Xiao Family's Development, Cultivation Breakthrough

Chapter Forty

After leaving the Xiao Family's secret chamber, Xiao Yan ran into an old acquaintance within the Xiao Family.

It was Ya Fei, Wutan City's most beautiful woman, dressed in red and radiating charm.

"Hey, Sister Ya Fei, didn't you already return to the Imperial Capital? Why are you back again?"

When Xiao Yan had gone to the Imperial Capital some time ago, he had met Ya Fei there. He had never expected her to return to the remote place that was Wutan City.

"Hehe, that's naturally thanks to your Xiao Family. Don't misunderstand, I truly am expressing my gratitude."

Ya Fei covered her mouth and smiled as she explained to Xiao Yan. Thanks to her relationship with the Xiao Family, her status had steadily risen, and she could now stand on equal footing with ordinary elders within her clan.

This time, she had returned specifically to deliver treasures to the Xiao Family, the Jia Ma Empire's Number One Power.

"Oh, right. I've already refined the Fu Ling Zi Dan that Elder Hai needs."

With that, Xiao Yan handed Ya Fei a purple box.

"What, aren't you planning to return to the Imperial Capital? Ever since you left, Senior Fa Ma and Elder Hai have been thinking about you."

Ya Fei accepted it and asked in confusion.

"No. I'm going straight to Jia Nan Academy."

Xiao Yan answered honestly. Whether it was old acquaintances he had not seen for a long time, the Falling Heart Flame needed to advance the Flame Mantra, or the materials required to help his teacher refine a body, he had to go to Jia Nan Academy to obtain them.

"Jia Nan Academy... that's really far away."

The road to Jia Nan Academy was not only distant, but also fraught with difficulty.

To reach Jia Nan Academy safely, one had to pass through the Black Corner Region, the most dangerous and chaotic region in this land.

The distance between the Jia Ma Empire and the Black Corner Region was extremely vast. One had to cross several small countries before reaching the edge of the Black Corner Region.

If someone traveled such a distance on foot or by carriage, it would take at least three to five months, perhaps even half a year.

Even with Xiao Yan's flying Dou Technique, traveling for two days and resting for one, it would still take him nearly half a month.

And reaching the outskirts of the Black Corner Region was not enough, because Jia Nan Academy lay at its center. To enter it, one still had to cross the Black Corner Region.

The Black Corner Region was immensely vast, and after years of expansion, it had practically become a clearly defined small nation.

The only difference between it and other empires was that other empires had a supreme ruler.

This region, however, was a place where everyone fought for themselves. Countless factions constantly competed and slaughtered one another for their own interests, leaving it as chaotic as a pile of loose sand.

Yet it was precisely because of this that the Black Corner Region had been able to grow ever stronger at the heart of the continent. Otherwise, no faction would have stood by and watched this uniquely destructive territory rapidly become powerful and threaten them.

Although the Black Corner Region's chaos was renowned across the continent, the various high-grade cultivation methods, Dou Techniques, medicinal pills, and other rare treasures flowing through it drew many of the continent's experts here.

After all, no matter what, these were necessities that even they coveted. Obtaining a cultivation method superior to the one they practiced could allow them to take another step along the path of the strong. Such temptation was undoubtedly fatal to those experts.

Thus, the Black Corner Region was like a pitch-black bottomless pit. Countless rare treasures flowed here through various channels before being auctioned at astronomical prices, prompting countless people to fight over them.

After absorbing the Misty Cloud Sect's massive resources, the Xiao Family underwent another period of vigorous development. Xiao Lin directly ordered everyone with Xiao Family Bloodline to return to the Xiao Family and fully raise their cultivation, including Xiao Ding and Xiao Li.

It was worth mentioning that all the clan members included in Xiao Lin's Family System possessed Xiao Family Bloodline Power.

In other words, only those who could grow stronger through Bloodline Power if someone from the Xiao Family became a Dou Emperor counted as "clan members" recognized by the system.

The system's criteria seemed somewhat harsh, but upon careful thought, they were quite reasonable.

When Xiao Yan broke through to become a Dou Emperor, only those related by blood received enhancements. His daughter, Xiao Xiao, had directly broken through to Eight-star Dou Sheng!

However, his wife Gu Xun Er had not received any enhancement from the Xiao Family Bloodline Power.

Against the backdrop of the Xiao Family's vigorous development, Xiao Yan, Third Elder, and the others brought along considerable resources and set out for the Black Corner Region and Jia Nan Academy.

Time slowly passed. As a young man, Xiao Yan stepped from the Jia Ma Empire into the Black Corner Region, continuing his own story.

Meanwhile, Old Master Xiao, Xiao Lin, remained immersed in secluded cultivation.

As the Xiao Family's overall strength improved, his cultivation rose accordingly.

In the blink of an eye, more than two years, nearly three years, had passed.

Over those more than two years, nearly three years, the Xiao Family's overall strength made tremendous leaps.

The last time Xiao Lin had used the Snake People Clan's lavish gifts to support the Xiao Family's clan members, they had saved ten years of arduous cultivation and advanced in strength.

The Xiao Family's clan members had consisted of roughly eighty children and youths below Dou Zhe, more than fifty Dou Zhe, more than eighty Dou Master, over ten Da Dou Shi, four Dou Ling, and one Dou Emperor.

But after more than two years, those numbers had changed enormously as the Xiao Family spared no expense.

The Xiao Family had spent all the assets the Misty Cloud Sect had accumulated over several hundred years on its clan members.

There were two hundred below Dou Zhe, many of whom were newly born children.

There were more than eighty Dou Zhe, many of whom were young people.

There were more than forty Dou Master, most of them high-star Dou Master not far from becoming Da Dou Shi. They formed the Xiao Family's middle ranks.

There were more than thirty Da Dou Shi, who belonged to the Xiao Family's upper-middle ranks.

There were more than ten Dou Ling, including the three Xiao brothers.

There were two Dou Wang: First Elder and Clan Leader Xiao Zhan.

As for Second Elder, he was stuck at Peak Dou Ling, while Third Elder had been occupied with matters concerning the Xiao Family Branch of Jia Nan Academy and had only recently advanced to Dou Ling Nine Star.

It was clear that the proportions of people at different realms in the Xiao Family were quite unusual, from weak to strong, especially among Dou Master and Da Dou Shi.

Generally speaking, it took ten or more Dou Master to produce one Da Dou Shi.

Yet the Xiao Family had over forty Dou Master and more than thirty Da Dou Shi.

Moreover, most of those Dou Master were high-star Dou Master, with Seven-star, Eight-star, and Nine-star ones making up the majority.

The reason for this miraculous phenomenon was naturally Xiao Lin's willingness to spend money without restraint.

However, this would not remain the norm. As long as the Xiao Family had enough children and increased its total population, then after several decades or a Hundred Years, given enough time to develop, those figures would become normal...

On this day, deep within the Xiao Family, at Xiao Lin's secluded cultivation grounds.

He opened his eyes. He appeared plain and unremarkable, without the slightest Dou Qi fluctuation leaking out.

"System!"

Xiao Lin summoned his system, and the familiar panel he had not seen for a long time appeared before him.

Name: Xiao Lin

Cultivation: Nine-star Dou Zong (Wind Attribute), Dou Zhe (Earth Attribute), Dou Zhe (Water Attribute), Dou Zhe (Fire Attribute)

Cultivation Method: Earth Water Fire Wind (System Reward)

Identity: Xiao Family Old Ancestor, Former Patriarch

Xiao Family Clan Members: 389

Selected Clan Member: Xiao Yan

Cultivation Feedback: When clan members cultivate, the host will receive bonuses.

Cultivation Breakthrough: Nine-star Dou Zong (13%)