Chapter 509

"Brother Xiao Yan, did you rest well?"

Xiao Yan frowned and said, "Not well—I didn't see Xun Er the moment I woke up."

Hearing Xiao Yan's sweet words, Xun Er blushed and gave him a playful glare; if they'd shared a bed last night, disaster might've struck—and even now, she was under surveillance by the Gu Clan's elders.

But hearing him say that, Xun Er's heart still swelled with sweetness.

Xun Er smiled and walked up, her jade hand gently smoothing the wrinkles from Xiao Yan's robes, her tender demeanor like a dutiful little bride—and if any other Gu Clan members had seen this, their eyes would've turned crimson again.

Over these years, Xun Er had always presented herself before them as a serene, otherworldly goddess; who could have imagined their goddess tidying a man's clothes, a sight so heartrending?

Of course, even that heartbreak couldn't compare to Gu Yao's anguish at watching his beloved kiss another man—no, passionately kiss him.

No one knew whether the poor Gu Yao had slept well last night.

Xiao Yan nodded with a smile, feeling the cool, smooth touch of her hand on his chest, his heart stirring slightly—but he quickly stilled his emotions; they'd flirted all day yesterday, and today he had real business to attend to!

Gazing far off toward the space protected by a massive barrier, Xiao Yan asked, "Is the Adult Ceremony about to begin?"

"Yes, the guests have all arrived—we should head over now," Xun Er nodded; she knew today would be the turning point of fate.

Along the way, Xiao Yan and Xun Er were naturally the two most striking figures in the Ancient Realm, drawing countless glances—some envious, some jealous, some curious.

They moved swiftly and soon reached the Yishi Guangchang for the Ancient Clan Adult Ceremony; from afar, it differed greatly from the Soul Sovereign's ceremony square—far grander and more magnificent, lacking the Soul Sovereign's gloom.

The entire square was guarded by many Black Smoke Army soldiers, for this Adult Ceremony, due to the Heavenly Tomb's significance, had invited other clans and numerous hidden factions once allied with the Gu Clan—security was naturally stricter.

*Clang! *

Just as Xun Er was about to step calmly into the VIP zone, a sharp clash of spears rang out—two warriors in golden armor had blocked Xiao Yan with their long spears.

Hearing that harsh sound, Xun Er's face darkened instantly; a fire of rage slowly rose within her.

"Move aside!"

Her anger was unmistakable in her voice; even the two golden-armored guards trembled slightly—they dared not disrespect Xun Er.

"Miss, don't blame them. This area is a restricted zone; only members of our clan or those specially invited may enter. Please understand."

A calm, amused voice drifted over; Xiao Yan's gaze swept the area and spotted two elders standing with their hands behind their backs—Gu Qian and Gu Xu.

Clearly, these two were aligned with Gu Yao's faction, hoping Gu Yao would marry Xun Er to strengthen their own line.

Xiao Yan immediately understood this was a special zone; he had no interest in it—but Xun Er didn't see it that way. Since Xiao Yan had come to the Gu Clan, she intended to give him the best reception.

This spot was inherently prominent, and with Xun Er here, countless eyes immediately turned toward them, finally fixing on Xiao Yan; many glances held a hint of amusement.

Many wanted to see how Xiao Yan would handle the Gu Clan's opposition from top to bottom.

Xiao Yan gently patted Xun Er's shoulder, signaling her not to anger, then turned to Elders Gu Qian and Gu Xu, his voice laced with Dou Qi, smiling: "Greetings, Elders. I am Xiao Yan, Young Clan Leader of the Xiao Clan, here specifically to observe the 【Alliance】's Adult Ceremony."

Xiao Yan's voice, laced with Dou Qi, echoed across the entire square—especially the word "【Alliance】" was emphasized sharply.

Hearing this, the invited factions entering through the main gate exchanged stunned glances.

They were not yet allies of the Gu Clan—merely clinging to it for survival and protection. If they ever fell, wouldn't they…

Seeing Gu Qian and Gu Xu's faces darken, Xiao Yan narrowed his eyes and sighed with deep emotion: "Alas, when I was born, Uncle Gu Yuan held me, invited me to visit the Gu Clan whenever I wished, and promised me the finest treatment. Who would've thought…"

"Never mind. Xun Er, I'll sit elsewhere."

Hearing Xiao Yan's feigned foolishness, Xun Er—who'd still been slightly angry—covered her mouth and giggled softly: "Brother Xiao Yan, don't be upset. Father was just busy and didn't notify everyone properly—it's not that Elders Gu Qian and Gu Xu meant to humiliate you. I'll accompany Brother Xiao Yan and fulfill my duty as host."

Instantly, Elders Gu Qian and Gu Xu were caught between a rock and a hard place; Xiao Yan had placed such a heavy crown upon them—even the Clan Leader would have no grounds to scold them! But to publicly back down would cost them face.

At that moment, a voice Xiao Yan recognized rang out: "Gu Qian, Gu Xu, show no disrespect. The Xiao Clan is our ally—they shall sit among the VIPs."

Xiao Yan frowned, turning toward the voice's source—without doubt, the speaker was Elder Tong Xuan, the one who had taken Xun Er away!

Now Xiao Yan could finally gauge his strength: High-Level Semi-Sage, just half a step from Dou Sage, his Cultivation Realm even slightly stronger than Zhu Li's.

With Tong Xuan offering a way out, Gu Qian and Gu Xu quickly stepped aside, letting Xiao Yan pass.

Seeing Tong Xuan intervene, Xiao Yan had achieved his goal and said nothing more; he and Xun Er took their seats among the Dou Emperor Family VIPs.

But Xiao Yan was curious—the Ling Clan still hadn't appeared, yet all other Dou Emperor Families were present.

"Besides the Xiao Clan, there should be seven Dou Emperor Families—why is the Ling Clan missing?" Xiao Yan asked curiously.

Xun Er glanced around; indeed, the Ling Clan was absent. She shook her head: "I don't know. In the past, whenever the Heavenly Tomb opened, every Dou Emperor Family sent representatives to enter and strengthen their prodigies."

While Xiao Yan and Xun Er spoke, Gu Yao—preparing for the Adult Ceremony—glared coldly at Xiao Yan. From his bloodshot eyes and dark circles, he clearly hadn't slept a wink last night.

Xiao Yan ignored Gu Yao's icy killing intent entirely.

Seeing Mang Tianchi and Huo Xuan, Xiao Yan greeted them each in turn; soon, the Adult Ceremony was about to begin.

Whether Gu Clan, Soul Sovereign, or even Xiao Clan, their Adult Ceremonies were nearly identical: first, testing the Dou Di Bloodline of the New Generation; the standard, like the Soul Sovereign's, was that those under fifteen who failed to reach Four Grade Bloodline had no right to become clan members and could not receive the Clan Mark.

Then, the younger generation was retested; if they broke through, their Dou Di Bloodline Rank would be upgraded, enhancing the power of their Clan Mark.

The Clan Mark was like a Sealing Array—or a special Secret Technique—that could activate the unique power within the Dou Di Bloodline.

For example, activating the Soul Tribe Clan Mark had two effects: first, boosting Cultivation Realm. Xiao Yan had Six-Star Dou Di Bloodline; if he activated the Soul Tribe Clan Mark, his Dou Qi would rise only slightly—from barely Eight-Star Dou Zun to mid-Eight-Star Dou Zun, less than half a level.

But boosting Dou Qi was secondary; the true power lay in enhancing Soul Force—enhancing Soul Force was the core, Dou Qi merely incidental.

Xiao Yan suspected the Gu Clan's Clan Mark did the same: besides boosting Dou Qi, it enhanced something else.

Xiao Yan had no interest in watching the retesting of Dou Di Bloodline; most results matched his predictions—Ling Quan had Six-Star Dou Di Bloodline, Lin Xiu too—but Lin Xiu's six-star mark glowed more brilliantly than Ling Quan's.

Among the Eight Commanders, seven had Six-Star Dou Di Bloodline; only the Grand Commander, Gu Zhen, had reached Seven-Star Dou Di Bloodline—his golden Clan Mark had been redrawn, now a faint purple-gold!

"That brush… must be an unparalleled treasure." Xiao Yan stared at the brush painting the purple-gold Clan Mark; the Soul Sovereign had similar brushes, just different colors.

"The golden Clan Mark is painted with the Golden Dragon Brush; the purple-gold one uses the Purple-Gold Dragon Brush. These brushes for engraving Clan Marks were created by Dou Emperors—unique in the world," Xun Er explained to Xiao Yan, adding that the Xiao Clan once had one too, though its whereabouts were now unknown.

"You little thing probably isn't just purple-gold," Xiao Yan looked curiously at Xun Er; though they'd sparred last night, neither had gone all out, so he still didn't know the color of her Clan Mark.

Xun Er blinked her innocent big eyes playfully: "Guess, Brother Xiao Yan."

While the two flirted, poor Gu Yao stepped forward; seeing Xiao Yan and Xun Er so affectionate, he couldn't suppress his Dou Qi, letting it flare out.

"Gu Yao, steady your mind!"

"Yes, Elder!"

Undoubtedly, anyone who became a Commander couldn't have weak Dou Di Bloodline—the testing platform suddenly shot out eight full, radiant Golden Star Emblems, proving Gu Yao had reached Eight Grade Dou Di Bloodline!

"It's Eight Grade Bloodline. No wonder he's one of the Four Commanders."

"Didn't the Miss test at only Star Eight back then? I never expected Commander Gu Yao to be nearly matching her."

"But that was ages ago—who knows how much her bloodline has strengthened now."

Instantly, a purple-gold Clan Mark etched onto Gu Yao's forehead, making him radiate with vigor and stand out even more.

When the Clan Mark fully sank into Gu Yao's body, a sharp crack echoed—he glared at Xiao Yan, his fists cracking loudly.

"Elder! According to clan law, do I have the right to challenge someone?" Gu Yao asked, his expression dark.

At these words, everyone from the Dou Emperor Families and the Black Smoke Army Commanders glanced between Gu Yao and Xiao Yan—everybody knew Gu Yao's intent.

"Yes, but I must remind you: if the opponent is not of our clan, they have the right to refuse," the Elder who carved the Clan Mark warned.

Gu Yao slowly nodded, then turned around. His black-and-white hair stood out sharply; his icy gaze locked directly onto the slender youth not far away, his voice calm: "I offer you the chance to challenge me. Whether you have the courage to accept is your own business—but if you refuse, leave the Ancient Realm before today ends."

The Adult Ceremony rules permit Gu Yao to challenge anyone—but what he said demanded Xiao Yan challenge him!

Challenges are usually issued by the lower toward the higher. Clearly, in Gu Yao's mind, the one who should issue the challenge was not him—it was Xiao Yan!

Shh!

The moment Gu Yao finished speaking, every gaze in the crowd snapped to the slender figure. Many eyes gleamed with malicious delight.

"Gu Yao moves fast. I was planning to test this kid myself—to show him that so-called Pill Gathering Champion is just child's play, worthless in our Yao Clan's eyes," said Ren Yaozi, lounging lazily in the VIP seating, smirking.

"Don't worry. As long as he survives Gu Yao, you'll still have your chance. These outside Alchemists have no real skill," replied the alluring woman beside him, dressed provocatively with an explosive figure, her lips curling in disdain.

Just as Xuan Kongzi said—the Yao Clan people all looked down their noses at Alchemists from the Dou Qi Continent.

The Soul Sovereign naturally added a few mocking remarks too; others watched with mild interest, curious how Xiao Yan would respond. After all, Gu Yao possessed Eight Grade Dou Di Bloodline and trained in Heavenly Rank Cultivation Method and Heavenly Rank Dou Technique—fully equipped!

Xiao Yan, seated on his chair, lazily glanced at the triumphant Gu Yao below, then slowly stood up, his expression utterly calm: "Very well. I am at least half of the Gu Clan. Someone who lacks self-awareness deserves to learn what overreaching means."

Brilliant—he made Xiao Yan challenge him.

"Brother Xiao Yan."

Xiao Yan patted Xun Er's jade hand and smiled: "Don't worry—I know my limits."

Space twisted, and Xiao Yan appeared on the Ancient Clan Adult Ceremony Ground.

Seeing Xiao Yan appear, Gu Yao smirked cruelly and whispered: "Don't worry—I won't kill you, for Xun Er's sake. But I'll cripple you."

Hearing the whisper, Xiao Yan's eyes swept over Gu Yao and said slowly: "Respect is given by others—but lost by oneself."

Seeing the tension between them, the three Gu Clan Elders slowly shook their heads and left the square, leaving the field to the two.

"Xiao Yan dares to step down and fight Gu Yao—courage, at least," said Second Commander Lin Xiu, though his lips curled in a sneer.

"Ten moves—I bet Xiao Yan lasts ten moves against Commander Gu Yao, then he'll be a dead dog," said Ling Quan, his eyes cold—he wished Xiao Yan dead.

Only Gu Zhen beside him showed a thoughtful expression. Though Xiao Yan had been arrogant upon entering the Ancient Realm, after their conversation, he didn't believe Xiao Yan was blindly confident.

"Huo Zhi, who do you think will win?" asked Huo Xuan beside him.

Huo Zhi's delicate eyebrows furrowed slightly; her voice, cold and clear, defied most expectations: "Xiao Yan."

"Oh?"

"He has Two Infernal Flames. Even without Dou Di Bloodline enhancement, Infernal Flames transform Dou Qi into something qualitatively different. The benefits of refining them are subtle yet profound—and their cultivation realms are nearly equal."

"Watch—the show's about to begin."

In the arena, Gu Yao's aura swelled violently. The sky above turned suddenly icy. His black-and-white hair whipped wildly as he fixed his gaze and said: "Attack!"

Seeing Gu Yao's arrogance, Xiao Yan's face remained calm. Inside, he murmured softly: "Ancient Phoenix Wings, Ten Thousand Beasts Spiritual Flame, Wind Fury Dragon Flame, Nine Dragon Thunder Gang Fire, Heavenly Flame Three Mysteries Transformation."

"Eight Extreme Collapse!"

In less than a hundred-thousandth of a second, Xiao Yan activated Heavenly Rank Flying Dou Technique, the Three Infernal Flames, and Heavenly Flame Three Mysteries Transformation. His speed surpassed even Soul Perception—he appeared before Gu Yao before anyone could perceive him.

Xiao Yan's eyes were calm yet piercing. His left foot anchored him; his right leg lifted, his body twisted—and with maximum force, he kicked straight at Gu Yao's chest.

Crack! Boom!!

Two sounds came at once. The first—crack—was Xiao Yan's foot shattering Gu Yao's sternum. The second—boom—was Gu Yao crashing through the ceremonial ground's stone pillar.

The next instant, a thunderous crash echoed from beyond the arena—the stone pillar cracked, then collapsed in pieces. Dust rolled across the entire square in an instant.

In less than a thousandth of a second—before most could even register what happened, before a blink could miss it—the so-called "Peak Duel" was over.

Everyone present—including Gu Zhen, Huo Xuan, and other Dou Emperor Family prodigies—remained frozen. Their minds couldn't comprehend it—or rather, their instincts refused to accept it!

"Kuang!!!"

"What just happened?!"

Thud! Thud! Thud! From the Lei Clan, Yan Clan, and Stone Clan, the young generation's strongest warriors all leapt to their feet, staring in shock—even terror—at the figure standing in the arena.

Those who recovered were speechless.

The figure stood on one foot, still in the pose of a raised leg. Behind him, a pair of flame wings—larger than his body—burned slowly. They shimmered with multiple colors, resembling the majestic, noble feathers of a phoenix.

"Impossible!!!" Seeing Xiao Yan defeat Gu Yao in one blow, even the Gu Clan's top Commanders staggered back three steps, unable to believe their eyes.

"How is this possible?" Gu Qian stared in disbelief.

Even if Gu Yao was only a Star Eight Peak Dou Zun—the weakest of the Four Commanders—the Third Commander was barely Nine Star, and the Second was Nine Star Peak. Even they could defeat Gu Yao—but never this easily!

Xiao Yan slowly retracted his leg, brushed dust off his robe, and said calmly: "You're just like Lin Xiu—one-move trash."

(End of Chapter)