Yao Lao's Shock!

"Since that was the case, I happened to have one of these."

Xiao Yi Xian opened her palm, revealing a Na Ring resting in her fair hand.

"I found this by chance before. I rarely had any use for it, and most medicinal ingredients were stored in special jade bottles anyway. I might as well give it to you."

Lin Mu was somewhat surprised. "You're giving it to me?"

"Don't get any ideas. I was only repaying you for bringing me here. Forget it if you don't want it!"

As she spoke, Xiao Yi Xian was about to pull back her hand, but Lin Mu caught it. "Who said I didn't want it?"

Lin Mu accepted the Na Ring. It was slightly warm, clearly something Xiao Yi Xian had kept on her. As for Xiao Yi Xian, when Lin Mu suddenly grabbed her hand, a flush immediately appeared on her face, and she hurriedly pulled her hand away.

"Then let's go!"

With that, Xiao Yi Xian took the lead and walked out.

After storing all the gold, silver, and treasures here in his Na Ring, Lin Mu followed her out.

Once the two left the cave, Xiao Yi Xian said, "It's getting late. I should head back now. Let's part ways here."

"Keep this."

With a casual motion from Lin Mu, the Black-White Dou Qi within him landed in Xiao Yi Xian's hand, then gradually condensed into some strange powder. Seeing her puzzled gaze, Lin Mu explained, "Store this in a jade bottle. If you run into danger, just scatter it."

"But watch the amount you use. Otherwise, blowing someone to nothing wouldn't be unusual. This is only a tiny portion of my Dou Qi, but I think it could threaten anyone below the Dou Ling level."

Xiao Yi Xian looked at the powder in her hand and smiled faintly. "Then, thank you."

"Until we meet again!"

A gigantic Eagle-shaped Magical Beast flew up from beneath the cliff, carrying Xiao Yi Xian away beneath the moonlight.

Lin Mu then spread his Dou Qi Wings and left as well.

[Detected that the host has obtained the Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame Map Fragment. Its information has been automatically recorded, and the host may review it at any time. The host may choose to keep this fragment or give it away to activate the system's special reward.]

The system's voice rang out, and Lin Mu froze. It could automatically record information too?

Then there was no point in keeping it himself. Giving it away could even earn him a special reward, so he might as well let Xiao Yan have the bargain.

Above Wutan City.

Lin Mu's figure appeared there. With a flash, he landed on the bustling streets. It was already daytime, and the Marketplace had begun to grow lively. Though it looked bustling on the surface, there was no shortage of scheming beneath it.

"Hey, did you hear? A legendary Dou Emperor has appeared in the Xiao Family!"

"A Dou Emperor?! How is that possible? The strongest person in the Xiao Family is only a Da Dou Shi. How could they possibly know a Dou Emperor?"

"Why would I lie to you? They say that Nalan Yanran, the Misty Cloud Sect Young Master, came to the Xiao Family to break off her engagement with Xiao Yan. Then a Dou Emperor suddenly appeared to support Xiao Yan. I still remember the looks on Nalan Yanran and the others' faces!"

"So one of those two experts we saw fighting in the sky earlier..."

"One of them was that expert from the Xiao Family! How terrifying. Who would have thought Wutan City had such an expert?"

Lin Mu walked nearby and listened to the discussion, finding it rather amusing. Rumors really did spread quickly.

Still, this might mean that the original struggle over Wutan City's Marketplace would no longer happen. After all, who would gamble their life on whether a Dou Emperor truly existed on the other side?

"Big Brother Lin Mu!"

Lin Mu looked ahead and saw Xiao Yan and Xiao Xun Er.

Xiao Yan seemed deeply grateful that Lin Mu had stepped in to help, so he remained warm toward him.

In fact, even Yao Lao had told him the same.

Yao Lao said that Lin Mu's origins were mysterious and his strength terrifying. If such an expert bore me no ill will, I should do my best to befriend him. What's more, he stepped in at the right moment and saved Father's dignity.

Xiao Yan thought to himself.

"What are you two doing here?"

Lin Mu walked over.

Xiao Xun Er still harbored doubts about Lin Mu's identity, but with Xiao Yan beside her, she politely greeted Lin Mu anyway.

"Xun'er came with me to buy a few things," Xiao Yan explained.

"Fine, go buy them."

Lin Mu waved his hand, and his figure vanished.

"Are all Dou Emperors this elusive?" Xiao Yan asked in confusion.

"Brother Xiao Yan, why do you think Lin Mu is approaching the Xiao Family?" Xiao Xun Er asked from the side.

"I don't know. Maybe he really was just passing through. After all, what could the Xiao Family possibly have that would interest a Dou Emperor?"

Xiao Yan shrugged and continued searching for what he needed.

I hope he didn't come for that thing... Even Ling Lao might not be able to defeat him. Someone like him... is truly terrifying.

Xiao Xun Er thought to herself.

Behind the Xiao Family's mountain.

Xiao Yan hurried over, intending to have Yao Lao guide his training, only to find Lin Mu lying there leisurely, drinking tea Xiao Zhan had sent someone to deliver.

"Lin Mu? Why are you here?" Xiao Yan was startled.

"What, I can't be here?" Lin Mu rolled his eyes and said lazily, "I just went out for a bit and got hold of some good stuff. I came especially to show it off to you."

"Good stuff?"

At that moment, Yao Lao's figure appeared as well. He examined the two scrolls before him and let out a soft cry. "This is... a Flying Dou Skill? How could such a long-lost Dou Skill appear? How did you get it?"

"Fell off a cliff, found a cave, obtained a fortuitous encounter."

Lin Mu summarized the origins of the Flying Dou Skill in just twelve words. Yao Lao merely nodded. Such things were not uncommon; it could only be said that everyone had different opportunities.

"Looks good, right? I know you're jealous, so I'll put it away now." Lin Mu grinned.

Yao Lao: "..."

Xiao Yan: "..."

Lin Mu then took out the remaining scroll.

"Do you know what this is?" Lin Mu asked Yao Lao.

"It seems to be a map of something, and an incomplete one at that..."

Lin Mu nodded. Then the terrifying Soul Power within him burst forth instantly. Yao Lao frowned, but he soon realized that Lin Mu merely seemed to be using his Soul Power to open the scroll.

"What terrifying power. Could this be the Soul Power Yao Lao mentioned?" Xiao Yan was astonished. Just a trace of its aura was already so powerful. Before true experts, he really did not even amount to an ant.

"This is an unremarkable fragment of a Heavenly Flame map."

Lin Mu's calm words made Yao Lao's pupils contract sharply. "A Heavenly Flame map fragment? Which Heavenly Flame?"

"The Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame, of course," Lin Mu said.

"Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame? What is that?"

Xiao Yan looked utterly bewildered.

"The Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame is the terrifying flame ranked third among the twenty-three Heavenly Flames that exist between heaven and earth. Heavenly Flames are born from the world itself, and each possesses incomparably terrifying destructive power. As for the Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame, saying that it could burn heaven and earth would not be an exaggeration."

Yao Lao was incomparably shocked as he explained to Xiao Yan.

"To think that in this tiny Jia Ma Empire, there would actually be a map fragment of such a terrifying Heavenly Flame."

Yao Lao frowned slightly as he considered whether it was necessary to seize the map. His plan was to have Xiao Yan cultivate that strange Flame Mantra.

And the essential condition for cultivating the Flame Mantra was a Heavenly Flame!