The White-Clad Girl of Green Mountain Town

Upon hearing Xiao Yan's voice, Xun'er's delicate body trembled slightly. A moment later, she too wrapped her two snow-white arms gently around Xiao Yan.

"It's all right. As long as Brother Xiao Yan never leaves me, that's enough."

Hearing the girl's soft words, Xiao Yan felt even more guilty.

Perhaps in this life, he could make up for the regrets of his past life with his immense strength. But for Xun'er, a relationship that had never been perfect to begin with might end up with even more flaws.

Even with Xiao Yan's temperament, he could not say a word in response. All he could do was keep thinking about how he would make it up to the girl in his arms in the future.

If he lost a girl like this, then his rebirth in this life would truly have been for nothing.

The moonlight was slightly cool as the young man and woman quietly leaned against each other. After a long while, faint breathing came from his arms. Xiao Yan lowered his head and saw that the girl in his embrace had already fallen asleep.

Carefully lifting her around the waist, he gently laid her on the bed. Looking at that beautiful little face, still immature yet already breathtakingly lovely, Xiao Yan slowly let out a breath.

After gently kissing the girl's smooth forehead, he left the courtyard and sat cross-legged on the bamboo chair.

"Though I can't give you a flawless, complete love, I will still make sure you live more happily than any other woman."

He murmured quietly to himself. After casting all distracting thoughts from his mind, Xiao Yan slowly sank into cultivation.

He stayed awake through the night. When the frosty dew of dawn the next day dampened Xiao Yan's shoulders, a jade-like little hand finally gently brushed the dew from his clothes.

"Is Brother Xiao Yan punishing himself? Haven't you considered that Xun'er would be upset by this?"

A slightly reproachful voice sounded. Xiao Yan opened his eyes and saw the girl, graceful as a green lotus, standing prettily before him.

"Hehe, I was only afraid of disturbing your rest if I stayed inside."

Xiao Yan slowly stretched, his entire body crackling like popping beans. After rising to his feet, scorching fire-attributed Dou Qi circulated around him twice, drying his slightly damp clothes once more.

Seeing him like this, Xun'er gave a light snort and said somewhat unhappily, "As punishment for yesterday, I sentence Brother Xiao Yan to accompany me shopping for the entire day!"

"No problem."

Seeing the girl's expression, a gentle smile curved Xiao Yan's lips. He softly took her little hand and handed her the flowers he had talked Xiao Mei into giving him yesterday.

This was Xun'er—Xun'er who would rather be sad herself than see him troubled.

But if he truly made this girl sad, then Xiao Yan would be worse than a beast.

Holding the girl whose lips had curved into a happy smile after being coaxed, the two of them jogged joyfully through the Xiao Family courtyard and then onto the bustling streets of Wu Tan City. Golden morning light fell over the young man and woman, making them look like a Golden Boy and Jade Girl, a match made in heaven.

Even the married people walking along the streets could not help but smile warmly, as though recalling old memories, when they saw the two of them.

It was as if the sight of them had reminded those people of the days when they first knew love.

After this small setback, not only was there no distance between them, but their relationship became even closer.

Even Xiao Yan, an old Dou Emperor with memories spanning tens of thousands of years, was filled with nostalgia for that youthful sweetness shared between a boy and girl.

Spring flowers bloomed in splendid beauty, yet they would eventually wither. But that withering did not signify death; instead, it meant that even richer vitality was spreading forth.

Amid the lingering sweetness of youth and the day-after-day bitter cultivation, Wu Tan City was quietly covered in lush green.

In the blink of an eye, early summer had arrived, and the entire world was filled with flourishing vitality.

Two months passed, and Xiao Yan's strength had silently reached the peak of Nine-Star Dou Zhe.

After several months of refining pills day after day like a tool, along with being fiercely whipped into shape by Yao Lao several times, Liu Panlong had finally unleashed all the accumulation of his earlier years. Half a month ago, he entered the fourth grade and passed the Alchemist Association's examination.

As a result, the help he could provide to the Xiao Family naturally became even greater.

Aside from combat strength, a Fourth Grade Alchemist was practically comparable to a Dou Wang expert in every other aspect. Within many major powers, the status of a Fourth Grade Alchemist was almost no different from that of a Dou Wang.

Therefore, with Liu Panlong alone stationed at the Xiao Family, there were already very few people in the Jia Ma Empire who dared to make a move against them.

Besides Liu Panlong, the strength of Xiao Zhan, Xiao Ding, and Xiao Li had also surged greatly over the past half year.

With the Earth Rank Cultivation Method provided by Xiao Yan, along with the support of large quantities of medicinal pills, Xiao Zhan's strength had reached Nine-Star Great Dou Shi.

Xiao Ding and Xiao Li were also advancing at the terrifying rate of nearly one star every two months.

With Xiao Yan's help, Xun'er's Dou Qi had reached Dou Qi Level 9 as well.

Of course, what truly gave Xiao Yan a pleasant surprise was that Yao Lao's Soul Power had finally recovered to the Dou Zong level three days ago.

Without being nourished by Xiao Yan's Dou Qi and without consuming any Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures, Yao Lao's Soul Power had still recovered rapidly through nothing more than diligently cultivating the Three Great Secret Techniques Xiao Yan had given him.

Once Yao Lao's strength recovered to this level, Xiao Yan finally began considering taking his first steps beyond Wu Tan City.

The Half-Saint Ancient Tomb within the Monster Mountain Range was indeed an incredibly tempting prospect.

Furthermore, for Xiao Yan, who had reached the pinnacle of this world through flames, it was time for him to find himself a true Heavenly Flame.

And as it happened, the Monster Mountain Range concealed a Heavenly Flame that he had failed to discover in his past life: the Ten Thousand Beast Spirit Flame!

Only after obtaining a Heavenly Flame could he truly be considered to have recovered even a tiny trace of his strength.

His current state was actually no different from building a foundation; he was merely laying the groundwork.

Although Xiao Yan in his current state possessed immensely powerful memories and methods, his weak strength meant that any Guardian from the Soul Hall could easily kill him.

Of course, if he borrowed Yao Lao's Soul Power, then not many people below the Dou Zun realm could pose a threat to Xiao Yan.

This was also why Xiao Yan now dared to venture into the Half-Saint Ancient Tomb.

Of course, beyond that, what truly made Xiao Yan look forward to and yearn for the Monster Mountain Range was a small town at its foot.

Within that town, there was also a white-clad girl deserving of pity, waiting for him to find her.

In his past life, he had also owed that girl a home.