Tou She Ancient God Jade

More than two years, nearly three years of cultivation had taken Xiao Lin from newly entering the Dou Zong realm to the Ninth Star Dou Zong realm. His progress could not be called anything but rapid.

All of this had been thanks to the Family System. The Xiao Family had grown from one of the Three Great Clans in the remote little city of Wutan City to its current level.

Even setting aside him, a Dou Zong capable of suppressing everything, the Xiao Family—with two Dou Wang experts and more than ten Dou Ling—could already be considered a great family.

Looking across the entire Jia Ma Empire, they were likely second only to the imperial family. If the imperial family's Old Ancestor were excluded as well, then the Xiao Family would truly be the undisputed number one family!

"Just as horses grow fat on night grass and men grow rich through windfalls, killing for treasure—first coveting the Snake People Clan, then robbing the Misty Cloud Sect—has allowed the Xiao Family to reach this level in just a few short years."

Xiao Lin sighed inwardly. The Xiao Family's growth had certainly been swift, but his own breakthroughs had been even faster.

Back when he was a Dou Wang, when the Xiao Family was still in its earliest stage, with the Family System's aid, Xiao Lin had basically broken through one realm every month.

Yet during the Dou Emperor stage, after the Xiao Family received the Snake People Clan's gift package upgrade, it had taken more than a year, nearly two, for Xiao Lin to break through to the Ninth Star Dou Emperor realm.

During the Dou Zong stage, the Xiao Family had received another upgrade gift from the Misty Cloud Sect, but the time required had lengthened by another year. Xiao Lin had spent over two years, nearly three, rising from One-star Dou Zong to where he was now.

Of course, the further he progressed, the more he relied on the rewards granted by upgrades. For example, in the early Dou Emperor stage, more than half had come from the rewards given by Xiao Yan's breakthroughs.

The Xiao Family members had contributed the other half.

The same was true for the Dou Zong stage, except the proportion was even greater, accounting for sixty percent.

The Xiao Family itself accounted for only forty percent.

"This is with me constantly raising the Xiao Family's overall strength. If I did not improve the Xiao Family's overall strength, my cultivation would be even slower..."

The further one cultivated, the slower it became. Even Xiao Yan, a Selected Clan Member, would slow down once he reached the Dou Emperor and Dou Zong stages. It was impossible for him to remain as fast as before.

By then, the only thing Xiao Lin could rely on would be the system's cultivation feedback from his clansmen.

Xiao Lin sighed, but if other Dou Zongs heard him lamenting like this, they would probably explode with rage. He had completed the Dou Zong path in less than three years, yet he was still unsatisfied!

Indeed, that cultivation speed was extraordinarily fast, but his goal lay farther ahead. His sword pointed toward the Dou Emperor realm, so naturally, he held high standards for himself, the Xiao Family, and the system.

"As my realm rises, my demand for Dou Qi will only grow. If I reach the Dou Zun realm without strengthening the Xiao Family, then going from One-star Dou Zun to Ninth Star Dou Zun will likely consume an enormous amount of time."

Thinking this, Xiao Lin took out a piece of Ancient Jade that emitted a strange glow. Strange patterns covered its surface, seeming to breathe as they brightened and dimmed.

This Ancient Jade was the Tou She Ancient God Jade, enough to drive the Eight Ancient Clans and the continent's peak Dou Saints into a frenzy.

Ever since the great change in heaven and earth, not a single Dou Emperor had appeared on the Dou Qi Continent!

Although Dou Saints and Dou Emperors were separated by only one rank, the difference between them was as vast as heaven and earth.

Over the long years, every person who had attempted to cross that threshold had ended in failure.

Yet the Tou She Ancient God Jade left behind by Tou She Ancient God, the last Dou Emperor a thousand years ago, was said to hold the possibility of connecting to the path of the Dou Emperor!

"Before Tou She Ancient God fell, he divided the key to the Tomb of the Dou Emperor—the Tou She Ancient God Jade—into eight pieces. It is only useful once all eight are gathered. For now, I can only play with it in my hand."

Xiao Lin toyed with the Tou She Ancient God Jade while considering what he should do next.

After a long while, he made up his mind and left the secret chamber where he had cultivated in seclusion for three years.

Jia Ma Empire, Imperial Capital, Jia Ma Holy City.

The Mite'er Family headquarters was located in an estate in the southern district of Jia Ma Holy City.

More than two years ago, the Fu Ling Zi Dan had been delivered to Hai Bodong, completely resolving the Snake People Clan seal Queen Medusa had left on him.

Moreover, thanks to several decades of sealing, once he was freed, his accumulated strength erupted, allowing him to break through directly to the Seventh Star Dou Emperor realm!

Hai Bodong now lay leisurely on a reclining chair with his eyes half-closed, attended by two beautiful Maidservants at his side.

Suddenly, a shadow blocked the sunlight, causing Hai Bodong to open his narrowed eyes and look at the figure before him.

Just as he had expected, in the Jia Ma Empire, the only person who dared appear before him, the Ice Emperor, in such a manner was likely the Xiao Family Supreme Elder.

"Old Hai, you're living quite comfortably. Tsk, tsk, they're even twins."

Xiao Lin turned and waved a hand. A gentle breeze lifted the two beautiful Maidservants and sent them directly far away.

"W-Wow, what level of power was that? So terrifying!"

"When that man appeared, I could not even speak. His aura pressed down on me so hard that I could not move at all."

"The only person who could act like that before Elder Hai must be that one..."

As the two Maidservants spoke, their pale faces instantly turned rosy red, their eyes brimming with excited fervor.

They had actually seen the legendary Xiao Family Supreme Elder, the man who destroyed the Misty Cloud Sect with one sword strike, the number one figure in Jia Ma!

During the many years the Xiao Family had remained hidden, its name had not been widely known to the world, but the name of the Supreme Elder who had destroyed the Misty Cloud Sect was frequently spoken of.

A venerable Dou Wang had secluded himself in Wutan City for fifteen years, cultivating bitterly for fifteen years, before slaying the Misty Cloud Sect with a single sword!

It was practically a legend, a myth—a myth that had happened in reality!

The name Xiao Lin inspired many cultivators in the Jia Ma Empire and made him the idol of countless people. Of course, out of reverence and respect, they generally did not speak his name directly, instead respectfully calling him the Xiao Family Supreme Elder.

Only Hai Bodong and Xiao Lin remained in the courtyard. One wore blue, the other white, like blue skies and white clouds.

"Your realm... I can see through it less and less."

Hai Bodong carefully examined Xiao Lin from head to toe. In the end, he sighed helplessly and said with emotion.

"It has been nearly three years since we last met. What brings you to this old man today?"

"It has been almost five years since the last Sect Assembly in the Northwest region, hasn't it?" Xiao Lin looked at Hai Bodong, who fell into thought.

The Jia Ma Empire was located in the northwest of the Dou Qi Continent. Besides them, there were nearly a hundred states of varying sizes, including the Chuyun Empire, Luoyan Empire, Heavenly Snake Empire, and others.

Every empire had, to varying degrees, some sect forces of considerable strength. Taken together, they were too numerous to count.

This Sect Assembly was hosted by several of the strongest forces in the Northwest region. Some ambitious people wished to unify the forces of the Northwest region and form an existence capable of rivaling the continent's top powers!

However, many Sect Assemblies had been held, yet no force had managed to suppress all the others and unify the intricately tangled Northwest region into one powerful faction.

It was worth mentioning that among the many forces in the Northwest region, the Misty Cloud Sect could only be considered second-rate. Of course, that was without counting Yun Shan. Even with him included, it could at most rank in the middle tier of first-rate forces.

The Heavenly Snake Manor that had taken Qing Lin away was a truly first-rate power on the Northwest Continent, far stronger than the Misty Cloud Sect. Back then, it had even nearly defeated the leaders of all the sects at the Sect Assembly and become the Northwest's hegemon.

"Brother Xiao, you are not thinking of getting involved, are you..." Although Hai Bodong had complete confidence in Xiao Lin's combat strength, the Sect Assembly tested more than just individual strength.

Besides, even if it came down to individual strength, those Super Powers spanning the Northwest Continent had experts whose cultivation surpassed Brother Xiao's.