Returning Home

Xiao Li watched the azure figure disappear into the distance.

"All right, stop staring. It's not as if you'll never see that girl again. Once your cultivation bears fruit, won't you be able to be with her every day?

"With your current cultivation as a Two Star Dou Spirit, you can be considered decent within the Jia Ma Empire, but you are still nothing on the continent.

"Boy, cultivate diligently. Only through hard cultivation can you protect everything. The Dou Qi Continent is vast, and there are those lecherous sects that specifically gather gifted women.

"Some women are Daughters of Heaven from the moment they are born. Without sufficient strength, you would not even be qualified to stand at their side.

"You must cultivate well. Do not wait until you encounter difficulties before regretting that you did not cultivate properly in the past."

Old Wang spoke calmly, a trace of reminiscence flashing through his eyes.

"I understand." Xiao Li's gaze became resolute. From now on, he would cultivate even more diligently!

"What now? Are we heading straight to the Black Horn Region, or what?" Old Wang asked.

Xiao Li thought for a moment. "I want to go home first and deliver a few things."

"Mm."

Jia Ma Holy City, Xiao Clan

"Ha! Ha! Ha!"

On the Xiao Clan's training grounds, more than a dozen young boys and girls were practicing their punches.

Standing before them was an exceptionally burly middle-aged man. With his hands clasped behind his back, he paced back and forth, occasionally correcting the youngsters' movements.

"All right, take a break."

At the instructor's words, the youngsters collapsed onto the ground one after another.

"Why has Big Brother started training the clan disciples?"

A hearty voice rang out. The middle-aged man turned around and saw that it was Xiao Li. Naturally, the only person Xiao Li would call Big Brother was Xiao Lin.

Xiao Lin slung an arm around Xiao Li's shoulders when he saw him. "Good boy, you're back? You've grown quite a bit taller too. And this cultivation of yours... you've reached the Dou Ling realm?"

Xiao Lin was now thirty-nine years old, and his cultivation had reached the Nine Star Dou Spirit realm! He could be said to be the strongest person beneath the Patriarch.

Xiao Lin's current cultivation was entirely supported by Xiao Li's pills. While pills capable of directly raising a Dou Spirit's cultivation were mostly Grade 5 Pills, Xiao Li could still refine Fourth Grade Pills that aided a Dou Spirit's cultivation.

With Xiao Li's pill support, Xiao Lin had rapidly reached the Nine Star Dou Spirit realm. He would likely break through to the Dou Wang realm within a year or two and become a Dou Wang powerhouse.

"I went through some training in the Magical Beast Mountain Range. Not only did my Alchemy barely reach Grade 5, but my cultivation has also reached the Two Star Dou Spirit realm. Big Brother, aren't I impressive?"

Xiao Li said with his head raised. It was not that he was childish; there was no need to put on airs before blood relatives, especially since he and Xiao Lin had an excellent brotherly relationship.

"Heh, you brat. I'm afraid you'll become a Dou Wang before I do. Come, let's go see the old man." Xiao Lin pulled Xiao Li along, intending to take him to see the Patriarch—their grandfather, Xiao Ting.

"Little ones, that's enough cultivation for today. Continue tomorrow!" Xiao Lin called out to the Xiao Clan disciples on the training grounds, then hurried away.

Xiao Ting had remained in seclusion these past years. Unless there was an urgent matter, no one would disturb him. At present, Xiao Lin handled all the Xiao Clan's affairs on his behalf.

They arrived at the Patriarch's Secluded Chamber.

Xiao Lin came before the Stone Gate and inserted a stone key. The Stone Gate then opened.

Xiao Lin led Xiao Li inside. The moment Xiao Li stepped in, he sensed a considerable amount of Lightning Attribute energy within the Secret Room, quite dense indeed. It seemed the old man had spent a great deal to create this place.

"Hm? Lin'er, has something happened to the clan? If it is not anything major, do not disturb this old man." An aged voice came from within.

"Heh, your youngest grandson has come to see you. Does that count as a major matter?" Xiao Lin said with a grin.

"Oh? It truly is Li'er! Li'er has come?" A Grey-robed Old Man slowly emerged from the darkness.

"Grandson pays his respects to Grandfather!" Xiao Li bowed to Xiao Ting.

"Good child, good child, hurry and rise." Xiao Ting directly pulled Xiao Li to his feet. His youngest grandson was his pride.

"Grandfather, I haven't seen you for over half a year. Why have you grown so much older?" Xiao Li saw that the wrinkles on his grandfather's face had deepened considerably.

"Hehe, I'm old. I probably do not have many years left. But it is all right. The Xiao Clan has Lin'er and you, so Grandfather can leave in peace." Xiao Ting was very open-minded.

Xiao Li's expression darkened. Using his Soul Force, he could sense that his grandfather's life force was extremely weak. He likely had less than three years left to live.

"Grandfather, do you still have no feeling that you can break through to the Dou Emperor realm?" Xiao Li asked. A Dou Wang's lifespan was not much different from an ordinary person's, though he could live out his natural lifespan free of illness and disaster.

Only upon reaching the Dou Emperor realm would one's lifespan increase, and after reaching the Dou Zong realm, one could become the foundation of a clan.

Xiao Ting shook his head. "Reaching the Nine Star Dou Wang realm is possible, but as for Dou Emperor... perhaps not. Do not worry. Grandfather is in good health. There will be no pain when it is time for me to go."

Xiao Ting himself was very open-minded. At his age, he had already seen through such things. He still had to give it a try, though whether he succeeded was known only to Heaven.

Xiao Li took out two Jade Bottles from his Storage Ring and stuffed them into Xiao Ting's hands.

"Grandfather, this is a Longevity King Pill, a Grade 5 Pill. After taking it, you can gain roughly three more years of lifespan. The other bottle contains a Dou Spirit Pill. Although, with your current cultivation, the Dou Spirit Pill may not be able to raise your cultivation by one star.

"It will still be very useful to your cultivation. It can allow you to quickly reach the Nine Star Dou Wang realm, after which you can begin preparing to break through to the Dou Emperor realm."

Xiao Ting stared blankly at the two Jade Bottles in Xiao Li's hands. "Li'er, this..."

Xiao Li interrupted him. "Grandfather, do not think of refusing. First of all, you are the oldest and strongest person in the clan, so these two pills will be most useful to you.

"I can refine pills for Big Brother and the other Elders in the future. If you can reach the Dou Emperor realm, it will be good for me and for the clan."

"That's right, Old Man. I still need one or two years before I can break through to the Dou Wang realm. If you can successfully break through to the Dou Emperor realm, it will be immensely beneficial to our family," Xiao Lin said anxiously as well.

"All right, then this old man will accept them for now. Li'er, once I break through to the Dou Emperor realm, whatever you want, Grandfather will find it for you!" Xiao Ting said solemnly.

Xiao Li nodded. "The more powerhouses our Xiao Clan has, the better. Grandfather will be the first Dou Emperor born in the Xiao Clan in nearly a hundred years. In the future, the Xiao Clan will definitely have more than one Dou Emperor!"

"Mm. Our Xiao Clan's ancestors were exceptionally powerful, but unfortunately, we unworthy descendants have been unable to restore their former glory. Li'er, the task of reviving the Xiao Clan shall be entrusted to you, and to Lin'er as well."

Xiao Ting's words startled Xiao Li. Could it be that the Xiao Clan knew something at this point?

Xiao Li did not think too much about it. The more one knew, the greater the pressure. For now, increasing his strength was what mattered most.

"Grandfather, take the Longevity King Pill first. It is the most useful to you right now."

"Mm, I understand." Xiao Ting opened the Jade Bottle containing the Longevity King Pill. An incomparably dense aura of life wafted out, and vigorous vitality spread through the room. Xiao Ting merely took a breath and already felt much more relaxed.

The Longevity King Pill was a thumb-sized white pill. It looked like a pearl, yet it was brimming with dense vitality.

Xiao Ting swallowed the Longevity King Pill, then began refining its medicinal power.