Chapter 3: Separation

Sweat like a waterfall instantly soaked Xiao Yan's lapels, and an indescribable fear shrouded his heart.

"I do not know what the Ancient Clan Head means by that," Xiao Yan said, biting the bullet.

"Little one of the Xiao Clan, for the sake of your ancestors, I will teach you a lesson: do not try to play tricks in front of a Dou Sheng. Because a Dou Sheng's mastery and perception of the world have reached an extremely terrifying level, the tiny fluctuations of your soul when you play tricks cannot be hidden," Gu Yuan said eerily.

A breeze blew by, and the bamboo forest suddenly fell silent. For the first time, Xiao Yan understood what the gap in cultivation truly meant. He couldn't help but laugh at himself, and the desire to become stronger grew a fraction more in his heart.

"Thank you for the guidance, Ancient Clan Head. It was my own overestimation of my abilities just now," Xiao Yan said, cupping his hands and bowing in sincere submission.

"Since you are being honest now, speak. What do you want to exchange for the Tuoshe Ancient God Jade from me?" Gu Yuan asked indifferently.

Things having reached this point, Xiao Yan naturally wouldn't beat around the bush anymore. Everyone was an adult; there was no need to drag out those empty pleasantries, even if he hadn't reached adulthood in this lifetime.

"Xiao Yan dares to ask the Ancient Clan Head for three things."

"Speak, what are they?"

"A cultivation technique, a Dou Technique, and a Heavenly Flame!" Xiao Yan said.

"A cultivation technique, a Dou Technique, and a Heavenly Flame?" Gu Yuan clicked his tongue and said, "You little one really knows how to ask. A cultivation technique and a Dou Technique can serve as the foundation for the rise of your entire Xiao Clan, and a Heavenly Flame can ensure your Xiao family produces a powerhouse; even the weakest Profound Yellow Flame can guarantee a Dou Huang."

"The Ancient Clan Head praises me too much; this is merely a bit of petty cleverness from this junior," Xiao Yan said modestly, while holding out a piece of ancient jade with both hands. "This is our Xiao family's Tuoshe Ancient God Jade. Please take a look, Ancient Clan Head."

Gu Yuan's pupils shrank sharply, and his breathing became somewhat heavy. Even he could not remain calm in front of the Tuoshe Ancient God Jade.

Whoosh! A gust of air swept past, and the Tuoshe Ancient God Jade appeared in Gu Yuan's hand. Gu Yuan looked at the ancient jade in his hand with burning eyes, just like a lecher who hadn't seen a woman in a hundred years suddenly seeing a naked fairy.

After a long while, Gu Yuan sighed: "What a pity, there are only these two pieces."

"Little one, is the Heavenly Flame you want for yourself?" Gu Yuan turned his head and asked Xiao Yan.

"Yes," Xiao Yan replied.

"Heh, you really have a big heart. A mere Dou Zhe dares to covet a Heavenly Flame. Looking at you, it shouldn't be that you don't know the terror of a Heavenly Flame. How do you plan to subdue it?"

"This junior has no way, so I can only ask the Ancient Clan Head for help," Xiao Yan said as a matter of course.

Gu Yuan was slightly stunned: "What a thick-skinned little brat. Very well, this Clan Head is in a good mood today, so I will see a good deed through to the end. Take it."

After speaking, Gu Yuan waved his large hand, and a crimson flame appeared out of thin air, rapidly rushing toward Xiao Yan.

By the time Xiao Yan reacted, the crimson flame had already burrowed into his body and vanished.

"What was that just now?" Xiao Yan asked, somewhat bewildered.

"That is the Volcanic Stone Flame, ranked seventeenth on the Heavenly Flame Ranking. I have already sealed it within your body. I will now pass you a technique; you can use this technique to absorb and refine the Heavenly Flame within the seal. However, the seal can only last for five years. If you cannot deal with it on your own after five years, you will have to rely on your own luck," Gu Yuan said. Then, two rays of light flew over, and two jade slips appeared in Xiao Yan's hands.

"These are the cultivation technique and Dou Technique you wanted: the Earth-tier high-grade non-attribute cultivation technique 'Blazing Sun Heart Scripture' and an Earth-tier Dou Technique. Do you have any other questions?" Gu Yuan asked.

"Uh, there shouldn't be any more, but this junior has one more doubt," Xiao Yan asked confusedly: "Did Clan Head Gu Yuan know in advance that I would ask for a Heavenly Flame?"

Xiao Yan was indeed puzzled by this. He could understand the technique and Dou Technique, but how could a Heavenly Flame be produced so easily?

"What is it? It is just a Heavenly Flame ranked seventeenth, having only just crossed the threshold of a Dou Zong. In our Ancient Clan's warehouse, we have at least eighty if not a hundred of this level of Heavenly Flame. I just grabbed one casually; why would you think that?" Gu Yuan asked, somewhat puzzled.

"Uh, aren't Heavenly Flames unique?" Xiao Yan asked, feeling somewhat embarrassed and confused.

"Who told you Heavenly Flames are unique? Except for the top three, there is no such thing as a unique Heavenly Flame, let alone one like the Volcanic Stone Flame that is outside the top ten. At most, it has the power of a Dou Zong or Dou Huang; how could it be unique?" Gu Yuan said.

"So that's how it is." Xiao Yan suddenly realized. He had always wondered how there could be so many Heavenly Flames in such a small place as the Jia Ma Empire and the Black-Corner Region. It turned out this thing wasn't that rare at all. Of course, it was still quite rare; after all, there were only a hundred or so in the Ancient Clan's warehouse.

"If there are no problems, then go down. I will have Gu Kong, who brought you here, take you back," Gu Yuan said, and without waiting for Xiao Yan's reply, he took a step and vanished from the spot in the blink of an eye.

Looking at the bamboo forest where Gu Yuan had disappeared, Xiao Yan sighed in his heart: "This is a Dou Sheng! I will reach this level sooner or later!"

He then put the two jade slips containing the Dou Technique and cultivation technique into his storage ring and turned to leave along the path he had come.

"Brother Xiao Yan!" As soon as Xiao Yan walked out of the courtyard gate, Xun'er, who had been guarding outside, excitedly pounced on him, wrapping her arms around his neck and hanging onto him.

Feeling the soft, delicate body in front of him—a physique that had already begun to develop—Xiao Yan, who had been abstinent for over a decade and was in a period of budding desire, couldn't help but feel distracted. The fighting spirit that had just risen was almost thrown to the back of his mind. But as someone who had lived two lives, Xiao Yan quickly sobered up. Xiao Yan, oh Xiao Yan, how could you be like this? How old is Xun'er? You are too depraved!

While scolding himself in his heart, Xiao Yan lowered Xun'er from his body.

Xun'er also realized at this moment how bold her actions had been; her little face was flushed red, and she kept her head down, not daring to look at Xiao Yan.

She had never acted so boldly before! It was just that she had been too worried about Xiao Yan this time. Although Xiao Yan was meeting her father, she wasn't some ignorant little girl; she wouldn't naively think that Gu Yuan was a good person who would be kind to Xiao Yan.

In fact, just as Xun'er thought, the reason Gu Yuan traded with Xiao Yan was not because of the Tuoshe Ancient God Jade, but 90% because Xiao Yan was Xun'er's playmate, and 10% because he was the descendant of an old friend, making it improper to just snatch it. Of course, this also included the fact that Xiao Yan's request wasn't excessive. If Xiao Yan had asked Gu Yuan to guarantee his entry into the Saint realm, you could see if Gu Yuan would flip out.

"Sorry, Xun'er, for making you worry," Xiao Yan said gently, rubbing Xun'er's little head.

"It's fine as long as Brother Xiao Yan is okay." Xun'er's little face turned even redder, and she forcibly changed the subject: "How was it, Brother Xiao Yan? Did you get any good things from Father?"

"Hehe, thanks to Xun'er, Brother Xiao Yan obtained an Earth-tier high-grade cultivation technique, a Dou Technique, and a Heavenly Flame this time!" Xiao Yan said somewhat proudly.

"Ah~ is that all?" To his surprise, Xun'er was somewhat dissatisfied after hearing this.

"Cough, cough, Xun'er, this is quite a lot. You must know that if these were put outside, even a Dou Zun might not be able to produce them," Xiao Yan said, feeling somewhat ashamed.

"How can you compare them? You must know that the Tuoshe Ancient God Jade is related to the opportunity to become a God; it should at least be exchanged for the worth of a Saint." Xun'er still couldn't let it go. However, Xiao Yan didn't dare let Xun'er continue. If he let Gu Yuan know that his own daughter was so biased toward an outsider, he would surely tear him apart.

"Alright, Xun'er, let's not talk about this. We are about to part ways, let's talk about something else," Xiao Yan said.

"Part ways? Why? Does Brother Xiao Yan not want Xun'er anymore?" Xun'er suddenly opened her eyes wide, her face no longer red, and she asked with some panic.

"How could I not want Xun'er? It's just that Xun'er originally went to the Xiao family for the Tuoshe Ancient God Jade. Now that the Tuoshe Ancient God Jade has reached the Ancient Clan, Xun'er naturally has to return to the clan as well," Xiao Yan said in a low tone. He was also very reluctant to part with this little girl who had followed him for several years.

"No! I don't want to! I want to follow Brother Xiao Yan!" As she spoke, tears fell like pearls from a broken string. Xun'er hugged Xiao Yan tightly, as if afraid he would run away.

Looking at the heartbroken beauty in his arms, Xiao Yan felt even more reluctant, but he knew he couldn't take Xun'er away, or Gu Yuan would definitely not let him off.

"Don't cry, Xun'er." Xiao Yan gently wiped the tears from Xun'er's face. "I promise you, in twenty years at most, I will definitely return to the Ancient Clan to find you. Believe me, Xun'er," Xiao Yan promised her.

"Twenty years... will Brother Xiao Yan still remember Xun'er after twenty years?"

"I will!" Xiao Yan said firmly: "As long as the sky remains and the earth exists, I will definitely come back to find Xun'er!"

"Brother Xiao Yan." Xun'er was somewhat stunned. It was the first time she had seen such a firm Brother Xiao Yan. In a daze, she forgot her worries about whether Xiao Yan could cultivate to the level required to enter the Ancient Clan, and she unconsciously believed that he could really do it. At this moment, an emotion different from the past, that of a child for an older brother, began to brew in Xun'er's heart for the first time.

*Cough! *

A cough pulled Xiao Yan and Xun'er out of the atmosphere from just a moment ago. It was the Dou Sheng who had brought Xiao Yan to the Ancient Clan—Gu Kong.

In fact, Gu Kong had been here the whole time, but he hadn't made a sound. After all, in his eyes, they were just two little brats, nothing to be vigilant about. As a result, he didn't expect these two to get more and more excessive, and he simply couldn't help it anymore.

"Miss Xun'er, the time is late; Xiao Yan must return to the Xiao Clan," Gu Kong said.

"I know! You don't need to remind me!" Xun'er said angrily, stamping her jade foot hard on the ground.

"Alright, Xun'er, this is the last time; I don't want to see you looking angry." Xiao Yan cupped Xun'er's face in his hands and gently rubbed it.

"Mm. Brother Xiao Yan, you must come back to find Xun'er, okay?" Xun'er held back her tears and tried hard to force a smile.

"Mm, I promise you," Xiao Yan replied.