"Dou Power Stage Eight, age six, level: high rank!"
The Xiao Clan's Martial Arts Arena erupted at the sight of those large characters on the testing stone tablet. Even the old man standing beside it looked utterly stunned.
"Th-this... Brother Xiao Ling actually advanced five stages in a year? That's unbelievable..."
"Exactly! Brother Xiao Ling really is the peerless genius of our Xiao Clan!"
"Hmph! So what? Brother Xiao Ling is the best!"
As the Xiao Clan disciples around him chattered, Xiao Ling paid them little mind. A trace of bewilderment flickered in his eyes, and he turned to leave.
But the moment he'd gone, a little girl in a blue dress at the edge of the arena hurried after him, her long legs carrying her at a trot.
As he walked, Xiao Ling stared at the narrow path that existed only in the pages of a book. A look of shock spread across his young face.
"I... I really did transmigrate?"
Even now, he could hardly believe it. His name was Xiao Ling, and he had come from Earth.
He vaguely remembered spending the last of his living expenses in his previous life on a physical copy of Battle Through the Heavens for 39.9 yuan. By sheer luck, he'd even gotten Dou Ge's autograph.
That night, he'd been so excited that he stayed up rereading the book. Then, by accident, he'd died suddenly.
Xiao Ling shook his head, deeply unwilling to accept it.
"My autograph..."
Fortunately, heaven hadn't treated him too badly!
He'd lost the autograph!
But he'd also been lucky enough to transmigrate to the Dou Qi Continent.
That was something to be grateful for!
He began going through his predecessor's memories, his expression growing more and more astonished as he did.
What a coincidence! Not only did his predecessor share his name, his father had actually been Xiao Zhan's biological brother?
Unfortunately, his father had died two years ago during a dispute over the Marketplace, killed by Aoba Pa, who had just broken through to Da Dou Shi.
Because of that, his predecessor had spent the past two years cultivating alone.
After learning about his predecessor's past, Xiao Ling sighed and silently told himself, "Rest in peace... I, Xiao Ling, promise you that I'll avenge you!"
As soon as he finished speaking, he felt a lightness come over him, along with an indescribable sensation.
It was as if, in that instant, he and his predecessor had completely merged and become inseparable.
Xiao Ling was delighted. He'd known the stories about transmigrators weren't lying. He immediately murmured to himself,
"Bless me, autograph... Autograph..."
Aoba Pa was a Da Dou Shi.
But Xiao Ling believed that with his knowledge of Battle Through the Heavens, he'd be able to surpass him before long.
Walking along the narrow path, Xiao Ling lifted his still-youthful face, his mind turning over all sorts of thoughts.
Just then, a voice from behind interrupted him.
"Brother Xiao Ling, what are you thinking about?"
At the sound, Xiao Ling looked back and saw a little girl in a blue dress gazing at him with a puzzled expression.
He put his thoughts aside and replied evenly, "Nothing. Did you need something?"
In his predecessor's memories, the girl before him was named Xiao Yu. Yes, she was the same long-legged Xiao Yu from the later story.
For some reason, though, she was always obedient to his predecessor and stuck close to him. But his predecessor, burdened with the hatred of his father's murder, was a loner and had always kept her at arm's length.
At his words, Xiao Yu rolled her eyes. "Can't I come play with you if I don't need anything?"
Xiao Ling found her hard to deal with. He could only maintain his predecessor's stern demeanor and say coldly, "I still have to cultivate. I don't have time to play with you."
With that, he headed for his predecessor's residence.
Xiao Yu could only stamp her little feet in frustration. "Stupid Brother Xiao Ling! Mean Brother Xiao Ling! You never pay attention to me..."
But Xiao Ling, already far away, couldn't hear her muttering. Nor could he know that whenever she got upset, she went home and took it out on her younger brother.
In his room, Xiao Ling was still astonished. He'd realized that he'd transmigrated to an unfamiliar point in time.
On his way back, he'd passed the courtyard where the three Xiao brothers lived, but he hadn't seen Xiao Yan. He'd only seen Xiao Ding and Xiao Li, along with a woman with a large belly.
He'd been too far away to make out the woman's face, but there was no doubt that she was carrying Xiao Yan.
This was a huge advantage for him. He could use the early lessons his predecessor had started to prepare in advance.
Once Xiao Yan was born, Xiao Ling could gradually earn his favor.
Perhaps... he'd have a chance to become an Emperor too?!
With those thoughts, Xiao Ling set aside the many ideas swirling in his mind for now. Excited, he sat cross-legged on the bed and followed his predecessor's memories, crossing his hands in front of his lower abdomen and forming an awkward hand seal.
He began his first cultivation session since transmigrating.
As Xiao Ling's breathing settled into a steady rhythm, an invisible wisp of gas in the air entered his body with each breath.
In the blink of an eye, evening arrived.
Xiao Ling opened his eyes after finishing his cultivation. He felt the Dou Qi flowing through his body, and it had increased noticeably. A delighted look appeared on his still-youthful face.
He hadn't expected his very first cultivation session to make him feel as if he were on the verge of a breakthrough.
At this rate, if he cultivated for another ten days or half a month, he might just break through to Dou Power Stage Nine.
Just as he was marveling at his predecessor's cultivation talent, a voice suddenly rang out in his mind, leaving him frozen in place.
[ Ding! Trading Mall. The host's lifespan has reached the critical threshold. Binding in progress... Binding complete. ]
[ Host: Xiao Ling. ]
[ Age: 6 years old. ]
[ Lifespan: 6/30 years. ]
[ Mall unlocked: 5. ]
[ Current mall level: Level 1. ]
[ One thousand years of lifespan required to reach Level 2. Host, strive to seize enough lifespan soon... There will be plenty of benefits... ]
The system's mechanical voice carried a hint of temptation.
"Hiss..."
Hearing the voice in his mind, Xiao Ling's eyes went wide. His young face filled with disbelief.
"Th-this... How is that possible? How could I only have thirty years to live?"
Xiao Ling murmured to himself, and even the excitement of awakening a cheat was pushed aside.
"System, what's going on? Why do I only have thirty years to live?"
Xiao Ling struggled to calm himself, then asked in a trembling voice.
[ Ding! Scanning the system... ]
[ Scan complete. ]
[ Host need not worry. The issue is entirely due to your original body's constitution. ]
[ It is recommended that the host seize more lifespan. This will not only resolve the issue with your constitution but also allow you to achieve a form of immortality. ]
Hearing the system's confident mechanical voice, Xiao Ling finally felt relieved.
"Good thing it's just a problem with my constitution... Otherwise, he'd be the shortest-lived peerless genius in the Xiao Clan!"
He didn't feel much resistance to the suggestion of seizing lifespan.
But he wouldn't kill innocent people indiscriminately. He would only seize it from those who became his enemies.
With that in mind, he decided to head to the dining hall for something to eat and take the opportunity to study his cheat more carefully.
But just as he was about to step out of his room, a powerful aura suddenly burst from his body!
"Th-this... I've already broken through?!"
Xiao Ling could hardly believe it. He stood stunned in the doorway.
Only after checking several times did he confirm that he really had broken through to Dou Power Stage Nine.
"But logically, he should need at least a week to break through... Could it be because of the cheat?"
Xiao Ling pushed aside his doubts. He planned to consolidate his cultivation tonight and familiarize himself with his predecessor's mannerisms, so he wouldn't make any mistakes during tomorrow's early lesson.
Before you continue