Ancient Realm

After leaving the Star Palace, Xiao Yan immediately contacted Old Yao via Soul Communication.

However, a few breaths later, an old man with white hair broke through space and came to Xiao Yan's side. After carefully examining Xiao Yan's body, he breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thankfully, nothing went wrong." Old Yao patted Xiao Yan on the shoulder, finally relieved.

As for Xiao Yan's strength Nine-star Dou Zun and the Yin Yang Twin Flames on his chest, Old Yao naturally discovered them as well. However, compared to the issue of safety, the gains were of no concern.

"Let's go! To the Ancient Realm. In the past year, I have taken care of everything in the Ancient Realm for you."

After Old Yao finished speaking, he tore open a space and carried Xiao Yan to a mountain peak where the World Energy was extremely dense.

Sensing the spatial fluctuations, a figure broke through the air and arrived. Old Yao nodded, then looked at Xiao Yan, raising an eyebrow slightly, somewhat surprised by Xiao Yan's sudden increase in strength.

"You've been caught up in some ruins?" Gu Yuan asked anxiously, thinking of a certain possibility.

Xiao Yan nodded calmly, then summoned the Emperor Flame and separated the Three Thousand Burning Flame from it, saying, "That is a relic closely related to the Three Thousand Burning Flame, which allowed this Heavenly Flames to evolve, but it may also have some hidden dangers."

Gu Yuan carefully examined the Three Thousand Burning Flame, which had undergone a dramatic transformation. When he last Pill Tower Star Domain, it was still in the form of the Ancient Void Dragon. Now, however, it was a deep purple flame, as dark as the night sky, with countless Black Stars shining within it.

These seemingly tiny stars, however, subtly exude an unparalleled sense of weight and depth, swirling within the purple flames.

At first glance, they seem to be just drifting aimlessly, but upon closer inspection, Gu Yuan discovered that these stars are divided into many parts, each of which revolves around a certain core.

"There is indeed something unusual. Leave this Three Thousand Burning Flame with me for now, and I'll help you deal with it."

"However, you don't need to separate it. The power of the Three Thousand Burning Flame is already comparable to the Golden Emperor Burning Heaven Flame. You should keep it yourself. Don't get seriously injured when you separate it and leave any lasting damage."

Gu Yuan paused for a moment, then continued, "You should stay with your teacher these days— Xun'er often comes to learn alchemy from your teacher."

After saying that, Gu Yuan grabbed the Three Thousand Burning Flame and disappeared.

"Teacher, have you been doing something lately?" Sensing Gu Yuan's subtle hint of matchmaking, Xiao Yan was a little confused.

"It's nothing, I just refined a few Ninth-grade Treasure Pill for the Gu Clan." The Old Yao master stood with his hands behind his back and smiled casually.

"You've got my style back then, teacher. You've finally learned to use money to bribe people." Xiao Yan nodded with great satisfaction, before being slapped into the ground by Old Yao.

Gu Yuan was still very unhappy with Xiao Yan's womanizing behavior, but he had to consider the Gu Clan, and besides, there was no one of his peers who could fight him, so he had no choice but to reluctantly accept Xiao Yan's behavior.

Firmly grasping the Three Thousand Burning Flame, Gu Yuan tore open the Space Barrier of the Heavenly Tomb and arrived at the Heavenly Tomb Third Layer.

The flow of time inside and outside the Heavenly Tomb is different. Half a year outside is three years inside the Heavenly Tomb. Except for specific opening times, only Nine-star Dou Sheng can tear open the space and forcibly enter and exit.

For the rest of the year, Gu Yuan stayed here as much as possible in order to recover from his injuries.

However, Xiao Xuan never appeared.

Gu Yuan was actually a little embarrassed. Back then, the Nihility Devouring Flame couldn't stop him at all. If he hadn't been greedy and wanted to subdue the Nihility Devouring Flame for the Gu Clan, he would have already stormed into the Heavenly Tomb and stopped the Hun Tiandi.

Of course, it's also possible that, in Netherworld, Gu Yuan didn't want to see Xiao Xuan break through to Dou Emperor and for the Xiao Clan to become the dominant family.

Composing himself, Gu Yuan casually crushed the Soul Clan Dou Sheng energy body that had somehow appeared in the Heavenly Tomb and arrived at Xiao Xuan's tomb.

Placing the energy bead formed after the Energy Body's death in front of Xiao Xuan's tomb, Gu Yuan said softly, "The Xiao Clan has a descendant named Xiao Yan. He is outstanding. He broke through to the Nine-star Dou Zun without the Dou Di Bloodline. He was only in his twenties, which is faster than ordinary Divine Bloodline."

"This Three Thousand Burning Flame also belongs to Xiao Yan, but it has been branded with some kind of mark inside. In time, it may turn against him."

"I can remove this mark, but it will inevitably damage the Heavenly Flame Origin. After thinking it over, I have decided to entrust the Three Thousand Burning Flame to you to handle, and use the Blood Soul Mark of the Xiao Clan to cover the mark."

After saying that, Gu Yuan gently pushed it away, and a vortex appeared on the tombstone, sucking the Three Thousand Burning Flame into it.

After doing all this, Gu Yuan left the Heavenly Tomb without lingering any longer.

Then Gu Yuan saw Xun'er sitting side by side with Xiao Yan in a dense forest.

Narrowing his eyes, Gu Yuan saw that Xiao Yan didn't make any moves and seemed to be behaving obediently, so he shifted his gaze and went to the Gu Clan's Heaven Refining Ancient Array to cultivate.

Xiao Yan sat quietly beside Gu Xun'er, listening to her recount the recent situation in the Meteor God Ice Plains.

Gu Xun'er came to ask Old Yao for advice on alchemy, and happened to run into Xiao Yan. Just then, Old Yao suddenly started refining medicine and couldn't concentrate, and she happened to be returning the Black Lock and key, so she ended up staying with Xiao Yan.

As it happened, Xiao Yan also wanted to inquire about whether any relics had recently appeared on the Dou Qi Continent, so he took the opportunity to chat with Gu Xun'er.

Whether it was the fragrance of wildflowers in the dense forest or the natural scent of Gu Xun'er, Xiao Yan smelled a faint, refreshing fragrance, and he almost completely ignored what Gu Xun'er was saying.

A gentle breeze swept by, lifting a few strands of Gu Xun'er's soft hair, which fell onto Xiao Yan, silently closing the distance between the two.

After an unknown amount of time, Xiao Yan felt Gu Xun'er poke him. He turned his head and saw a pretty face with puffed-out cheeks.

"Are you even listening to what I'm saying?!" Gu Xun'er said, waving her little fist.

Looking at the cute and playful Gu Xun'er, Xiao Yan's mind was a little muddled, and he unconsciously reached out to tidy up her messy hair.

"..." Gu Xun'er suddenly stopped, a blush instantly creeping onto her delicate face. She turned slightly to the side, her large, watery eyes fixed on Xiao Yan, watching him gently brush her long black hair.

But Xiao Yan quickly withdrew his hand and sat up straight again.

"This is the first time you've been so gentle with me." Gu Xun'er turned around, leaned forward slightly, hugged her legs, and stopped looking at Xiao Yan. Her voice revealed a faint resentment.

"..." Xiao Yan did not reply. He wanted to say something, but many thoughts flashed through his mind. He felt that it would be inappropriate to say anything in this situation.

After standing there helplessly for a while, Xiao Yan grimaced and scratched his head, stammering, "Then, I'm sorry?"