First Entry into the Hidden Book Pavilion

The sun rose.

Morning sunlight streamed through the cracks in the window, falling on Xun'er as she sprawled on the bed, sleeping soundly. It was like a layer of golden gauze draped over her.

It should have been an exceptionally beautiful sight.

Yet what Yun Xi saw was this: Xun'er's legs were wrapped around the blanket, with glistening drool trickling from the corner of her mouth.

That carefree posture made the corner of Yun Xi's mouth twitch.

"Ah." Bending down slightly, he was just about to wipe the drool from Xun'er's mouth when his fingers touched her.

Boom!

Yun Xi, his clothes in disarray, stared at the Bamboo House that had been incinerated into ashes before him and said tremblingly, "Good heavens, this thing can protect its master on its own?"

"Mmm~~~ Hm?" Having just woken up, Xun'er looked at the stream and hills around her, unable to react for a moment.

Then, seeing Yun Xi beside her with his clothes in disarray, Xun'er finally came to her senses and snapped, "Yun! Xi! Where is my house?!"

"I... I said I didn't do it... would you believe me?" Yun Xi said aggrievedly.

He truly felt wronged. He had only been about to wipe the drool from Xun'er's mouth, but it had triggered Heavenly Flame's automatic protection. Caught off guard, even he had nearly been caught out by it.

Because he had occupied Heavenly Flame's Heavenly Flame origin during his rebirth and suppressed its flame spirit, Xiao Xi, the flame spirit born from its intelligence, was not particularly friendly toward him either.

In a sense, Yun Xi also possessed Heavenly Flame's origin flame within his body and could be considered a part of it. Since Heavenly Flame had been refined by Xun'er and bore her mark upon him as well, he was unable to leave Xun'er.

"I don't care! I want my Bamboo House!" Xun'er said angrily, her hands on her hips.

Looking at the puffed-up Xun'er before him, Yun Xi chuckled. "Isn't that easy?" He waved one hand, and a ball of gentle white light emerged at his fingertips.

As his fingers moved slightly, the white light slowly floated above the ashes of the Bamboo House. The light suddenly flared, and specks of energy fell like snow into the ashes.

Space twisted, and an identical Bamboo House appeared before them. Beneath it was an array Xun'er had never seen before, into which specks of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Energy flowed.

"Wow! Yun Xi, you're amazing! Can you make a few more? I want several different Bamboo Houses too..." Xun'er said, her eyes shining.

Yun Xi: =_=

Just as he was about to speak, Yun Xi suddenly turned to look at the empty stone chair beside them. His expression changed slightly, and his figure vanished.

"Hm?" Seeing Yun Xi suddenly disappear, Xun'er was puzzled. Just as she was about to call him out, a familiar voice sounded behind her.

"Xun'er."

Turning around, Xun'er saw Gu Yuan seated on a stone chair not far away. She happily rushed into his arms and said in a sweet childish voice, "Daddy~~ Why are you here?"

"The Elders discussed it just now and decided to open the Hidden Book Pavilion, allowing the younger generation of the clan to enter and find Dou Qi Cultivation Methods and Dou Skills suited to them through their own fortune." Looking at the clever little girl in his arms, Gu Yuan finally revealed a faint smile.

Upon hearing that she could go to the Hidden Book Pavilion to search for cultivation methods and Dou Skills, Xun'er's eyes lit up, and she could not help growing excited.

Witnessing the change in Xun'er's mood, Gu Yuan smiled. "You little girl, why aren't you hurrying to prepare? Go directly to the entrance of the Hidden Book Pavilion later, and someone will naturally receive you." After saying that, he was about to leave when a glance froze his body in place.

Following his gaze, they saw a small array, with Xun'er's Bamboo House serving as its core.

As the array slowly revolved, a mysterious aura spread from it. Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi gradually gathered within it. Not only could it convert mixed Spiritual Qi into Spiritual Energy, but it could also refine it automatically.

After studying it carefully for a moment, Gu Yuan said in surprise, "This array is somewhat different from ours. It seems not to belong to the Dou Qi Continent..."

Seeing Gu Yuan's astonished expression, Xun'er's little hands clenched tightly as she wondered how she should explain it to her father.

But the questioning she had imagined never came.

After his surprise, Gu Yuan's expression returned to normal. He did not even investigate who had set up the array. He merely reminded Xun'er to remember to visit the Hidden Book Pavilion before leaving.

Xun'er's clenched little hands slowly loosened. She found it strange as well. If something like this had happened normally, Daddy would definitely get to the bottom of it and might even destroy it himself. But today...

"Forget it, forget it. I won't think about it anymore. I'm going to look for cultivation methods and Dou Skills soon. Hehe, I'm so excited." Xun'er no longer dwelled on the matter. Instead, she was intensely interested in the Hidden Book Pavilion.

Gu Clan Hidden Book Pavilion.

"Hidden Book Pavilion."

Looking up at the golden plaque on the ancient pavilion, Xun'er unconsciously read the words aloud.

The Hidden Book Pavilion contained all the Dou Qi Cultivation Methods that the Gu Clan had inherited and accumulated over the past thousand years. Its defenses were extremely strict; even a fly entering would be swept by countless strands of spiritual power.

It was not usually opened. Only seed-level figures whom the clan prioritized cultivating had the chance to enter. As for everyone else, they could only go to the Dou Skills Pavilion. Of course, there were basically no especially precious Dou Skills there.

Yet at this moment, the plaza before the Hidden Book Pavilion was crowded with people, and the noise and laughter were endless.

Seeing the lively atmosphere before her, Xun'er also began to bounce with excitement.

"Xun'er, these juniors seem weaker than you. But that one in front seems a tiny bit stronger." Through Xun'er's eyes, Yun Xi quietly observed the surroundings.

After all, in such a heavily guarded place within the Gu Clan, he could not be sure whether someone might be watching in secret.

Turning her gaze toward the front of the crowd, she saw a handsome young man holding a paper fan. As air flowed past him, a lock of black-and-white hair on his forehead gently drifted. Beneath it, his cold eyes stared directly at the tightly shut doors of the Hidden Book Pavilion in the distance.

"Gu Yao..." Xun'er murmured.

"Hehe, Miss Xun'er, long time no see."

A light laugh suddenly rang out as a man in green robes appeared behind her.

"Brother Qingyang! Even you came? Don't tell me you've already become a Dou Shi!" Xun'er said in surprise as she turned to look at Gu Qingyang behind her.

Gu Qingyang was exceptionally talented. At only twelve years old, he was already a Nine Star Dou Zhe. Since he had come to the Hidden Book Pavilion today, he had presumably broken through to become a Dou Shi.

He was also the person among the younger generation most likely to become the Black Annihilation King.

Seeing Xun'er's surprised expression, Gu Qingyang smiled faintly. "Gu Yao and the others are no slouches either. Besides, Gu Yao is quite fond of Miss Xun'er."

Listening to their conversation from within her body, Yun Xi could not understand it. What is wrong with the children in this world? Why are they all so young, yet speak in such mature tones?

Dong~~ Dong~~ Dong~~

Just as the two were chatting, clear bell chimes rang out, and the previously noisy plaza instantly fell silent.

When the bell chimes faded, space twisted atop the Hidden Book Pavilion, and an Elder appeared out of thin air.

"The time has come. Remember, everything depends on fortune. Do not force it. Each person may take at most three books; otherwise, bear the consequences yourselves!" the Elder said sternly after glancing at the sky.

"Yes!" everyone shouted in unison.

The ancient doors of the Hidden Book Pavilion slowly opened, and an ancient, weathered aura billowed out.

Xun'er and Gu Qingyang exchanged smiles. Then Dou Qi erupted from them as they charged into the Hidden Book Pavilion.