Daily Life

Daily Life

Time flowed like water. The years passed in a hurry, silent and unnoticed, as though it had all happened yesterday. In the blink of an eye, two years had gone by.

"Dong..."

Within the Heavenly Flame Qi Refining Tower, an ancient bell's chime rang out through every level of the tower at some unknown moment.

In the lounge on the lowest level of the Heavenly Flame Qi Refining Tower, Xiao Ling formed the hand seal to end his cultivation. He exhaled a long breath of stale air, rose to his feet, and stepped down from the cultivation platform.

Sensing the Dou Qi within his body, Xiao Ling shook his head and sighed helplessly. "After reaching the Dou Ling realm, the Heavenly Flame Qi Refining Tower's effect on me has become worse and worse. At this rate, advancing to Dou Wang will take quite some effort."

Xiao Ling had now been in the Inner Academy for two years. By consecutively taking two Purple Heart Barrier-Breaking Pills and one Three-pattern Green Spirit Pill, he had broken through to the Dou Ling realm on the day he turned eleven.

Xiao Ling was now twelve and a half years old. After cultivating in the Dou Ling realm for a year and a half, he had reached the four-star Dou Ling level. This cultivation speed truly left Xiao Ling somewhat frustrated. Aside from spending four years in the Dou Qi stage, he had previously broken through a major realm every year or so on average.

Ever since breaking through to Dou Ling, the effect of the Fallen Heart Flame had clearly declined. Although it still increased his cultivation speed somewhat compared to normal cultivation, it no longer produced any significant effect. The quality of the Fen Jue was only Profound Grade Low-Level as well, making cultivation feel somewhat lacking in power.

In truth, this situation was more reasonable. After all, the Fallen Heart Flame had been imprisoned by Jia Nan Academy within this Heavenly Flame Qi Refining Tower. It had already developed intelligence and could think for itself. Moreover, it only possessed the cultivation of a Dou Zong. Low-level cultivators could benefit greatly from borrowing the Heart Flame to cultivate, but once their cultivation rose, the effect naturally became less obvious. Besides, the Fallen Heart Flame did not have a good relationship with Jia Nan Academy. It would not voluntarily release Heart Flame for Jia Nan Academy's students to cultivate with. It still needed to absorb energy through the magma to build up its strength, all while waiting for the day it could break through its seal.

Shaking his head, he stopped dwelling on such random thoughts. Just because cultivation was no longer as fast as before, did that mean he should stop cultivating? He had to cultivate anyway, so why think so much about it? Once my wings are fully grown and my strength is sufficient, I'll definitely sweep up all those opportunities. By then, my advancement will be far faster than staying here at Jia Nan Academy.

Following the passage out of the Heavenly Flame Qi Refining Tower, he discovered Xiao Xun'er standing there prettily. Clad in a purple dress, she possessed a cool and tranquil air, like a green lotus in the mortal world. Seeing her, countless people around them cast admiring gazes in her direction.

Xiao Xun'er was now almost twelve years old. As her body matured, that peerlessly beautiful face of hers had begun to reveal itself.

Upon seeing Xiao Ling emerge, Xiao Xun'er walked up to him with a bright smile and wrapped her arm around his.

Feeling the envious and jealous stares all around him, Xiao Ling's expression remained calm. He had experienced such things since childhood and had long become immune to those gazes.

Calling Rayquaza awake, the two rode it under the envious eyes of the crowd and flew toward the dormitories.

Passing through the clouds and feeling the wind blowing against them, the two chatted idly.

Suddenly, as though she had remembered something, Xiao Xun'er asked Xiao Ling, "Brother Xiao Ling, do you remember Xiao Yan from the Xiao Family of Wutan City?"

At those words, Xiao Ling frowned. Why was his little darling bringing up that fellow? His expression unchanged, he replied evenly, "Of course I remember him. The Third Young Master of the Xiao Family. He was quite talented, though a little too flamboyant. Is there something about him that Xun'er wants to tell me?"

Nodding, Xiao Xun'er said, "When Instructor Ruo Lin returned from recruiting students this year, she brought back a girl from the Xiao Family of Wutan City named Xiao Yu. By seniority, she should be considered our cousin."

Hearing Xiao Xun'er bring up seniority, Xiao Ling rolled his eyes, feeling utterly speechless. Young lady, by seniority, everyone in my Xiao Family should be calling you Great-Grandmother. Your father is Gu Yuan, someone of the same generation as my ancestor Xiao Xuan.

Xiao Ling nodded, signaling for Xiao Xun'er to continue.

"Since she is from the same clan as us, Instructor Ruo Lin paid special attention to her. Through her, she learned of something very strange. It is said that Xiao Yan broke through to Dou Zhe at the age of eleven, making him one of the top geniuses in the Jia Ma Empire. Yet after turning twelve this year, not only did his cultivation fail to increase, it actually declined. Within a few months, he had fallen to the Third Stage of Dou Qi and become a cripple," Xiao Xun'er said gently.

After hearing Xiao Xun'er's account, Xiao Ling finally remembered that he was only a few days older than Xiao Yan. Xiao Yan was twelve now as well. Yao Chen had already begun absorbing the Dou Qi in his body, and he was about to begin three bitter years as a good-for-nothing.

After thinking it over, Xiao Ling said, "Maybe there's something wrong with his body. Send a prescription back when the time comes, and have the people in the family find an Alchemist to take a look."

During his time at the academy, Xiao Ling would take out some things that were of no use to him every year and have them delivered to the Xiao Family. For example, some pills he casually refined while practicing alchemy, as well as some Techniques and Dou Skills others had given him as payment for refining pills. Anything too low-level or unsuitable for his attributes was sent back to the Xiao Family.

These items might have been useless to Xiao Ling himself, but to the Xiao Family, they were already an immense gift. After all, the highest-ranked technique in the clan had previously only been the Xuan Tier Intermediate technique, Raging Lion's Wrathful Force. After receiving the items Xiao Ling sent back, the clan elders were overjoyed.

For one of the Eight Ancient Clans to fall to such a state was truly rather miserable. Thinking of this, Xiao Ling gave Xiao Xun'er an odd look. If your father hadn't acted so dishonorably back then, the strongest member of our Xiao Family wouldn't be merely a Da Dou Shi. Eight or nine out of ten of the clan's old Techniques and Dou Skills were taken away by the Ancient Clan. Once I become strong enough, I'll definitely go to the Ancient Clan and take those things back. For now, I can only collect a little interest from Gu Yuan's precious daughter.

With that thought, Xiao Ling suddenly turned sideways. Catching the girl off guard, he pulled her slim waist into his embrace and kissed her directly.

Feeling Xiao Ling's mischievous hands, Xiao Xun'er's breathing gradually quickened. After putting up a token struggle, she fell into Xiao Ling's arms and let him do as he pleased.

Ling Ying, hidden in the shadows, could only helplessly rub his forehead at the sight. He lamented that his young lady's heart had been stolen right under his nose, and wondered whether the Clan Leader would break his legs after they returned to the Ancient Clan.

With Rayquaza flying swiftly, the two soon returned to the front of the dormitories. After parting with Xiao Xun'er, Xiao Ling returned to his room.

Lying on the soft bed and tightly hugging a pillow, Xiao Ling felt a faint sense of urgency after his conversation with Xun'er today. To become an Emperor, opposing the Soul Clan was inevitable. Thinking that there was not much time left before the Soul Clan's thousand-year plan came to fruition, Xiao Ling let out a long sigh. "Strength..."