One-Star Dou Saint Peak!

After the Eighth Elder returned to the True Dragon Secret Realm, the Ancient Void Dragon Clan began its own operations.

First, they recalled every member of the Ancient Void Dragon Clan from the Magical Beast Domain to the Ancient Dragon World. Then they began merging, combining the Four Dragon Islands into two, with the North Dragon King temporarily managing the entire Ancient Void Dragon Clan. In truth, aside from Five-Star and Six-Star Dou Saints, the Ancient Void Dragon Clan still possessed considerable strength.

Even after the Dragon Islands had split into four, they could still dominate their respective regions. Every Dragon Island had a Dou Saint expert stationed there.

Since they had already split apart, why could the Ancient Void Dragon Clan still remain the foremost of the three great magical beast clans? The answer became clear after some thought.

Even divided, they were still the same race. Although the Four Dragon Islands fought over the position of Dragon Emperor, to put it bluntly, their internal struggle was also for the sake of reuniting the race.

The disappearance of the old Dragon Emperor, Zhu Kun, had dealt the Ancient Void Dragon Clan a severe blow. With the dragons leaderless, the clan swiftly fell into chaos. The question was, since Zhu Kun had vanished, the Ancient Void Dragon Clan had to produce a new emperor to take charge of the overall situation.

The Three Dragon Kings had ambitions of their own, but even so, their strength still far surpassed that of the Heaven Demon Phoenix Clan and the Nine Serene Earth Python Clan.

Although the Clan Leader of the Heaven Demon Phoenix Clan possessed the strength of a late-stage Five-Star Dou Saint, its core forces were too weak. There were not many Dou Saint experts within the Heaven Demon Phoenix Clan, leaving it somewhat inferior to the Ancient Void Dragon Clan. Most of the Ancient Void Dragon Clan's Dou Saint experts had chosen secluded cultivation or ventured outside, much like the elders. The Heaven Demon Phoenix Clan, meanwhile, truly had only a handful of Dou Saint experts. Even if a few ancient monsters still remained, they had already withered away.

As for the Nine Serene Earth Python Clan, their bloodline was too impure, and their Dou Di Bloodline had long since dried up. The Nine Serene Earth Python Clan's foundations had been exhausted. They had only one Dou Saint expert, while nearly all their other experts were stalled at the Dou Zun realm.

Therefore, when the Four Dragon Islands merged, the Ancient Void Dragon Clan's strength and status among magical beasts became incomparably secure.

Moreover, no one dared claim to understand what unknown secrets lay behind the Four Dragon Islands calmly sitting down to discuss their merger.

Although the merger of the Four Dragon Islands caused some unrest and unease among the magical beasts, it was not something worth the attention of the Dou God Clans in the Central Continent. Their target had always been the Ancient Jade. Of course, if they could swallow this juicy piece of the magical beast territory, they would be more than willing to do so.

However, no one was willing to take that risk and probe the strength of the magical beast clans.

Neither side interfered with the other, and everyone followed the rules. This was why magical beasts and humans had been able to coexist peacefully for countless years.

Within the True Dragon Secret Realm, Ao Qing continued practicing his spear technique every day or receiving more information from the True Dragon Inheritance. His strength steadily improved with each passing day.

Another three years passed. By then, Ao Qing had become proficient in controlling the strength of a Dou Saint, while his own cultivation had reached the peak of a One-Star Dou Saint. If he wished, Ao Qing could break through to the Two-Star Dou Saint realm at any time. However, advancing steadily and building a solid foundation was more important than raising his realm.

After all, his goal was not merely to become a Dou Di. In the eyes of the people of the Dou Qi Continent, Dou Di might be an unattainable pursuit forever beyond reach, but for Ao Qing, who had received the True Dragon Inheritance, Dou Di seemed instead like a new beginning.

Over these three years, Ao Qing had formally begun cultivating the True Dragon Spear Technique. His attainments in the spear had improved tremendously, and he had mastered a Dou Saint's use of spatial power.

During this time, the seven elders had also diligently taught Ao Qing many useful things. Besides how to use Dou Qi, they told him much about the situation across the continent.

Although Ao Qing, as a transmigrator, already knew many things, he hid his abilities whenever possible. Besides, some matters could not be summarized in books. After all, this was a real world! Every day, people broke through in cultivation, and every day, people died unnatural deaths.

Unexpectedly, when Ao Qing's True Dragon Nine Transformations broke through to the second transformation, he gained two innate talents. One was Swallowing Clouds and Spitting Mist, Moving Clouds and Spreading Rain. The other was controlling flames. Naturally, he could also absorb the wondrous flames of heaven and earth to strengthen his abilities.

With that, his need for Heavenly Flames in the future became only natural. Ao Qing was no kindhearted man, and these Heaven and Earth Spiritual Objects had no owner to begin with. Who said they had to belong to the protagonist, Xiao Yan?

Ao Qing had his own plans for this matter. He had to get his hands on the Xiao Clan's Ancient Jade. Before he became a Dou Di, he would not allow anyone to gather all eight pieces of the Ancient Jade!

After all, Ao Qing did not believe he could fight a Dou Di while only possessing the strength of a Dou Saint. Naturally, he could not allow Hun Tiandi to gather the Ancient Jade.

Ao Qing was about to act as well. Whether for himself or for the Ancient Void Dragon Clan that had aided him, he would soon stir up ripples across this long-silent continent once again!

"This life, my fate will be decided by me. What cursed destiny? What disease-ravaged body? Heh! Hardship will pass. Perhaps an unseen hand is pushing all this forward, but I do not mind!"

Ao Qing thought this, and a glimmer shone within his cool, clear eyes. It was blazing fighting spirit, respect for life, and a farewell to his final cries and hesitation!

During these three years, aside from Ao Qing's improved strength, the Ancient Void Dragon Clan, having completed its consolidation, had also gained greatly. First, the Three Dragon Kings successively advanced into the Four-Star Dou Saint realm, while the North Dragon King directly broke through to the middle stage of the Four-Star Dou Saint realm!

The Ancient Void Dragon Clan had indeed become much stronger after merging. Naturally, this was inseparable from the Eighth Elder's assistance. The North Dragon King and the others gradually realized that the Ancient Void Dragon Clan contained far more than just the Eighth Elder. Yet even if they learned something, they would not speak carelessly. These were the Ancient Void Dragon Clan's hidden foundations, and unless the clan truly faced extinction, they would not be used lightly.

Meanwhile, in the Xiao Clan—or more precisely, the Xiao family—the protagonist Xiao Yan had begun cultivating. He was already six years old this year as well.

The various clans also began taking action. The Soul Clan's Soul Hall continued madly collecting Soul Origin, while Gu Yuan of the Gu Clan was preparing to send his daughter, Gu Xun'er, to the Xiao family in pursuit of the Xiao family's Ancient Jade!

It could be said that, in order to become Dou Di, some people could no longer hold themselves back. Of course, perhaps fate played a role as well, did it not? How coincidental that after Xiao Yan began cultivating, the Soul Clan also began its own plan.

Even if Hun Tiandi racked his brains, he would never have imagined that the reason for his future failure would be a fallen Xiao family, an ordinary person without any Dou Di Bloodline!

The world was simply unpredictable. It was precisely because of such coincidences that it became so interesting.

After Ao Qing ended his secluded cultivation, he planned to leave the True Dragon Secret Realm with the seven elders and head to the Ancient Dragon World to begin his plans...

At the place on East Dragon Island where the Ancient Void Dragon Clan held clan meetings, the North Dragon King, the other two Dragon Kings, and the Grand Elder of East Dragon Island were quietly waiting.

They had received word from the Eighth Elder in advance that he would bring an extremely distinguished and mysterious person here today!

"I wonder who this mysterious person Senior mentioned is. Still, we should receive this mysterious guest with the highest etiquette!"

The North Dragon King said somewhat awkwardly.

"Indeed. If even Senior calls them mysterious, then we should certainly do so!" The two Dragon Kings and the Grand Elder of East Dragon Island replied in agreement.

The moment his words fell, the seven elders and Ao Qing arrived.

The arrival of the eight figures truly shocked the North Dragon King and the others!

Seven of them possessed special bloodlines—imperial bloodlines belonging to the Ancient Void Dragon Clan! In other words, these seven were all top experts of the Ancient Void Dragon Clan who had remained hidden from the world.

Furthermore, upon carefully sensing their auras, they could not perceive several of them at all. They only felt that the Sixth Elder, Seventh Elder, and Eighth Elder possessed roughly similar strength, though that was merely a comparison based on limited reference.

As for Ao Qing, who was only at the peak of the One-Star Dou Saint realm, they could easily sense his aura. Yet the dense bloodline power on his body reminded them of that scene six years ago, when overwhelming bloodline pressure had pinned them to the ground, unable to move. That meant this person's bloodline was extraordinarily noble!

Moreover, these seven immensely powerful elders faintly surrounded Ao Qing, as though Ao Qing occupied an even more important position among them.

"We pay respects to the esteemed seniors!"

Although the North Dragon King and the others were confused, they obediently bowed. After all, these were elders of their Ancient Void Dragon Clan. Presumably, they would not deliberately make things difficult for them.

"No need for such courtesy!"

The Grand Elder said with bright, piercing eyes, waving his hand.

At this moment, the Eighth Elder stepped forward and introduced them to the North Dragon King and the others one by one.

"This is my eldest brother, Zhu Qian! He has long been a Nine-Star Peak Dou Saint! You may address my eldest brother as the Grand Elder."

The instant the Eighth Elder's words fell, a massive uproar erupted among the Ancient Void Dragon Clan members present!