Six Years of Growth, Reunited with Old Friends

At just twenty-three or twenty-four, he could already contend with the combat power of a Six-Star Dou Saint, yet this brat still seemed dissatisfied.

Their talent was not bad either, but who among them had broken through to the Saint Level before forty or fifty, or even a hundred years of age?

At such an age and with such cultivation, those in the clan who still wished to vie for the position of Young Patriarch could only obediently shut their mouths.

It was not that they had not been given a chance. Their opponent was simply on an entirely different level, crushing them completely.

Xiao Xuan said, "Wait a little longer. Father, do you really want to step down so badly?"

"Of course. I've sat in the Patriarch's seat for over a thousand years. I got tired of it long ago."

"Besides, you're not young anymore. Why haven't you found a girl you like?"

"Visit other clans more often. If you find one you like, I'll propose on your behalf."

Marriage? Xiao Xuan had never paid much attention to it.

At his level, his lifespan was long.

There was no need to rush matters of fate. He could take it slowly and see where things led.

Besides, Ruo Ruo would soon be four. Why not let him take her out and show her the world?

If they kept spoiling her like this, they were not loving her—they were harming her.

Sooner or later, she would become a pampered young miss who could not lift a finger and acted willful and unruly.

Xiao Feng and his wife exchanged a glance. Gu Qin said worriedly, "Isn't she still too young?"

"She's not even four yet. Although she has your Yishi Pill helping her..."

"Even if Ruo Ruo's talent is inferior to yours, she should not be beneath Xiao Xiong and the others."

"I think she should build her foundation in the clan for a while and wait until she is older."

With strength came authority. The clan elders, Xiao Xiong, and the others had already abandoned their unrealistic thoughts.

After Xiao Xuan threw hundreds upon thousands of Seventh- and Eighth-Tier Magic Cores into the Treasure Pavilion, he even placed the high-grade Earth Class soul cultivation technique, the Nine Revolutions Soul Forging Technique, directly on the fourth floor of the Scripture Depository.

Although it was only Earth Class, its value was no less than that of a Heaven Class technique.

After learning of this, the clan elders approved of him as Young Patriarch even more.

Many clansmen went to study the technique. Even Dou Saints did not dare be careless in cultivating their souls. Who would ever complain that their soul level was too high?

Xiao Xuan treasured his little sister dearly and personally taught her.

From basic literacy to understanding the meridians within her body, he gradually taught her the Nine Revolutions Soul Forging Technique and the Eight Sounds of the Heavenly Dragon as well.

Before he knew it, six years had passed since his return to the clan. During those six years, his strength had advanced again.

After entering the Heavenly Tomb once and cultivating by Devouring energy bodies, his cultivation had risen directly to the seventh star.

Such strength was among the very best in the Xiao Clan.

Moreover, with the support of a Heavenly Realm Grand Perfection soul, his combat power was not inferior to any Eight-Star Dou Saint.

His position as Young Patriarch was well deserved. Much of the time, he was the one helping Xiao Feng handle clan affairs.

His younger sister, Xiao Ruo, was already ten years old. With his help over the years, she had reached the strength of a Da Dou Shi.

"Brother, where are we going?"

On a street in the Xiao Realm, Xiao Ruoruo darted about like a little sprite, tugging at him and endlessly asking all sorts of questions.

Clearly, she was delighted to finally be allowed out of the Xiao Realm and into the outside world.

"First, we'll visit Shengdan City. It's been a long time. Those two should have entered the Saint Level by now, right?"

"Hehe, I'll listen to you, Brother."

Leaving the Xiao Realm and entering the Central Plains, Xiao Xuan traveled with Xiao Ruoruo for half a month before arriving at a small city.

On the wall beyond the city gate hung the three large words, "Guihua City." They were worn and shabby, clearly untouched for a long time.

"Brother, this city is so old."

"Let's go in and rest first. We've been traveling for half a month, and you've been clamoring for a rest the whole way, little sister."

The two of them, one large and one small, entered the city and found an inn.

"Honored guests, are you here to eat or stay the night?"

"We'll eat first, then stay the night. Xiao Er, bring us two of your signature dishes."

"Right away, honored guests! Please have a seat!"

"Xiao... Brother Xiao... is that you?"

Just as he was leading Xiao Ruoruo over to find a table, a voice filled with delight and uncertainty suddenly rang out.

Xiao Xuan looked toward the voice. A female Dou Zong in her twenties, dressed in a black skirt, was staring at him with an overjoyed expression.

When she looked at Xiao Ruoruo in particular, her expression became complicated.

"It's you? Miss Nangong? What are you doing in the Central Plains?"

Nangong Ling'er was the woman he had saved several years ago while traveling through the Eastern Region.

"I..."

"Brother Xiao, congratulations. Your daughter is already so grown up?"

Xiao Xuan's expression stiffened. Xiao Ruoruo grinned and said, "Brother, is this my sister-in-law? Why do I smell something sour?"

"Ow, Brother! What are you doing? Why did you flick my forehead?"

Xiao Xuan said, "You little rascal. Ruo Ruo, how do you know about such things at your age? I don't remember teaching you any of this."

After hearing Ruo Ruo's words, Nangong Ling'er blushed, but she could not hide the delight in her eyes.

"Brother Xiao, who is this little sister? Your younger sister?"

Xiao Xuan was helpless. He had spent some time with this woman before. How had he never noticed that she seemed a little slow?

"Yes, my younger sister. My biological younger sister, Xiao Ruoruo!"

"Oh, your biological younger sister. The age gap is so large that I thought you..."

Xiao Ruoruo said, "Thought what? That I was Brother's daughter?"

"Hehe, Brother, that's not very nice of you."

"You never told me about such a beautiful sister-in-law."

"I'm going to tell Father and Mother on you!"

Left with no choice, Xiao Xuan could only suppress the little troublemaker and pull her behind him.

"Miss Nangong, don't mind her. Congratulations on reaching the Dou Zong level. When did you come to the Central Plains?"

Nangong Ling'er said, "I have to thank the pills Brother Xiao left behind back then. Otherwise, it would have been difficult to say whether I could even break through to Dou Emperor."

"Some time ago, I was training in the Black-Corner Region and later fell into a Space Wormhole."

"When I emerged again, I was already ten thousand miles away from Guihua City."

"Hehe, Sister Nangong, so you don't have anywhere to go either."

"How about this? Travel with us from now on."

Nangong Ling'er blushed and began to stammer.

"Th-this... is that all right?"

"Wouldn't I interfere with your plans?"

Xiao Ruoruo said, "What plans could we possibly have?"

"Brother deliberately brought me out to train. We don't have a fixed destination, so we'll just travel and see where we end up."

"Brother, what do you think about letting Sister Nangong come with us?"

Seeing the crafty little girl's expression, as though she would cry if he refused, Xiao Xuan rolled his eyes at her.

In the Xiao family, he kept his father in line, his mother kept him in line, his little sister kept their mother in line, and his father kept his little sister in line. It was a perfect cycle.

Other than their father, his little sister feared no one and listened to no one.

"Yes, yes, you've already decided, little sister. Why ask me?"

"When it's just the two of us, aren't you always the one making the final decision?"

"Hehe, Sister Nangong, Brother didn't object. Travel the lands of the Central Plains with us from now on."