Xiao Xuan and Gu Yuan's First Battle

With a single step, he descended from the platform and arrived on the stage. That speed astonished another group of young people.

"Xiao Xuan of the Xiao Clan, please instruct me!"

"This guy is actually a Dou Emperor too?"

After Xiao Xuan unleashed his aura, the Xiao Clan disciples began discussing it among themselves.

"Gu Yuan of the Gu Clan, please enlighten me!"

As soon as Gu Yuan finished speaking, Xiao Xuan clenched his hand into a fist, circulated his Dou Qi, and charged toward him.

"Whoosh..."

As the wind-bearing punch blasted toward Gu Yuan, Gu Yuan casually raised a hand and blocked it.

At that moment, Gu Yuan spun around, raised his left leg, and kicked toward Xiao Xuan's face.

Yet Xiao Xuan casually grabbed it, then began swinging him around.

Xiao Xuan had tempered his body for many years. His arm strength surpassed that of others his age several times over, and with the Dou Emperor strength he had unleashed, swinging Gu Yuan around was as easy as playing with a toy.

The instant Gu Yuan was flung into the air, he directly unleashed the pressure of a Dou Emperor, intending to shake Xiao Xuan away.

Unfortunately, he had overthought things.

That little bit of pressure was truly not worth mentioning before Xiao Xuan.

Gu Yuan also knew this could not continue. He extended a finger toward Xiao Xuan, and waves of violent energy began gathering at its tip.

Ancient Emperor's Finger!

After Gu Yuan shouted, the energy at his fingertip shot straight toward Xiao Xuan.

Feeling the piercing force of that finger strike alone, Xiao Xuan immediately understood that it was far from simple.

Metal Element Palm!

Rumble...

After the two streams of energy collided in midair, a mushroom cloud rose up!

The residual force even shook Gu Yuan until he spat blood. Xiao Xuan also forcibly made himself cough up blood; he did not wish to reveal too much of his brilliance.

With peers, one was called a genius. If one person stood far ahead of everyone else, that person was called a monster—and invited envy.

At least before he had fully matured, that was something he did not wish to encounter.

However, at this moment, both of them were shrouded by smoke within the arena, and no one noticed.

Once the smoke dispersed, everyone looked over and saw the two of them standing upright on the stage, blood staining the corners of their mouths.

"Cough, cough. Brother Gu, there is no need to continue. This match is a draw.

If there is another chance in the future, I will seek you out for another spar."

"Good. When that time comes, we must have a proper, satisfying battle."

After a while, when no one stepped forward to issue another challenge, the elder announced the end of the exchange.

Once the exchange ended, the elders of the various clans lingered in the Xiao Clan for only a short time before leaving with their clans' young talents.

Xiao Xuan was also summoned to Xiao Feng's study.

"Not bad, kid. You reached this level without making a sound.

But this is not your true cultivation, is it?"

Xiao Xuan rolled his eyes at him. Did he really not know, or was he pretending not to know?

As a peak Eight-Star Dou Saint, could he truly fail to see through his cultivation?

"Ow, Dad, what was that for?"

As though he had seen through Xiao Xuan's thoughts, Xiao Feng lightly flicked a finger against his forehead, and a large bump immediately swelled up.

"You brat deserve a beating. The Ancient Emperor's Ring your ancestor gave you conceals your true condition.

Not to mention an Eight-Star Dou Saint like me—even a Nine-Star Dou Saint like your ancestor would not be able to see through your cultivation unless you fought with your full strength."

Xiao Xuan frowned. The Ancient Emperor's Ring?

Old Zhu had casually tossed it to him back then and had not explained anything.

He had always thought it was merely a storage ring, which was why he had spent all these years cultivating the Breath-Hiding Art to conceal his true condition.

So, in other words, he had been doing something unnecessary all these years.

"Ah... so that's how it is, Dad. I didn't know.

I've only barely reached the peak of the Dou Emperor realm now.

By the way, Dad, I plan to leave the Xiao Realm and travel the continent.

As for those geniuses of the Xiao Clan, Father, you can suggest it to the clan elders. After all, flowers raised in a greenhouse cannot withstand wind and rain, sun and storms."

Xiao Feng smiled. "Why are you worrying about that, kid? We old fellows understand that perfectly well.

We will send them out. We had already planned to do so after this exchange.

When the time comes, you can go with them."

"I'd better not. I want to travel alone.

Besides, they will not gain much training experience in the Central Plains. From the clan records, I learned that although the experts of the Central Plains cannot compare to the great Emperor Clans,

there are quite a few Dou Zuns and Dou Zongs, and even Half-Saints and Dou Saints are not unheard of. On the other hand, places like the Northwestern Region, Northern Region, Eastern Region, and Southern Region are much more suitable. There, Dou Emperors rule supreme. Dou Kings are not considered strong, but they certainly are not weak either.

Throw them into those places. If they wish to travel the Central Plains, they can only strengthen themselves step by step and make their way there."

Xiao Feng's eyes lit up. This was a good idea.

This would reduce casualties while maximizing the effects of their training.

"This is a good idea. I agree. I imagine those old fellows will agree as well.

Since you have decided to travel alone, I will not stop you.

Just remember to be careful in all things. Your mother, your granduncle, and I will wait for you at home, waiting for the day you become an unparalleled expert."

Xiao Xuan smiled. "Dad, you may not trust others, but you do not trust me? Am I the sort of person who casually treats his own life as worthless?

But if you are truly worried, then give me a hundred or eighty pills of the seventh, eighth, or ninth tier. The more, the better."

"Get lost. You actually have the nerve to say that? A hundred or eighty pills? Are you still dreaming?

Have the various pills and precious medicinal herbs your granduncle gave you been insufficient?

In terms of wealth, even I, the Patriarch, may not be as rich as you. Besides, do not think I do not know—you are a Medicine Master, aren't you? At the very least, a sixth-tier Medicine Master."

Xiao Xuan curled his lips and muttered, "Fine, don't give me any. It's no big deal. Can't I support myself?"

"Take them, take them. This is a bottle of seventh-tier Dou Zong-Breaking Pills and a bottle of eighth-tier Qi-Boosting Pills. They can help a Dou Zun advance one or two stars. Now get lost."

He had only said he would not give them to him, but that was just talk. Here he was, directly giving him a bottle of each. Each bottle had at least three pills.

They would be enough for his cultivation until he reached the Dou Zun realm.

"Hehe, thank you, thank you. Then I'll go to the Scripture Depository and catch up with Granduncle."

After leaving, he passed by the training grounds. The outstanding young talents of the Xiao Clan were still there, discussing what they had gained from the matches between the various clans.

"Cousin?"

"Brother?"

"Brother Xiong, Brother Chen, Brother Yun, Sister Lan, why are you still here?

Shouldn't you be returning to secluded cultivation to consolidate the insights you gained from these matches?

Since you are all here, this is a bottle of seventh-tier Dou Zong-Breaking Pills and a bottle of sixth-tier Imperial Pills.

Share them among yourselves. They will greatly increase your chances of breaking through to the Dou Emperor realm, or even the Dou Zong realm, in the future.

By the way, do not rush to break through yet. The clan will probably send you to travel the continent during this period."

Xiao Lan's mouth twitched as she looked at the sixth- and seventh-tier pills that had been tossed over as though they were trash. He truly was outrageously wealthy.

"Brother Xuan, you should keep them for yourself."

"Every medicine has its toxicity. Unless I have no choice, I generally do not use pills.

With your talents, you would not have needed them anyway. But how you choose is up to you."