"The continent is full of danger. What I want is a Hun Xiu who becomes invincible the moment he leaves the Soul Clan—not one who gets chased down and beaten the moment he steps outside."
Hun Tiandi watched Hun Xiu's departing figure, his eyes sharp and unwavering.
Hun Xiu was an exceptionally gifted seedling. If he could become truly powerful—truly invincible—he would have the strength to protect himself. Only then would Hun Tiandi feel comfortable letting him leave.
The Dou Qi Continent was a treacherous place, filled with bloodshed and deception. To Hun Tiandi, Hun Xiu was still just a child. As a father, he didn't want his son to bear those burdens so soon.
Unless, one day, Hun Xiu became truly invincible—so powerful he could trample the world with ease—then it wouldn't matter if he left.
But that day… was definitely not today.
Back in his courtyard, Hun Xiu immediately entered closed-door cultivation.
He was now racing against time, determined to refine the cultivation resources as fast as possible. Every second gained was an advantage.
Even a minute's delay increased the risk that someone else would win Gu Xun'er's heart.
The thought alone spurred him into action.
Days passed...
Soon, word spread across the Soul Clan: after winning first place in the clan tournament, Hun Xiu had entered seclusion.
Each day and night, people could see the wild storm of heaven-and-earth energy flooding toward Hun Xiu's courtyard like a tornado.
The spectacle was stunning.
At first, many were unsettled by the phenomenon. But over time, as it became a daily occurrence, they gradually got used to it.
Strangely, Hun Xiu's intense cultivation seemed to spark a movement—many of the clan's younger generation were inspired to enter closed-door training themselves.
After all—
Hun Xiu was already overwhelmingly powerful, and yet he still trained so relentlessly.
This left the younger generation with a strong sense of pressure—a crushing pressure.
If even someone like Hun Xiu was working so hard, what excuse did they have to slack off?
Thus, the younger disciples began taking him as their role model and shut themselves off for training one after another.
Though they knew they'd never match Hun Xiu's speed or talent, as fellow members of the younger generation, they couldn't let the gap grow too wide.
Thankfully, Hun Xiu didn't know about any of this.If he did, he'd probably sigh and say:
"I'm working this hard so I don't get cucked. What are you all training for? Planning to steal her from me too?"
Elsewhere.
"Tiandi, this generation of youths is really something," Void Swallowing Flame said with a laugh, standing next to Hun Tiandi.
One clad in black, one in white—close as sworn brothers, though not quite.
"Indeed," Hun Tiandi nodded."Because of Hun Xiu, the younger generation has truly begun to work hard. Looks like our Soul Clan's rise cannot be stopped."
He had only meant for Hun Xiu to enter seclusion. He hadn't expected the rest of the youth to follow suit.
But it was a pleasant surprise.
Void Swallowing Flame's black flames flickered in his eyes.
"Absolutely."
Somewhere on the Dou Qi Continent...
Northwest Region.Jia Ma Empire.Wu Tan City.Xiao Clan.
Inside the main hall of the Xiao Clan.
Clan leader Xiao Zhan stood before a man in a dark robe, eyes filled with deference and anxiety. The three Xiao Clan Elders flanking him were equally nervous, afraid of accidentally offending the man before them.
They knew all too well who this dark-robed man was.
A towering figure known across the continent—someone unmatched not just in the Jia Ma Empire, but across the entire Northwest, and even much of the Dou Qi Continent.
"Senior."
Xiao Zhan bowed respectfully to Gu Yuan.
"Mm."
Gu Yuan's gaze held a trace of sympathy as he looked upon the current state of the Xiao Clan.
Truly, he felt sorry for them.
But… he did not intend to help them.
The Xiao Clan was no longer the glorious ancient family it once was. It had long faded from the grand stage of the continent's elite clans.
Gu Yuan was the only one who even remembered they still existed.
If he intervened on their behalf and the other major clans noticed, the Xiao Clan would quickly become a target—a piece of meat everyone would want a bite of.
"A man without sin still courts disaster if he possesses treasures."
If the Xiao Clan were exposed again, it would only invite calamity.
So today, he had come quietly. No one else knew.
"Clan Leader Xiao," Gu Yuan began,"This is my daughter, Xun'er. I want her to have a normal childhood, so I'm placing her here in your care. What do you think?"
As he spoke, he pulled out a scroll from his ring—an intermediate Xuan-Rank Dou Technique: Furious Lion's Roar.
"Of course! No problem at all!" Xiao Zhan's eyes lit up as he gratefully accepted the scroll.
A Xuan-Rank Intermediate Technique! That was well beyond what the Xiao Clan currently had.
With this scroll, he could take his strength to the next level.
And all he had to do… was take care of a child?
Heaven-sent fortune—how could he refuse?
Gu Yuan sighed quietly in his heart as he watched Xiao Zhan's excitement.
"Xiao Xuan… ever since your fall, the Xiao Clan has truly declined."
"Once glorious and mighty… and now they bow their heads for a mere Xuan-Rank technique."
"This clan is no longer the one I once knew. It has truly fallen."
Suppressing those thoughts, Gu Yuan gently nudged Gu Xun'er forward.
"Xun'er, greet your Uncle Xiao."
"Uncle Xiao." Xun'er said sweetly.
"M-Miss Xun'er…" Xiao Zhan was stunned and flattered by the address.
"Clan Leader Xiao," Gu Yuan said,"From now on, she'll take the Xiao surname. No need to be so formal. Just call her Xun'er."
"When she's older, I'll send someone to retrieve her."
"Understood."
Xiao Zhan nodded solemnly.
Gu Yuan looked at his daughter with a mix of warmth and reluctance.
"Xun'er, from now on you'll live here with the Xiao Clan. Don't let Father's hopes down."
"Okay." Xun'er nodded obediently.
"Clan Leader Xiao, I leave her in your care." Gu Yuan said seriously.
"We will never let Miss Xun'er suffer any mistreatment!" Xiao Zhan and the elders assured in unison.
With one last look at Gu Xun'er, Gu Yuan turned and left the hall.
As he stepped out of the Xiao Clan compound, he spoke to the shadows:
"Protect her well."
In the next instant, Gu Yuan vanished—completely undetected by the people bustling in the streets.
It was as if he had never been there.
"Uncle Xiao."
Xun'er's voice rang out crisply.
"Xun'er, I…" Xiao Zhan hesitated briefly, but ultimately smiled and said:
"Xun'er."
"Mm-hmm!"
Just then, a chubby little boy peeked through the main hall's doors, his eyes fixed curiously on Gu Xun'er.
"Yan'er." Xiao Zhan called out, having noticed the boy.