Word Count: 3,543 Words
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With Xun Er's soft 'yes,' Xiao Yan felt that all the effort he had poured out over the years was finally rewarded in that single instant.
The tearful girl trembled in his arms as the great stone pressing on his heart at last dropped away. His body relaxed, and a wave of exhaustion surged through him.
A wisp of faint golden flame rose from Xun Er's body, and a very gentle, chaotic stream of energy merged into Xiao Yan. This golden flame was naturally familiar to him. It was the Heavenly Flame that Xun Er possessed.
Any lingering doubt vanished. Xun Er truly possessed the Gold Emperor Incinerating Heavenly Flame, ranked fourth on the Heavenly Flame Ranking!
Starting with the Gold Emperor Incinerating Heavenly Flame... what a privilege!
As the Gold Emperor Incinerating Heavenly Flame slowly entered Xiao Yan's body and reignited the Three Thousand Burning Flame, his injuries finally began to stabilize.
The golden Heavenly Flame wrapped around them both. Xun Er, her eyes reddened from weeping, slowly lifted her head. Xiao Yan gently wiped the tears from her cheeks, then lowered his head and kissed her deeply, pouring all his affection into that single moment.
"Xun Er, I've come to marry you."
He finally had the right to say those words.
He had not come merely to look for her anymore.
Xun Er hugged him tightly at his words, no longer afraid that letting go would mean he would leave again.
"Ah, you brat..." Elder Tong Xuan walked over with a helpless expression. With a wave of his hand, a familiar energy enveloped Xiao Yan's body and restored some of his Dou Qi. It was the same healing-type Dou Technique Tong Xuan had used back at Jia Nan Academy.
With his injuries stabilized and a bit of Dou Qi recovered, Xiao Yan exhaled and said politely, "This junior was disrespectful earlier."
"Ah, you really did slap the faces of everyone in my clan." Elder Tong Xuan simply shook his head, without blaming Xiao Yan in the least. It was only natural for Xiao Yan to harbor resentment over his sudden appearance at Jia Nan Academy back then.
He had simply never imagined that Xiao Yan's growth would be so shockingly monstrous. How many years had passed? And already he possessed this level of strength!
As a Half-Saint elder of the Gu Clan, Tong Xuan naturally understood the status of the God Seal Technique within the clan. With only a Grade 8 Dou God Bloodline, one could at most unleash the Sky Burying Seal, with power equivalent to a relatively strong Low Tian Class Dou Technique. At the level of a high-level Dou Venerate, that was not especially impressive. Its true advantage lay elsewhere: even a Dou Ancestor could use it, so long as their bloodline and Dou Qi were sufficient. There was no need to reach Dou Venerate before cultivating a Tian Class Dou Technique.
But for someone like Gu Qing Yang, it was another matter entirely. A Grade 9 Dou God Bloodline allowed one to fully display the God Seal Technique's true might, elevating it to the High Tian Class!
A Dou Technique of that grade was a supreme treasure even among the Dou God Clans. Forget mastery, simply reaching entry level was extremely difficult. Yet with a high-grade Dou God Bloodline, there was no cultivation barrier at all. That was the truly tyrannical aspect of the Dou God Bloodline!
The only way to surpass it was to create a Dou Technique of one's own.
Self-created Dou Techniques had no entry, minor, or major levels of mastery. Their creator naturally began at perfection! Although Xiao Yan's technique had not yet fully taken shape, it was undeniable that a creator's comprehension of their own technique would always surpass that of anyone who learned it later.
Just as Xiao Yan had said: no matter how deeply you studied Emperor Gu's Dou Technique, Emperor Gu was Emperor Gu, and you were you. Not even a Divine Grade Bloodline could perfectly replicate him.
Tong Xuan had never imagined that Xiao Yan could create such a staggering Dou Technique. Even if he had taken shortcuts by using the God Seal Technique as a reference, the fact remained: he had done it.
Xiao Yan met the admiration in Tong Xuan's eyes with only a faint smile. Only he knew how many shortcuts he had taken. Without the Flame Mantra and his Heavenly Flames, it would have been absolutely impossible.
And more than that, he owed it to Xun Er. It was Xun Er who had borne the pressure of the clan to secretly give him the God Seal Technique.
Back then, Xiao Yan had simply believed that Xun Er had given him a High Di Class Dou Technique. Thinking back on it now, he realized that compared to himself, Xun Er had believed even more firmly that he could become a Dou God. That was why she had given him a Dou Technique created by a Dou God in advance, letting him study and comprehend it.
The intention behind that deed could only be called profound.
Love carried to its deepest.
So today, Xiao Yan had used this Flame God Seal to tell the Gu Clan that this Dou Technique, created jointly by him and Xun Er, would be no less than the Gu Clan's God Seal Technique!
Though he lacked a Grade 9 Dou God Bloodline, Xiao Yan believed that once the Flame Mantra evolved to its final stage, it would certainly be no weaker than the Qi Methods and Dou Techniques created by those Dou Gods!
Gu Qing Yang flew over at that moment. He cupped his hands toward Xiao Yan and said with a smile, "Brother Xiao Yan, you are truly extraordinary. I, Gu Qing Yang, concede wholeheartedly. In the entire Gu Clan—no, in the entire Dou Qi Continent—only you are worthy of being matched with Xun Er."
Xun Er's pretty face flushed scarlet to the tips of her ears. She buried her head in Xiao Yan's chest, too shy to lift her gaze.
Xiao Yan had just proposed in front of everyone, and she had agreed!
Now that it had fully sunk in, her heart was pounding like a frightened fawn, and nervousness bubbled up within her.
She was going to be the Xiao Clan's daughter-in-law!
As if sensing their shared emotion, the Pill Beast within the brocade box slowly rose into the air and, with uncanny spirituality, landed on Xun Er's jade-like finger. The butterfly's feelers unfurled into a ring that wrapped around her finger, transforming into an exquisitely beautiful band.
Human Medicine and the other geniuses of the Yao Clan turned deathly pale at the sight of such a spiritually aware Pill Beast, as if they had seen a ghost.
"With this level of spiritual awareness... it must be a Pill Beast born from nine-colored Pill Lightning!" The scantily clad Yao Clan beauty stared in horror, completely unable to believe that someone would use a tier 8 Pill Beast formed under nine-colored Pill Lightning to propose marriage!
What woman could possibly refuse this? Courting like this ought to be illegal!
"How is that possible? He's this young; how could he possibly refine a Pill Beast born from nine-colored Pill Lightning?! Impossible!" Human Medicine's face twisted in rage. He couldn't even refine a tier 8 medicinal pill with seven-colored Pill Lightning, yet this was nine colors, and a Pill Beast on top of that!
Even Yao Tian and Yao Ling within the clan might not be able to refine a Pill Beast born from nine-colored Pill Lightning right now!
"How can that Xiao Yan's Heavenly Flame be so strong? Is the power of merged Heavenly Flames really that exaggerated?" A nearby Yan Clan member felt his worldview crumble. Was the fusion of Heavenly Flames truly this frightening?
Huo Zhi and Huo Xuan both shook their heads. Huo Xuan looked toward Xiao Yan, who was still undergoing treatment, and sighed. "It's not just his Qi Method. His Heavenly Flames are so powerful mainly because Xiao Yan himself is strong. He wields Heavenly Flames with transcendent mastery."
The veiled Huo Zhi nodded in agreement. Even though she possessed the Red Lotus Karmic Flame, ranked eighth, she was certain that with Xiao Yan's talent, he would be able to control it even more perfectly and draw out an even more terrifying side of the Red Lotus Karmic Flame.
For a time, many faces showed peculiar expressions. In the Dou Qi Continent, a world where strength reigned supreme, hardly anyone thought in terms of actively pursuing the opposite sex. As long as you were strong enough, that was all that mattered!
Yet Xiao Yan had fought his way here, sweeping aside every commander and general of the Black Submerged Army, instantly defeating Gu Yao, ultimately clashing bitterly with First General Gu Qing Yang and overturning the situation with a self-created, unknown Dou Technique.
And he had done all of this... just to come and propose marriage!
For the people of the Dou Qi Continent, this was something very difficult to understand.
"He's so damn cool."
No one knew who in the stands spoke those words first, but countless young men nodded in agreement.
That image of a battle-scarred warrior fighting only to earn a deep and steadfast love was far more stirring than any display of Dou Techniques.
Even Gu Yao now sat with his eyes tightly closed, having long since given up. What he had lost was not only a contest of strength.
…
At the very heart of the Gu Realm stood an ancient, austere palace. This was the ceremonial hall of the Gu Clan's Council of Elders, the highest authority within the clan.
Several figures stood outside the palace. Any member of the Gu Clan who saw them would have had to bow in respect, for these people represented the absolute peak of the clan's power and were also the strongest individuals within it.
The three elders with fully white hair were the Three Gu Immortals, each a 7-star Dou Saint. Beside them stood a middle-aged man whose presence was as solid and weighty as a mountain—the Black Submerged King of the Black Submerged Army, an 8-star Dou Saint whose strength was second only to Clan Head Gu Yuan.
"That heaven-and-earth phenomenon..."
"A Tian Class Dou Technique, and not a low-ranked one."
"At minimum Intermediate Tian Class. If his opportunities are sufficient and he perfects it, it might well reach High Tian Class."
The Three Gu Immortals glanced at one another. The difficulty of creating a Dou Technique and merely cultivating one were not on the same level at all. Even they were unable to create a High Tian Class Dou Technique! Such a feat required not only immense comprehension but also vast good fortune.
A slight deficiency in either would mean failure!
Yet now, a youth under thirty had actually created such a Dou Technique. How could they not be astonished?
"Ah, never thought the likes of us would misjudge someone so badly." A trace of emotion appeared on the Black Submerged King's resolute face. As the Black Submerged King, he had naturally supported Gu Qing Yang. He thought highly of Gu Qing Yang's talent and temperament, believing he could succeed him as the next Black Submerged King or even the next Clan Head, and that he was a fitting match for Xun Er.
Yet Xiao Yan's Flame God Seal had landed a heavy slap even across his old face.
Aside from lacking the Gu Clan's Dou God Bloodline, Xiao Yan and Xun Er were a perfect match in every respect. He was the most perfect candidate. Especially now, when they had all been moved by Xiao Yan, some of them couldn't help feeling that perhaps a Dou God Bloodline was not necessarily the most important thing.
Without realizing it, even the Black Submerged King now felt that, compared to Gu Qing Yang, Xiao Yan was indeed the more suitable choice.
And at this point, Xun Er's own wishes no longer factored into their judgment. Previously, they might have considered her personal opinion, but now, even without counting Xun Er's preference, Xiao Yan still ranked first in their hearts!
They had nothing left to say.
There was not a single flaw left to pick at.
With a soft creak, the great doors of the main hall swung open and a middle-aged man slowly stepped out. Even the Black Submerged King lowered his head and saluted respectfully. "Clan Head."
This was Gu Yuan, Clan Head of the Gu Clan, Xun Er's father, and one of the most peak experts in the current age.
Gu Yuan appeared to be around his late thirties or early forties. The hair at his temples carried a few streaks of gray, but his thick black brows were neat and orderly, and his eyes shone bright and spirited.
"Xiao Yan... ah, with such a dashing bearing, even I, as her father, must admit defeat." Gu Yuan clasped his hands behind his back, a faint smile at his lips. Even across thousands of miles, he could see everything clearly.
He had naturally observed every detail of Xiao Yan's battle against Gu Qing Yang.
Even he, the old father, had no choice but to admit that only Xiao Yan would do as Xun Er's husband.
Earning a father's recognition was no simple feat!
"I trust none of you have any better ideas?" Gu Yuan turned his gaze onto the Three Gu Immortals. These three old fellows were the most stubborn, always regarding the Dou God Bloodline as the one and only criterion and insisting that someone like Xiao Yan, who did not possess it, was unqualified from the start.
"It was we who failed to recognize true talent. I agree to Xiao Yan becoming our clan's son-in-law."
"I also agree."
"This old man as well."
One of them belonged to Gu Yao's branch, but even he could not say anything more. They were simply not on the same level anymore. Arguing further would have been pointless.
"What about the Heavenly Tomb quota?" Gu Yuan's gaze swept past the three. They had not only opposed the matter of Xiao Yan and Xun Er but had also obstructed at every turn when it came to the Heavenly Tomb quota, unwilling to spare even a single slot for Xiao Yan.
"Ah... regarding the Heavenly Tomb quota, it seems the Ling Clan did not come this time. We can allocate one of their spots to Xiao Yan." One of the Immortals cleared his throat, suddenly recalling that the Ling Clan's absence had left two slots empty, just enough to grant one to Xiao Yan.
Gu Yuan frowned slightly. He too found it odd that the Ling Clan had not come.
"Very well, we'll do it that way. Once the Heavenly Tomb expedition is over, send someone to the Ling Clan to investigate and ask why they failed to appear." Gu Yuan nodded and flicked his sleeve.
"Yes, Clan Head!"
One of the Three Gu Immortals knitted his brows. "Xun Er's matter has been settled, but what of the Tou She Ancient God's Jade..."
A solemn look flashed through everyone's eyes as they all turned toward Gu Yuan. By rights, with Xiao Yan as the Gu Clan's son-in-law, the Ancient Jade should naturally—
Gu Yuan frowned slightly as well, then seemed to think of something and sighed. "Let Xun Er handle the Ancient Jade herself. As for our Gu Clan... we will proceed according to the original plan."
"But—"
"Xun Er possesses a Divine Grade Bloodline. Matters regarding her husband will naturally be handled by her."
He turned and walked back into the hall without another word, leaving no room for these stubborn old men to argue further.
As Clan Head, he still had many matters to deal with, especially with the opening of the Heavenly Tomb fast approaching.
…
Back in the coming-of-age ceremony plaza, Xiao Yan and Gu Qing Yang had each returned to their seats. The three elders responsible for officiating the ceremony could only smile wryly at the plaza that Xiao Yan had ruined beyond recognition.
The coming-of-age ceremony wasn't even finished yet! What a mess he had made of it!
Rumble, rumble, rumble!
The ground suddenly began to tremble. Earthen-yellow Dou Qi surged out from the void as a Gu Clan elder whose strength was no weaker than Tong Xuan's unleashed an earth-attribute Dou Technique. In the blink of an eye, the plaza had been completely rebuilt.
A Dou Saint could even open up a small world. This sort of minor task was hardly worth mentioning.
Once the plaza had been restored, Tong Xuan glanced at the seats where Xiao Yan and Xun Er sat, then slowly walked to the center of the ceremonial grounds. His voice rolled across the entire plaza.
"I shall preside over the remainder of the ceremony."
His words left all the elders present momentarily stunned. Then, as if they had realized something, a trace of shock rose in each of their eyes.
It was not only the Gu Clan elders who reacted. The experts from the other Dou God Clans, such as Mang Tian Chi, also seemed to understand. They stopped conversing with Xiao Yan and hurriedly sat up straight.
At this coming-of-age ceremony to which they had invited all the continent's great powers, the Gu Clan clearly had something to announce to the world!
As several elders successively withdrew from the grounds, Elder Tong Xuan turned his smiling gaze toward the stunning figure seated in that special area and said softly, "Xun Er, it's time for your bloodline assessment."
Almost every gaze in the plaza instantly converged on that enchanting figure as his voice faded. Within the Gu Clan, she was their true pearl; even Gu Qing Yang could not compare.
However, Xun Er paid little attention to the stares of the crowd. She was gently bandaging Xiao Yan's arm, every bit the attentive, newly married young wife, caring for him in every detail.
"It's nothing. I've already taken a medicinal pill. I've just expended a great deal of Dou Qi and Spiritual Strength, that's all. I'll recover soon." Xiao Yan smiled faintly. He could clearly sense that the gazes of the Gu Clan members upon him had already changed completely. Their eyes no longer held hatred or jealousy. Some people even looked at him with satisfaction and faint traces of flattery.
This Gu Clan son-in-law was not bad at all!
Xun Er gently wiped a trace of blood from the corner of Xiao Yan's mouth with her jade-like hand. He caught her hand and smiled. "I've had my moment to shine. Now it's Xun Er's turn."
She blinked her beautiful eyes and nodded obediently. "Mm."
Under Xiao Yan's gaze, she lightly stepped into the air and floated down gently onto the ceremonial plaza.
Elder Tong Xuan looked at the slight coldness on her face and let out a helpless sigh. "You should know, Xun Er, that with your bloodline and status, there are some things that cannot be decided solely by your own wishes."
"And now?" Xun Er's voice was cool and clear.
"Ahem... Speaking only for myself, I hold young friend Xiao Yan in the highest admiration. He is the most suitable man to be your husband, the young Dou God of this generation."
The chill on Xun Er's face gradually faded only after she heard Elder Tong Xuan affirming Xiao Yan. Hearing her clansmen praise Xiao Yan worked better on her than hearing them praise her!
Xun Er stepped forward with practiced ease. She gently placed her jade-like hand on the Star Plate and slowly closed her beautiful eyes.
As her eyes closed, a faint radiance slowly blossomed from her hand. Under that light, stars began to quietly emerge on the plate one after another.
Nine stars flew out very quickly, indicating that Xun Er's Dou God Bloodline had at least reached the Grade 9 level and was likely even stronger than Gu Qing Yang's.
Xiao Yan's eyelids twitched violently. Gu Qing Yang was already so powerful...
"But it's not over yet. If it were merely Grade 9, those old fellows wouldn't have all gathered here," Gu Qing Yang said softly.
"Hiss... could it be...!"
As the golden specks of light grew denser and denser, Xun Er's entire arm gradually seemed to have been cast from pure gold. When that radiance finally reached its utmost peak, the Star Plate shuddered violently. Fine cracks quietly appeared on its surface and rapidly spread.
"What terrifying bloodline strength! Even the Star Plate can't withstand it!"
BOOM!
The moment the tenth star appeared, the plate could no longer endure and burst apart with a thunderous crash!
"Ten stars... Divine Grade Bloodline!!"
Every member of the Gu Clan stared dumbstruck at the golden pillar of light shooting into the sky. They shared the same bloodline as Xun Er, so the pressure it exerted felt even more intense to them. Many could not bear such overwhelming might and fell to their knees with muffled thuds, their faces filled with fervent devotion.
"What a remarkable young lady... a Divine Grade Bloodline. The Gu Clan truly has great fortune..."