Daily Life

Time flowed like water. The fleeting years passed soundlessly, as if only yesterday; two years vanished in the blink of an eye.

"Dong..."

Within the Heavenly Flame Refining Qi Tower, the ancient chime of a bell rang out through every level of the tower at some unknown moment.

In the resting room on the lowest level of the Heavenly Flame Refining Qi Tower, Xiao Ling formed the hand seal to end his cultivation. He let out a long breath of turbid air, rose to his feet, and stepped down from the cultivation platform.

After sensing the Dou Qi within his body, he shook his head and sighed helplessly. "After reaching the Dou Ling realm, the Heavenly Flame Refining Qi Tower's effects on me have grown worse and worse. At this rate, advancing to Dou Wang will take quite some effort."

Xiao Ling had now been in the Inner Academy for two years. By consecutively taking two Purple Heart Barrier Breaking Pills and one Three-pattern Green Spirit Pill, he had broken through to the Dou Ling realm on the day he turned eleven.

Xiao Ling was now twelve and a half years old. After a year and a half of cultivation in the Dou Ling realm, he had reached Dou Ling Stage Four. This cultivation speed truly depressed him. Aside from the four years he had spent in the Dou Qi stage, he had previously taken a little over a year on average to break through each major realm.

Ever since breaking through to Dou Ling, the Fallen Heart Flame's effects had noticeably weakened. It still increased his cultivation speed compared to normal cultivation, but its effects were no longer remarkable. Fen Jue was only a Black Tier Low-grade technique as well, so it was beginning to feel somewhat lacking.

In truth, this situation was more reasonable. After all, the Fallen Heart Flame had been imprisoned by Jia Nan Academy within the Heavenly Flame Refining Qi Tower. It had already developed Spiritual Wisdom and learned how to think. Moreover, it only possessed Dou Zong-level strength itself. Lower-level cultivators would see an obvious improvement in their cultivation speed by borrowing the Heart Flame, but once their cultivation rose, the effects became far less apparent. Furthermore, the Fallen Heart Flame did not have a good relationship with Jia Nan Academy. It would not voluntarily release Heart Flame for Jia Nan Academy's students to cultivate with. It still needed to absorb energy through the magma and store up its strength, waiting for the day it could break through its seal.

Shaking his head, Xiao Ling stopped thinking about such pointless things. Just because cultivation was no longer as fast as before, was he supposed to stop cultivating? He had to cultivate regardless, so why think so much? Once my wings are fully grown and I'm strong enough, I'll sweep up every one of those opportunities. By then, I'll advance far faster than by staying in Jia Nan Academy.

He walked out of the Heavenly Flame Refining Qi Tower through the passage and discovered Xiao Xun'er standing there prettily. She wore a violet dress, her temperament cool and serene, like a Green Lotus in the mortal world. Many people nearby cast adoring looks her way at the sight.

Xiao Xun'er was nearly twelve years old now. As her body matured, her beauty, capable of toppling cities and kingdoms, had begun to reveal itself.

When she saw Xiao Ling emerge, Xiao Xun'er approached him with a beaming smile and linked her arm through his.

Feeling the envious and jealous gazes around them, Xiao Ling remained utterly calm. He had experienced such things countless times since childhood and had long become immune to such looks.

He woke Rayquaza, and amid the envious gazes of the crowd, the two mounted it and flew toward their dormitory.

As they passed through the clouds and felt the wind blowing against their faces, the two chatted idly.

Suddenly, as if recalling something, Xiao Xun'er asked Xiao Ling, "Brother Xiao Ling, do you remember Xiao Yan from the Xiao Family in Wutan City?"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Ling frowned. Why was his precious little cabbage bringing up that guy? Keeping his expression unchanged, he replied calmly, "Of course I remember him. The Third Young Master of the Xiao Family. He was quite talented, though a little too flamboyant. Is there something you wanted to tell me about him, Xun'er?"

Xiao Xun'er nodded. "When Instructor Ruo Lin returned from recruitment this year, she brought back a young woman from the Xiao Family in Wutan City. Her name is Xiao Yu. Going by seniority, she should be considered our cousin."

Hearing Xiao Xun'er bring up seniority, Xiao Ling rolled his eyes, utterly speechless. Young lady, by seniority, everyone in my Xiao Family should be calling you Great Ancestor. Your father is Gu Yuan, someone of the same generation as my family's ancestor, Xiao Xuan.

Xiao Ling nodded, signaling for Xiao Xun'er to continue.

"Since she belongs to the same clan as us, Instructor Ruo Lin paid special attention to her. Through her inquiries, she learned of something very strange. It is said that Xiao Yan broke through to the Dou Zhe realm at eleven years old, making him one of Jia Ma Empire's foremost geniuses. But after turning twelve this year, not only did his cultivation fail to advance, it actually regressed. Within a few months, it had already fallen to Dou Qi Stage Three, and he became useless," Xiao Xun'er said gently.

After listening to Xiao Xun'er's account, Xiao Ling finally remembered that he was only a few days older than Xiao Yan. Xiao Yan was now twelve as well, and Yao Chen had already begun absorbing the Dou Qi in his body. He was about to live through three bitter years as a worthless cripple.

After pondering for a moment, Xiao Ling said, "Perhaps there's something wrong with his body. We can send a prescription back later and have the people in the family find an alchemist to examine him."

During his days at the academy, Xiao Ling would take out things that were of no use to him each year and have them sent to the Xiao Family. For example, some medicinal pills he casually refined while practicing Alchemy, as well as Cultivation Techniques and Dou Techniques others gave him as payment for alchemy. Anything of too low a grade or unsuitable attribute was sent back to the Xiao Family.

Although these items were useless to Xiao Ling himself, they were already great gifts to the Xiao Family. After all, the highest-grade technique in the clan had previously only been the Intermediate Black Tier technique, Raging Lion's Fury. After receiving the items Xiao Ling had sent back, the clan elders had been overjoyed.

For one of the Eight Ancient Clans to fall to such a state was truly rather miserable. Thinking of this, Xiao Ling sized up Xiao Xun'er with an odd look in his eyes. If your father hadn't acted so dishonorably back then, the strongest person in our Xiao Family wouldn't be merely a Da Dou Shi. Eighty percent of the Cultivation Techniques and Dou Techniques the clan once possessed were probably taken by the Gu Clan. Once I become strong enough, I'll definitely go to the Gu Clan and take those things back. For now, I can only collect a little interest from Gu Yuan's precious daughter.

With that thought, Xiao Ling abruptly turned sideways. Catching the girl off guard, he pulled her slender waist into his embrace and directly kissed her.

Feeling Xiao Ling's mischievous hands, Xiao Xun'er's breathing gradually became hurried. After a token struggle, she collapsed into Xiao Ling's arms and let him do as he pleased.

Ling Ying, hidden in the shadows, could only helplessly rub his forehead at the sight. He lamented that his young miss's heart had been stolen right under his nose, and wondered whether the clan leader would break his legs after she returned to the Gu Clan.

With Rayquaza flying swiftly, the two soon returned before the dormitory. After parting with Xiao Xun'er, Xiao Ling returned to his room.

Lying on the soft bed and tightly hugging a pillow, Xiao Ling felt a faint sense of urgency after today's conversation with Xun'er. To become an Emperor, standing against the Hun Clan was inevitable. Thinking that there was not much time left before the Hun Clan's millennium-long plan came to fruition, Xiao Ling let out a long sigh. "Strength..."