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The members of the Xiao Family watched the Amethyst Winged Lion King from a distance, their eyes filled with both fear and reverence.
A small child looked at the giant beast in front of her with innocent, pure eyes, her gaze slowly moving down to the Little Amethyst Winged Lion King.
"Didn't Uncle Xiao Zhan just say that they are our guardians and won't harm us?" she asked an older child.
"Hmm, the Patriarch did say that, but… wait, Xiao Qing, come back."
Before he could finish speaking, he saw Xiao Qing, who had asked him the question, running towards the Little Amethyst Winged Lion King.
Xiao Qing held a string of candied hawthorns and said to the Little Amethyst Winged Lion King, "This is for you, will you play with me?"
The Little Amethyst Winged Lion King opened its gaping maw…
…and ate the candied hawthorns.
Then it turned around and walked away, wagging its tail.
Xiao Qing looked at her empty hand, then at the Little Amethyst Winged Lion King indifferently walking away, and tears welled up in her eyes.
She felt that she had been deceived, failed to make a friend, and lost a string of candied hawthorns.
The Little Amethyst Winged Lion King, with its back to her, revealed a mischievous smile.
…
After explaining the matter of the Amethyst Winged Lion King to the clan members, Xiao Zhan followed Wu Meng to the largest stone chamber on the nine-story corridor.
This had always been the residence of the "Xiao Family Ancestor," and even Xiao Zhan was visiting for the first time.
"Come with me. There's also a passage leading to the outside World here. If there are any problems with the front entrance, you can lead the clan members out from here."
Wu Meng opened the door, entered the stone chamber, and pointed to a cupboard directly in front of them.
He stepped forward and distorted a handle on the left side of the cupboard. Accompanied by the rumbling sound of the stone door rubbing against the ground, the cupboard slowly moved aside, revealing a passage slightly smaller than the Xiao Family's entrance passage.
Wu Meng slapped the stone wall beside him, injecting Dou Qi, and the Moonstones brightened, illuminating the passage.
The Moonstones in this passage were also smaller and the light dimmer than those in the main entrance passage. But they still allowed them to see the surrounding stone walls and the path underfoot.
Wu Meng walked and said, "It's also time to take you to meet our ally, Amon."
Xiao Zhan repeated the name, "Amon…"
Wu Meng, bearing the appearance of "Xiao Yuanshan," nodded and whispered, "Yes, he is the Patriarch of the Amon Clan. Hundreds of years ago, when I found him, he was severely injured, and I saved him.
"After that, he formed an alliance with me. His injuries have now basically recovered… but it will take some time for his strength to recover.
"As for the common interests of our alliance, our respective goals, and the obligations each of us bears, I'll tell you in detail once we meet him."
This passage seemed unusually long; they walked for about several hundred meters and still hadn't reached the end.
After a few more minutes, finally, a glimmer of light appeared ahead, appearing exceptionally dazzling compared to the slightly dim glow of the Moonstones.
Stepping out of the tunnel, Xiao Zhan squinted, raising the back of his hand to block the piercing sunlight.
He scanned his surroundings and found that ahead was an open plain, with a stone house located on one side near the mountain wall.
Tall circular pillars and a circular dome—Xiao Zhan had never seen such a strangely styled building before and was slightly surprised.
Following Wu Meng into the stone house, the first thing that caught his eye was a giant sculpture.
The sculpture depicted a person wearing a cold mask and a long robe, but strangely, tentacles with intricate patterns extended from beneath the robe.
Even just looking at the stone statue, one could feel the coldness, strangeness, and madness of the carved subject.
This feeling made Xiao Zhan more vigilant; this person named Amon also seemed to be an abnormal fellow.
He then looked at the surrounding walls, which were carved with various murals. There were giant wolves with eight legs, towering pagodas rising from the ground, giant dragons flying in the sky, lightning, storms, the sun, and various abstract symbols full of symbolism…
This stone house seemed to be a place similar to a clan ancestral hall.
"Amon, are you there?" Wu Meng asked softly.
A young man with a pointed soft hat, black eyes, black hair, a high nose bridge, and thin lips walked out from behind the statue.
His hair was slightly curly, he wore a crystal monocle over his right eye, a classical black robe, and matching boots.
When this Amon walked out, his gaze appeared as innocent as an infant's, yet also gave a sense of clear foolishness.
He revealed a gentle smile and softly said to the two, "Are you here to retrieve the Worm of Spirit?"
Xiao Zhan showed a hint of confusion, "Worm of Spirit? What is that?"
Wu Meng shook his head and said, "We'll talk about that later. This is the Patriarch of our Xiao Clan, and I'm here to clarify the alliance with you."
"Alright, sit." Amon took out meditation cushions and sat down on one himself.
Xiao Zhan observed Amon. He always felt that this young man gave him a sense of incongruity, as if… he wasn't human.
He remembered that on the day the Xiao Family Ancestor, Xiao Yuanshan, first appeared before him, that strange person who had taken his place in the Xiao Family had also said that Amon was not human and could be treated as a magical beast… What did he mean by "treated as a magical beast"? Did that mean they weren't even considered magical beasts?
Xiao Yuanshan sat down, and Xiao Zhan followed suit, sitting on a meditation cushion.
Amon said to Xiao Zhan, "Hello, Xiao Family Patriarch, I am Amon, the Patriarch of the Amon Clan. My purpose in forming an alliance with you is to go home."
"Ah?" Xiao Zhan was stunned. What kind of reason was that?
He looked at Wu Meng in confusion, who calmly said, "Just keep listening, and you'll understand."
Amon's face still held a gentle smile, but his tone became slightly sorrowful as he said:
"I am merely a wandering traveler. I yearn to return to my homeland, the place that gave birth to me and raised me, the resting place for my spirit and soul… But I cannot return. I cannot go back with my own abilities. Therefore, I need an ally who can help me return home.
"In this universe, there are many Planes, each Plane like a small island in the ocean, or an oasis in the desert. To cross from one oasis to another requires facing great danger. If one's strength has not reached a certain level, such a journey cannot be undertaken.
"Aren't you curious? Where did all those Dou Emperors from ancient times go? With their heaven-shattering power, it's impossible that they all died, right?"
Xiao Zhan thought of a possibility, his eyes widening in horror, "Could it be that…"
Amon nodded, "That's right, they broke through the World and left this Dou Qi Plane, heading to other Planes. My homeland is a Plane called the 'Great Thousand World'… I hope for someone strong enough to take me there.
"Yuanshan said that your Xiao Family ancestors once produced Dou Emperors, so I believe that the possibility of a Dou Emperor being born in your family is greater…
"The main content of our alliance is that I will support your Xiao Family and assist someone among you to become a Dou Emperor, and then he will send me back to my homeland."
Xiao Zhan showed a bewildered and incredulous expression, "Ah?"
He looked at Amon, seeing that the other party didn't seem to be joking, then looked at "Xiao Family Ancestor Xiao Yuanshan," and for a moment felt utterly absurd.
Are you sure you're not messing with me? To return home, you'll support our family in producing a Dou Emperor?
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