted. For a moment, their minds couldn't comprehend what had happened. Or perhaps their instincts simply refused to accept such a result!
"WHAT THE FUCK?!!"
"WHAT JUST HAPPENED?!"
Thud! Thud! Thud!
The young experts from the Lei, Yan, and Shi Clans all shot to their feet, their gazes filled with shock and even terror as they stared at the figure standing tall in the plaza.
Those who managed to process the scene were left speechless.
The figure stood on his left foot, still holding the posture of his kick. Behind him, a pair of multi-colored flame wings far larger than his own body burned slowly. From a distance, they appeared as beautiful and noble as phoenix feathers.
"IMPOSSIBLE!!" Even the Black Submerged Army commanders retreated three steps in fear, witnessing Xiao Yan defeat Gu Yao with a single strike, unable to believe their eyes.
"How can this be..." Gu Qian's face showed utter disbelief.
Gu Yao might have been the weakest of the Four Great Generals at peak 8-star Dou Venerate, but the Third General had only just reached 9-star, and the Second General was a peak 9-star. They could defeat Gu Yao, but never with such absolute ease!
Xiao Yan slowly lowered his leg and patted the dust from his robes. He spoke quietly, his voice carrying across the silent plaza.
"You're just like Lin Xiu. One-move fodder."