Xiao Xun'er's Breakthrough!

Outside the mountain cave.

The Mystic Nether Tiger stood in the clearing.

Its pair of scarlet eyes fixed on Xiao Xuan and the two girls as a low growl rumbled from its mouth.

"Humans, hand over the treasure inside the cave."

Xiao Yi Xian's expression changed instantly.

She instinctively took a step back, her eyes filled with fear as she looked at the Mystic Nether Tiger.

A Fifth-Tier Magical Beast.

It was equivalent to a human Dou Wang expert.

She had never even seen such a Magical Beast before.

Xiao Xun'er's expression also turned grave.

She mobilized the Dou Qi within her body, releasing the aura of a Two-Star Dou Shi.

But before this Mystic Nether Tiger, such strength was simply not worth mentioning.

The Mystic Nether Tiger's gaze swept over Xiao Xun'er and Xiao Yi Xian, and a glimmer of greed flashed through its eyes.

"These two women aren't bad."

It licked its lips.

"Hand over the treasure, leave these two women behind, and I will spare your life."

Xiao Xun'er's expression turned cold.

Xiao Yi Xian's face grew even uglier.

Xiao Xuan stepped forward, placing himself in front of Xiao Xun'er and Xiao Yi Xian.

The Mystic Nether Tiger looked at him, contempt flashing in its eyes.

"What? You human brat want to fight me?"

"A mere human dares act so presumptuously before me?"

"Kneel, and I'll leave you an intact corpse."

Xiao Xuan looked at it calmly.

"Are you done?"

A flicker of anger passed through the Mystic Nether Tiger's eyes.

"Human brat, you're courting death!"

It suddenly opened its jaws and fired a black beam of light toward Xiao Xuan.

Xiao Xuan stood where he was without moving.

The black beam struck his chest.

Boom!

A deafening explosion rang out.

The black light burst apart, kicking up dust that filled the sky.

The Mystic Nether Tiger looked at the swirling dust, its eyes full of disdain.

"Overestimating yourself."

The dust gradually settled.

The Mystic Nether Tiger's smile froze on its face.

Xiao Xuan was still standing where he had been, not having taken even a single step back.

The clothes over his chest had been scorched, but there was not a single injury on his body.

The Mystic Nether Tiger's pupils suddenly contracted.

"How is that possible?"

Its eyes were filled with shock.

Although it had not used its full strength in that attack, it had still been enough to kill a Dou Wang expert.

This human brat had taken it head-on without suffering the slightest injury?

"You... what exactly is your strength?"

Xiao Xuan did not answer.

Irritation flashed through the Mystic Nether Tiger's eyes.

It did not believe it.

It refused to believe that a human brat who looked no older than fifteen or sixteen could withstand its attack without being injured.

"I only used thirty percent of my strength in that last attack."

"This strike will reduce you to ashes."

The Mystic Nether Tiger opened its jaws as the Dou Qi within its body surged wildly.

Another black beam shot from its mouth.

This one was twice as thick as the last.

Xiao Xuan still stood in place without moving.

The black beam struck his chest again.

Boom!

The explosion was even more violent than before.

The shockwave forced Xiao Xun'er and Xiao Yi Xian back several steps.

Xiao Yi Xian's face turned deathly pale.

"Young Master Xiao..."

Before she could finish, she stopped.

Xiao Xuan was still standing there.

The clothes over his chest had been blasted apart, revealing the body beneath.

There was not even a single wound on him.

"Impossible!"

Even its voice trembled.

"This is impossible!"

Fear rose in the Mystic Nether Tiger's heart.

Xiao Xuan raised his right hand.

He struck with his palm.

Bang!

The Mystic Nether Tiger's massive body flew backward and crashed heavily onto the ground.

It struggled to rise, staring at Xiao Xuan with terror in its eyes.

"You..."

Xiao Xuan walked over to it.

The Mystic Nether Tiger gritted its teeth and mobilized the remaining Dou Qi in its body.

It opened its jaws and fired another black beam.

This time, it used all its strength.

Xiao Xuan raised his hand.

The force of his palm struck the Mystic Nether Tiger squarely on the head.

Bang!

The Mystic Nether Tiger's head snapped backward as it sprayed a mouthful of blood.

The Mystic Nether Tiger lay sprawled on the ground, more than half the bones in its body shattered.

It looked at Xiao Xuan, and all its former arrogance was gone.

Only fear remained.

"Mercy, my lord!"

Even its voice was trembling.

"I failed to recognize greatness and offended you, my lord."

"I beg you to spare my life."

"I am willing to become your servant, my lord."

Xiao Xuan looked at it.

"No need."

The Mystic Nether Tiger's eyes filled with despair.

"Please spare my life, my lord!"

Xiao Xuan raised his right hand.

He struck with his palm.

The force of his palm hit the Mystic Nether Tiger's head.

Its eyes widened as its body convulsed several times.

Then it went still.

The Mystic Nether Tiger, a Fifth-Tier Magical Beast, died on the spot.

Xiao Yi Xian stood frozen, staring at the Mystic Nether Tiger's corpse.

A Fifth-Tier Magical Beast.

A powerhouse equivalent to a human Dou Wang.

Before Xiao Xuan, it had not even possessed the strength to fight back.

Xiao Yi Xian looked at Xiao Xuan's back, her heart filled with shock.

What exactly was his strength?

A Dou Wang?

Or a Dou Emperor?

Xiao Xun'er walked to Xiao Xuan's side.

"Brother Xiao Xuan, are you all right?"

"I'm fine."

Xiao Xuan walked over to the Mystic Nether Tiger's corpse.

He took a knife from his Storage Ring and cut open the Mystic Nether Tiger's skull.

He removed a fist-sized black Magic Core from within.

A Fifth-Rank Magic Core.

It radiated intense energy fluctuations.

Xiao Xuan stored the Magic Core in his Storage Ring and stood up.

"Let's go."

The three of them left the mountain cave and headed toward Green Mountain Town.

Along the way, Xiao Yi Xian did not say a word.

She walked behind Xiao Xuan, watching his back.

By the time the three returned to Green Mountain Town, night had already fallen.

The town was quiet.

When the innkeeper saw Xiao Xuan return, his expression was somewhat nervous.

"Young... Young Master Xiao, you're back."

Xiao Xuan nodded.

"Prepare three rooms for us."

The innkeeper nodded repeatedly.

"Yes, yes, yes. I'll prepare them right away."

Xiao Xuan and the two girls went upstairs and returned to their respective rooms.

Xiao Xuan sat by the bed and took out the Fifth-Rank Magic Core from his Storage Ring.

The black Magic Core emitted a faint, eerie glow in his palm.

A Fifth-Rank Magic Core could be used to refine a Fifth-Rank Pill.

He put the Magic Core back into his Storage Ring, closed his eyes, and began regulating his breathing.

The Dou Qi within his body slowly circulated along the path of his cultivation technique.

At the peak of Seven-Star Dou Emperor, he was only one step away from Eight-Star Dou Huang.

Xiao Xuan continued circulating his Dou Qi over and over again.

After an unknown amount of time, he opened his eyes.

A flash of golden light passed through them.

Eight-Star Dou Huang!

Several days later.

Inside an inn room, Xiao Xun'er sat cross-legged on the bed.

With her eyes closed, the Dou Qi within her body slowly circulated along the path of her cultivation technique.

Ever since taking the Fifth-Rank Pill Xiao Xuan had given her, her strength had steadily risen from Two-Star Dou Shi.

For the past few days, she had cultivated day and night without resting for even a moment.

Dou Qi flowed through her meridians again and again.

The bottleneck of Two-Star Dou Shi began to loosen.

Xiao Xun'er gritted her teeth and drove all the Dou Qi in her body toward the bottleneck.

Battle Qi surged.

Her aura suddenly swelled.

Three-Star Dou Shi.

She had broken through.

Xiao Xun'er opened her eyes, a flicker of purple light flashing through them.

A smile appeared on her face.

She had finally broken through to Three-Star Dou Shi.

Xiao Xun'er got down from the bed and eagerly pushed open the door, heading outside.

She wanted to tell Brother Xiao Xuan the good news.

Xiao Xuan stood in an open area in the inn's rear courtyard.

He had his eyes closed as Battle Qi flowed through the meridians within his body.

Ever since breaking through to Eight-Star Dou Huang, he had been stabilizing his realm every day.

An Eight-Star Dou Huang's strength already counted as that of a top expert in the Jia Ma Empire.