Ling Ying

"Who's there?!" Liuli abruptly snapped out of her thoughts and turned toward the woods to her left.

She sensed a very powerful aura, at least at the level of a Seven-star Dou Huang.

"Hehehe... Miss, why were you impersonating an envoy of the Ancient Clan and appearing in the Xiao Family?" A cloud of Dark Mist drifted out from the woods, stopping thirty meters in front of Liuli before dispersing to reveal a black-robed middle-aged man.

"You are...?" Liuli frowned.

"Ancient Clan, Ling Ying," the black-robed man answered.

Liuli remembered now. Ling Ying was Xun Er's guard, the one who secretly protected Xiao Xun'er!

Damn it! She had forgotten he existed. Claiming to be from the Ancient Clan probably looked like nothing but nonsense and ill intent in his eyes!

"Well, I just said it on the spur of the moment. Don't take it seriously." Liuli gave an awkward laugh. Just as she was about to explain further, a black blade shot toward her forehead!

Liuli shifted her footing and dodged the strike.

"Don't start fighting just because we disagree, hey!" Liuli shouted angrily.

"You are very strong, I know that. But if you do not explain why you know our Young Girl's identity and the Ancient Clan's secrets, then even if it costs me my life, I will drag you down with me. And I will send word out. When that happens, the Ancient Clan's many Dou Zongs and Dou Venerates will hunt you without end across the entire Dou Qi Continent!" Ling Ying caught the returning blade and spoke calmly.

"It isn't as complicated as you think. I merely borrowed the Ancient Clan's name to deliver a gift." Liuli hurriedly explained. What a joke—if she alerted the entire Ancient Clan, would she still be able to continue training over the next few years? Although the Sword Clan was as powerful as the Ancient Clan, if she caused such huge trouble, she could forget about ever leaving home again.

"Your identity." Ling Ying had no time for nonsense and asked directly.

"Uh..." Liuli was troubled. Her identity was rather sensitive. If it were exposed, it might trigger friction between the two clans.

Why had the Ancient Clan sent Xun Er to the Xiao Family? Was it not for that piece of Tuoshe Ancient Jade in the Xiao Family? If her identity as a member of the Sword Clan got out, coupled with such strange actions, the Ancient Clan would likely not let the matter rest.

"Not talking? So you really do have something to hide." Ling Ying snorted coldly. The shadow behind him began to writhe, splitting into three pitch-black phantoms that gradually solidified.

Liuli sighed helplessly. It seemed a fight was unavoidable.

Ling Ying gripped two black blades, stepped back with one foot, and bent at the waist to gather strength. The black shadows behind him also formed blades and assumed the same posture.

Liuli took Heart Rain from her Storage Ring and stood facing Ling Ying.

Ling Ying drew a deep breath as the Dou Qi within him began to surge at full force. The woman before him was extremely strong, seemingly already a Nine-star Dou Huang, while he was only a Seven-star Dou Huang. The difference appeared to be just two stars, but the true gap between them was incomparably vast. If he did not go all out, he might very well die here.

Yet even knowing death was highly likely, he had to do this. His Young Girl's identity had been discovered by an unknown force, and perhaps even the Ancient Clan's plans had been exposed to them. The severity of this matter was far from ordinary.

With a thought from Ling Ying, a Spatial Jade Slip hidden inside his Storage Ring was quietly crushed.

Now, all he needed to do was stop this person at all costs!

Profound Tier High Grade Dou Skill—Shadow Annihilation!

Ling Ying instantly transformed into a black shadow and lunged at Liuli like a ghost. Countless black Dou Qi blades condensed around the black blades in his hands before he viciously slashed at Liuli's head!

Liuli channeled Dou Qi through her arm and into Heart Rain, then swiftly raised it to block Ling Ying's strike. When blade and sword collided, powerful Dou Qi erupted outward, spreading in every direction and whipping countless plants and trees about.

Suddenly, the three black shadows appeared behind her. Just like Ling Ying, they raised their manifested black blades and stabbed toward Liuli's heart.

"Tsk!" Liuli clicked her tongue. She mobilized the Dou Qi within her, spreading her Dou Qi wings behind her back as black and white flames burst forth and crashed head-on into the three black shadows.

The scorching wave of flames swallowed the black blades and rapidly spread up the shadows' arms, gradually engulfing all three.

Ling Ying was startled and swiftly retreated, pulling away from Liuli.

"Heavenly Flames?" Ling Ying stared at the black-and-white flaming wings spread behind Liuli, his expression growing solemn. With such a formidable thing at her disposal, the gap between him and the Young Girl had widened even further.

"That's why I told you not to provoke me! We can part on good terms. I don't bear you any ill will." Liuli twisted her slightly sore wrist and spoke helplessly.

"Until this matter is thoroughly investigated, do not even think of leaving!" Ling Ying clearly had no intention of agreeing to the Young Girl's request. He gripped his black blades once more and charged at her.

And so, within this forest, the two Dou Huang experts clashed again and again. Massive energy ripples spread between heaven and earth, and even the people within Wutan City could feel the pressure.

Xiao Family Back Mountain

Xiao Yan, who had just received the prescription, looked toward the energy ripples and flashing light coming from the western horizon, his face full of astonishment.

"Old Yao, what's going on over there? Are strong individuals fighting?" Xiao Yan asked the translucent phantom of an Old Man beside him.

The Old Man known as Old Yao stroked his beard and narrowed his eyes as he watched for a while. Then he nodded slightly. "Two High-tier Dou Huangs are fighting over there!"

"What?! Dou Huangs?!" Xiao Yan cried out in shock.

Old Yao cast the boy a disdainful glance. "Look how frightened you are."

"Dou Huangs! Those are Dou Huang experts! There are fewer than five such strong individuals in the entire Jia Ma Empire. Many people never get to see even one in their whole lives, and you're saying two of them are fighting there?" Xiao Yan was somewhat excited. It was only natural—who did not admire and yearn for the strong?

Seeing his excited expression, Old Yao chuckled with a trace of confidence in his voice. "Where I lived, Dou Huangs were merely middle-tier strong individuals. When I was alive, a Dou Huang was nothing more than a low-level thug to me."

"Tch! Then why are you in such a state now? You even have to absorb the Dou Qi of a mere Dou Zhe like me." Xiao Yan scoffed.

Old Yao coughed awkwardly a few times and feigned calmness. "Without me, your achievements in this life would likely have peaked at the Dou Huang level. But with me, reaching Dou Zong—or even an even higher realm—is not impossible."

"Really?" Xiao Yan's face was full of doubt.

"Why would I lie to you? When I was alive, even Dou Venerates had to treat me respectfully." Old Yao glared, deeply dissatisfied by Xiao Yan's doubts regarding his strength.

"Keep bragging," Xiao Yan muttered, turning back toward the western horizon and sensing the majestic aura from that direction.

Old Yao no longer joked with him. He, too, looked westward and sent a trace of Soul Power probing in that direction. Before long, he smiled faintly.

"Little fellow, do you want to know who those two are?" Old Yao asked calmly.

"Who?" Xiao Yan asked.

"Do you remember the White Robe woman who came with Nalan Yanran's group this morning?"

Xiao Yan looked at Old Yao in surprise, disbelief in his voice. "You mean one of them is her? Isn't she only a Da Dou Shi? And she looked like she was only in her twenties."

"Kid, there are always people stronger than you, and skies beyond the sky. Among the top powers on this continent, Dou Huangs in their twenties are not particularly rare." Old Yao sighed. "In the future, your sights cannot remain limited to a small place like the Jia Ma Empire."

Xiao Yan fell silent and began thinking seriously.

"Actually, there is another one right by your side, but you'll have to ask your little girlfriend! Her identity is not simple either," Old Yao remarked.

"I know Xun Er isn't simple." Xiao Yan did not understand at first, but when that graceful figure appeared in his mind, his face reddened. He quickly defended himself, "She's not my girlfriend! She's my sister! I treat her as my sister!"

Old Yao smiled noncommittally. "Whether she is your little girlfriend or your sister, you still need to borrow money from her, right? If the first step of your resurgence is stumped by a lack of funds, that would be quite troublesome!"

At the thought of this, Xiao Yan's head began to ache.

Old Yao patted his shoulder and patiently said, "Xiao Yan, your talent is not lacking, your character is decent, and you have chosen this path that defies the heavens. In the future, you will certainly not remain a fish trapped in this pond. When the time comes, what is wrong with contending against the power behind that little girl?"

Xiao Yan watched the flashing light on the horizon. His hand slowly clenched into a fist, and his gaze grew increasingly resolute.

Double update