Grandfather Arrives

The distance between the Central Continent and the Northwest Continent was no short one. Even for a Six-Star Dou Saint like Jiang Cheng, it would take some time to get here.

I need to stall for a little longer!

After Jiang Xing knocked Ling Ying back with a palm strike, he released Xiao Yan from his Storage Ring and seized him by the throat.

"Stop, or I'll kill him."

Seeing Xiao Yan being held by Jiang Xing, Gu Xun'er's face filled with anger.

"So Brother Xiao Yan really is in your hands."

Jiang Xing tightened his grip around Xiao Yan's neck and said in a low voice.

"I'll say this one last time. Make your subordinate stop!"

Xun'er had originally intended to take advantage of Jiang Xing not knowing her objective, capture him first, and then interrogate him about Xiao Yan's whereabouts.

But when she saw Jiang Xing clutching Xiao Yan by the neck, she hurriedly called Old Yun off.

"Old Yun, stop!"

"Don't... don't hurt Brother Xiao Yan. What do you want? I can give it to you. Just don't hurt Brother Xiao Yan."

Seeing that this tactic had worked, Jiang Xing secretly let out a breath of relief.

Watching Gu Xun'er plead so pitifully for Xiao Yan's life, Jiang Xing felt no urge to show her any tenderness.

He had captured Xiao Yan. This woman probably wanted nothing more than to kill him.

In his previous life, when Jiang Xing read novels, he had thought Gu Xun'er was the most brainless character of all.

She was completely lovestruck. Jiang Xing felt that aside from Xiao Yan, everything else seemed irrelevant to her.

When Gu Xun'er was young, Gu Yuan had sent her to the Xiao Clan in order to obtain the Xiao Clan's Ancient Jade. Then, after Xiao Yan saw her naked under the pretext of nurturing her meridians, she fell deeply in love with him, even forgetting the task the Gu Clan had entrusted to her because of Xiao Yan.

Even more outrageous, Gu Xun'er had given the Gu Clan's non-transmissible family Dou Technique, the "Emperor Imprint Skill," to Xiao Yan!

Wasn't that the very definition of an ungrateful traitor?

Sure enough, for Xiao Yan's safety, Gu Xun'er hurriedly told Jiang Xing to name his terms in exchange for Xiao Yan.

But Jiang Xing would not fall for that. Who knew whether this woman would attack him again after rescuing Xiao Yan?

Therefore, before his grandfather arrived, he absolutely would not release Xiao Yan.

If the two sides were not equal in strength, then any deal was nothing but a joke.

Before long, Jiang Cheng arrived, and Jiang Xing finally had something to rely on.

Gu Xun'er and Old Yun, however, were no longer calm, because they recognized the ability Jiang Cheng had used—Spatial Displacement, an ability only a Six-Star Dou Saint could possess.

"Xing'er, are you alright?"

The moment Jiang Cheng arrived, he hurried over to inspect Jiang Xing's condition.

"I'm fine, Grandpa."

Seeing that Jiang Xing looked somewhat disheveled but had not suffered any serious injuries, Jiang Cheng first let out a sigh of relief.

Then he turned toward Xun'er and the others, his eyes brimming with killing intent.

"Xing'er, were these people the ones who hurt you?"

"Your Excellency, please calm your anger. This is all a misunderstanding. We are from the Gu Clan..."

Jiang Cheng had no interest in hearing their explanations. He was about to strike and kill all three of them.

Seeing that his grandfather seemed intent on killing Gu Xun'er and the others, Jiang Xing was startled and hurriedly grabbed his grandfather.

Gu Xun'er was the Gu Clan's little princess, and she also possessed a God Grade Bloodline. If they killed her, the Gu Clan would never let them go.

A gentleman could take revenge even ten years later. Jiang Xing decided to endure for now.

Seeing his grandson stop him, Grandpa Jiang was somewhat puzzled.

Jiang Cheng was unafraid because he had regarded Gu Xun'er and the others as ordinary members of the Gu Clan. He believed the Gu Clan would not offend a Six-Star Dou Saint like him over one Dou Zun, one Dou Emperor, and one Dou Ling.

"Grandpa, she's Gu Yuan's daughter."

Upon hearing that Gu Xun'er was Gu Yuan's daughter, Jiang Cheng froze and immediately calmed down.

It was not that Jiang Cheng feared the Gu Clan. If he were alone with no family ties, he could act however he pleased. But he was not alone. He had people he cared about—he still had a son and a grandson...

"Grandpa, look, I'm not hurt. Just stand by and back me up. I'll talk to them."

Jiang Cheng opened his mouth, but in the end, he merely nodded.

"Miss Xun'er, I have no intention of becoming your enemy. I captured Xiao Yan because he tried to steal my Heavenly Flame. Today, for your sake, I'll release him."

"But if he comes to provoke me again in the future, don't blame me for being ruthless."

Although he did not wish to become enemies with the Gu Clan, he still needed to make his stance clear.

With that, Jiang Xing threw Xiao Yan toward Gu Xun'er.

Xun'er hurriedly caught her Brother Xiao Yan.

"Thank you."

Old Yun thanked him, then left with Xun'er and Ling Ying.

After such a major incident, Old Yun no longer dared leave Gu Xun'er outside and prepared to take her back.

After Xiao Yan woke up, Xun'er left the Emperor Imprint Skill and some cultivation resources for him. After telling him not to provoke Jiang Xing, Gu Xun'er returned to the clan with Old Yun.

Within the Ancient Realm, Gu Yuan had initially been quite happy to hear that Gu Xun'er had returned. After all, he had not seen Xun'er in a long time, and this old father truly missed his daughter.

But when Old Yun recounted everything that had happened, as well as all matters concerning Xiao Yan, in full detail, Gu Yuan nearly failed to restrain himself from going over and slapping Xiao Yan to death.

At the same time, he was disappointed in his daughter for failing to live up to expectations. There were countless outstanding talents in the Gu Clan, yet she did not fancy any of them and instead fell for a good-for-nothing from the fallen Xiao Clan? And her feelings ran so deep.

That was right. Compared to offending that Six-Star Dou Saint, what Gu Yuan cared about more was that Xun'er actually liked Xiao Yan.

The Gu Clan had so many powerful experts that they did not need to take a mere Six-Star Dou Saint to heart.

He immediately summoned Xun'er over and said in disappointment, "I sent you to retrieve the Ancient Jade. Fine, you still haven't gotten it after all this time—but how did you end up giving away your heart too?"

"You possess the Gu Clan's God Grade Bloodline, while he is merely from the impoverished Xiao Clan. You two are not suitable for each other! Listen to your father. You are not to see each other again."

"No... no, Father. I like Brother Xiao Yan. I only like Brother Xiao Yan."

Seeing Xun'er cry so miserably, Gu Yuan felt as though his daughter had suddenly brought home some blond punk. He was both furious at her failure to meet his expectations and heartbroken for her.

He could only patiently try to persuade Gu Xun'er to give up on this relationship. The two of them were not suited for one another.

And even if he agreed, the clan elders would never agree.

Not to mention that those elders also wanted their own descendants to marry Gu Xun'er; just the fact that Xiao Yan came from the fallen Xiao Clan meant they would never consent.

Their thinking was simple: even if their own descendants could not marry Gu Xun'er, they could not let an outsider have her.

In the end, seeing Gu Xun'er so heartbroken, he truly could not bear it as her father.

"If Xiao Yan is truly as you say, with talent no weaker than the younger generation of the various clans, then if he can break through to Dou Saint, I will not oppose your relationship."

In the end, Gu Yuan could only take a step back. As long as Xiao Yan could break through to Dou Saint, he would not oppose Gu Xun'er being with him.

However, in Gu Yuan's eyes, the Xiao Clan no longer possessed even a trace of Dou Emperor bloodline. Reaching Dou Zun would already be Xiao Yan's limit; the possibility of breaking through to Dou Saint was negligible.

Gu Xun'er also knew that this was already the best result she could fight for.

As for the other elders, though Gu Yuan did not say it outright, Gu Xun'er knew he would not help her deal with them. She could only resolve that herself.

As for how to make the elders agree, as long as Gu Xun'er's strength surpassed theirs, that group of elders would have nothing to say.

During the years she had lived with the Xiao family, she had never properly cultivated.

One had to know that people her age from the other clans had basically already cultivated to Dou Wang, yet she, with her God Grade Bloodline, had only reached Dou Ling.

Realizing the importance of strength, Gu Xun'er resolved to cultivate diligently and threw herself wholeheartedly into cultivation.

P.S. I've been stuck on this part for several days and it felt awful, so I hastily wrapped it up. Please excuse the poor writing.