One Year Later

At the summit above Wu Tan City, Zhang Tian sat quietly in meditation. A pair of blue wings several zhang long suddenly unfurled from his back, blue light flooding his body before surging once more.

"Seven-Star Dou Wang." Zhang Tian opened his closed eyes and formed a complex hand seal.

Vast Sea Seal, first form: Wave Splitting Seal.

A massive blue seal expanded with the wind, instantly becoming a one-meter-wide great seal that struck a smooth rock wall dozens of zhang away.

"Rumble!" An explosion-like roar rang out. The enormous rock wall shattered under the blow, while the seal continued onward with enough force remaining to slam into the ground.

Rumble! The earth shook once more before everything finally returned to silence.

Zhang Tian panted lightly. The Dou Qi within him was only enough to unleash seven seals. After seven seals, his Dou Qi would be completely depleted.

He had learned this from a place called the Dou Di Space after Xiao Yan learned the Sucking Palm.

Eight months ago, Zhang Tian had fallen off a cliff. Although falling from a cliff was an utterly laughable matter for a Three-Star Dou Wang, he had to admit that he really had fallen in. That cliff emitted an immensely powerful suction force, though it seemed to target only Zhang Tian.

Forget a Three-Star Dou Wang—even a Dou Emperor might not have been able to break free from that force.

At the bottom of the cliff stood a stone wall emitting a faint black glow. An indescribable aura drew in one's Soul Power, and in the end, the Dou Di Space turned into a mark branded upon Zhang Tian's soul.

After the inheritance was complete, the stone wall dimmed. Zhang Tian saw a cultivation method on its darkened surface. After studying it carefully, the wall collapsed with a crash, revealing a blue spear within, brimming with endless water-attributed Dou Qi, as well as a Phoenix Cry Longsword, whose boundless wind-attributed Dou Qi was incomparably sharp.

The Dou Di Space was completely empty and existed only in the depths of Zhang Tian's soul. Whenever Xiao Yan learned a Dou Technique, the Dou Di Space would tremble slightly before leaving behind an inheritance of a Dou Technique.

Then the space behind him shook. After a dizzying whirl, Zhang Tian found that he had somehow arrived at the back mountain of the Yun Lan Sect. That space, which had existed apart from the Dou Qi Continent, gradually collapsed as well. Without the strength of a Dou Sheng, even stopping it was impossible.

Eight months earlier, Xiao Yan had consumed the Marrow Cleansing Rebirth Pill and broken through to the Three-Star Dou Zhe in one go, while also learning the Sucking Palm. Zhang Tian had likewise obtained an Earth Rank Advanced Dou Technique called the Vast Sea Seal.

The Vast Sea Seal consisted of seven seals: Wave Splitting Seal, Wave Suppressing Seal, Ripple Calming Seal, Raging Sea Seal, Stormy Wave Seal, Vast Sea Northern Gold, and the final form, Vast Sea Sky Opening, which combined six seals into one.

The power of six seals combined far surpassed ordinary Earth Rank Dou Techniques, but Zhang Tian did not know whether it could reach the Heaven Rank. After all, Heaven Rank Dou Techniques had not appeared for centuries. Claims that certain techniques rivaled Heaven Rank Dou Techniques were merely the imaginings of later generations.

It was like the Three Kingdoms era. While Lu Bu was alive, Guan Yu called everyone "general." Once Lu Bu died, Guan Yu saw everyone as nothing more than a head waiting to be taken. Who knew how many peerless fierce generals "comparable" to Lu Bu had appeared in the world since then?

Heaven Rank Dou Techniques had not appeared for centuries, so every Earth Rank Dou Technique was said to rival the Heaven Rank.

"In a few days, Yun Yun will officially take a disciple. I still need to make a trip to the Yun Lan Sect." Zhang Tian sat cross-legged, the Phoenix Cry Longsword laid across his knees. From time to time, the clear cry of a phoenix could be heard from within it.

Zhang Tian calmed his mind and focused his spirit, pouring all his Soul Power into the Phoenix Cry Longsword and lightly stirring it. Some of the patterns on the blade lit up, only to quickly fade again.

Zhang Tian's Soul Power was still far from sufficient to control the Phoenix Cry Longsword.

Just as he was about to fail, Zhang Tian simply abandoned the idea of Control Sword with Spirit and settled for the next best thing. A stream of his own Dou Qi attached itself to the Phoenix Cry Longsword. With a thought, the sword broke the sound barrier, bringing waves of silent whistling wind as it abruptly pierced through a mountain.

Control Sword with Qi.

His Dou Qi Wings spread open as Zhang Tian rose into the air. His Soul Power wrapped around the Phoenix Cry Longsword, continuously refining it as it sliced through the sky under the control of his Dou Qi.

Control Sword with Qi was several times faster than his own flight, like an arc of light, like a bolt of lightning.

Although the Control Sword with Qi method he had obtained from the stone wall required immensely powerful Soul Power to wield, Zhang Tian had barely reached the beginner level. This delighted him beyond measure.

Wu Tan City, Xiao Family. The current Xiao Family was flourishing. Under Xiao Zhan's leadership, it had gradually regained its footing, as though it were about to return to its former glory.

One could imagine that, over the coming decades, as generations of juniors grew up, Great Dou Shi and Dou Ling experts would surely make the Xiao Family powerful once more.

But today, three guests had arrived at the Xiao Family.

Many members of the Xiao Family curiously watched the unfamiliar trio. Of the three, the old man wore a broad smile, though sharp light flickered in his eyes. On the chest of his robes was embroidered a silver crescent moon, surrounded by seven glittering golden stars.

"Seven-Star Great Dou Shi! That old man is actually a Seven-Star Great Dou Shi? You really can't judge a person by appearance!" Many people gasped. With Zhang Tian, a member of the Yun Lan Sect, around, most of the Xiao Family understood the different ranks represented by the sun, moon, and stars on the Yun Lan Sect's attire. The man before them was actually a Seven-Star Great Dou Shi.

Those who could become Great Dou Shi were once renowned experts in their regions. Such strength would make any faction scramble to recruit them. Although Xiao Yan had broadened his horizons considerably, he could not help but be startled. A Seven-Star Great Dou Shi seemed to be treated as nothing particularly special, and it was no wonder Xiao Yan marveled at the Yun Lan Sect's immense power.

So strong... Is this worthy of Master's sect?

Xiao Yan clenched the fist hidden in his sleeve, his heart deeply shaken.

Flying through the air, Zhang Tian rubbed his nose and muttered to himself, "I only went to the Yun Lan Sect to be an undercover agent. Why hasn't Nalan Yanran arrived yet? One year after another, and I've already become an elder."

After being teleported to the back mountain of the Yun Lan Sect last time, he had displayed the strength of a Three-Star Dou Wang. Yun Yun had been pleasantly surprised but also shocked by Zhang Tian's terrifying cultivation speed. After discussing it with the elders, she directly granted him the position of Second Elder, his status second only to First Elder Yun Leng, a Five-Star Dou Wang.

Beside the old man sat a young man and woman. They wore the same moon-white robes. The man looked to be around twenty years old, and five silver stars were embroidered on his chest. However, before the old man's Great Dou Shi rank, he was utterly overshadowed.

In the Yun Lan Sect, silver stars likely represented Dou Zhe, golden stars represented Dou Shi, a crescent moon represented Great Dou Shi, and the sun represented Dou Ling. Once one reached the elder level of Dou Wang, they no longer wore such gaudy robes.

"Mr. Ge Ye, may I ask what brings you here this time?" Xiao Zhan took a sip of tea, his face beaming. Too many things had happened this year to fill him with joy: his son had broken through to the Seven-Star Dou Zhe, and the Xiao Family had grown ever stronger. He had been grinning from ear to ear all day long.

"This old man has brought a few juniors to pay a visit to Clan Head Xiao today." The smile on Ge Ye's face did not diminish. Highly skilled at reading people, he could tell that Xiao Zhan was in an exceptionally good mood. Yet rather than state his purpose outright, he began exchanging pleasantries.

The pampered young woman beside him unhappily nudged the old man. The old man tugged at his beard and smiled faintly.

"Oh?" Xiao Zhan laughed heartily. Looking at the pampered young woman beside him, he recalled the Nalan Yanran Zhang Tian had mentioned a year ago.

"This must be niece Nalan. You've truly changed beyond recognition since you grew up. I heard before that the Yun Lan Sect's leader had accepted you as a disciple. I thought it was only a rumor, but now it seems to be true."

"You flatter me, Uncle Xiao. Yanran was merely fortunate." Nalan Yanran forced a smile and gave a slight curtsy.

The more Xiao Zhan looked at Nalan Yanran, the more satisfied he became. The girl was beautiful and delicate, and she had already reached the Three-Star Dou Zhe at such a young age. Though ordinary, it was passable enough.

More importantly, she and Yan'er had an engagement.

"Go call the Third Young Master. Have him come meet his fiancée." Xiao Zhan instructed Steward Mo behind him.

Though Xiao Zhan had not spoken loudly, everyone present heard him. Nalan Yanran and the young men and women of the Xiao Family had all heard.

Unlike the others, the young men looked sourly at Nalan Yanran as though she were Xiao Yan himself, while the girls glared fiercely at her, treating her as their greatest romantic rival.

Being watched by so many hostile gazes all at once, even Nalan Yanran felt her face flush with embarrassment. She cursed inwardly, These Xiao Family people are so uncultured.