A Father-Daughter Conversation

Gu Yuan fell silent. Xiao Jin's talent truly defied the heavens.

He had begun Qi Refining at four, became a Dou Zhe at six, advanced to Dou Ling at twelve, and reached Dou Wang at fifteen.

Such speed was something Gu Yuan had rarely seen in his life. On top of that, the boy occasionally produced fine things that even the Ancient Clan did not possess. He believed Xiao Jin's future would surely be dazzling.

After a long while, he finally sighed softly and said wistfully, "Since Xun'er trusts that boy, I am willing to trust him as well."

"However, the matter of him giving you a Ninth-Grade Golden Pill is far too significant. Xun'er, remember not to tell anyone else. Within the clan, no one besides me knows of this yet."

One Ninth-Grade Medicinal Pill was enough to drive Dou Sheng experts across the entire continent mad.

Much less a Ninth-Grade Golden Pill, the finest among Ninth-Grade Medicinal Pills.

If Xun'er had not been Gu Yuan's daughter, even he would likely have been envious.

"Father, didn't you tell the elders in the clan about this?"

"Silly girl, if I had told them, do you think they would not have seized Xiao Jin and dragged him back to the Ancient Realm for brutal interrogation, all to obtain greater benefits?"

There would never be a shortage of short-sighted people in this world. When good fortune came knocking, some people thought about how to work together and seek mutual benefit.

Others thought only of draining the pond dry and grabbing whatever gains they could in one sweep.

When it came to Xiao Jin, Gu Yuan thought that there must be an immensely powerful Alchemist behind the boy—one capable of refining Ninth-Grade Medicinal Pills.

With talent that defied the heavens and such a powerful teacher, Xiao Jin would certainly become one of the continent's foremost experts in the future.

Building a good relationship with such a rising star would surely bring the Ancient Clan considerable benefits.

But others would think differently. They would consider how to capture Xiao Jin and use the disciple to coerce his master into endlessly refining pills for the Ancient Clan.

Or they might simply kill Xiao Jin outright, seize his collection, and confiscate every treasure within it.

All that could be said was that the gap between people was sometimes even greater than the gap between people and dogs.

Xun'er thought of this as well and silently cursed herself for being too naive.

When she had sent Ling Ying back to the Ancient Clan, she had merely hoped that after informing her father, Gu Yuan would support her being with Xiao Jin.

But she had overlooked the temptation that a Ninth-Grade Golden Pill posed to the Ancient Clan. If word of this truly spread, Brother Xiao Jin would likely face endless trouble.

Seeing that his daughter had understood, Gu Yuan smiled and sat down on a stone bench in the courtyard. "Xun'er, tell Father about the effects of the pills you took."

Xun'er obediently gave him a brief explanation of the Exotic Flame Fusion Pill and the Emperor Blood Guidance Pill. Upon learning that his daughter had advanced from an Eight-Star Dou Shi to a Seven-Star Dou Grandmaster in only half a month, Gu Yuan could not help reaching out and placing his hand on her wrist.

Under Gu Yuan's control, a thread of pure Dou Qi entered Xun'er's body and examined it. Once he confirmed that her Dou Qi showed no signs of instability and was instead incomparably solid, even someone as knowledgeable as Gu Yuan could not help sighing in admiration.

"As expected of a Ninth-Grade Golden Pill. Even I have never enjoyed such a treasure."

After a pause, he continued, "Xun'er, stay by Xiao Jin's side from now on. Father will no longer force you to return to the Ancient Clan."

"What about the elders in the clan?" Xun'er was the Ancient Clan's only God-Grade Bloodline in centuries. Even Gu Yuan's bloodline was inferior to hers.

Gu Yuan had already become a Peak Nine-Star Dou Saint. The Ancient Clan was filled with expectations for Xun'er, merely waiting for her to break through to the Dou Emperor realm.

Once Xun'er became a Dou Emperor, the Ancient Clan could prosper for at least another ten thousand years.

"Leave the clan elders to me. But Father has a condition as well."

"What condition?" A trace of wariness rose in the girl's eyes again. She knew her father far too well.

When he had sent her to the Xiao Clan, it had not only been to shield her from the Ancient Clan's internal strife and give her a peaceful childhood. Searching for the Tou She Ancient God Jade had also been an important mission.

That was a classic case of never acting without profit.

Otherwise, if she merely wanted to avoid the Ancient Clan, there were countless other places she could have gone.

Why did she have to come to the Xiao Clan?

With Gu Yuan's abilities as a Nine-Star Dou Sheng, he could have opened up a separate space for his daughter alone.

Gu Yuan did not know whether to laugh or cry. "Is Father really that untrustworthy in your eyes?"

Xun'er nodded seriously.

Gu Yuan: "..."

What a filial daughter.

He forcibly suppressed the bitterness in his heart, along with the urge to travel back ten years and slap himself hard, then said as gently as he could, "Xun'er, Father's request is actually very simple. Once you break through to Peak Dou King, you must return to the Ancient Clan once."

"Why?"

"Of course, it is to refine the Golden Emperor Burning Heaven Flame. I had originally planned to let you refine a Heavenly Flame after you reached Peak Dou Emperor. But with the Exotic Flame Fusion Pill that boy provided, Peak Dou King strength will be enough for you to refine it."

As the fourth-ranked flame on the Heavenly Flame Ranking, the Golden Emperor Burning Heaven Flame had been placed under numerous restrictions by the Ancient Clan. Only those who cultivated the Ancient Clan's secret arts could refine it.

Likewise, after so many years of nurturing and growth, the Ancient Clan's Golden Emperor Burning Heaven Flame was not something the Heavenly Flame in Xiao Jin's Storage Ring could compare to.

There was a qualitative difference in their source energy.

Simply put, if Xiao Jin refined the Golden Emperor Burning Heaven Flame in his Storage Ring, it could allow him to leap directly from Peak Dou King to the Dou Emperor realm. If Xun'er refined the Ancient Clan's Heavenly Flame, she could leap directly from Peak Dou King to Dou Zong.

To refine a Heavenly Flame without suffering backlash, one always had to pay a price.

Fortunately, Xiao Jin did not care about such a minor flaw. Though refining a Heavenly Flame would grant him fewer breakthrough levels, he possessed more Heavenly Flames.

After considering it for a moment, Xun'er finally nodded in agreement.

"Father knows you cannot bear to leave Xiao Jin, but he is destined to become a powerhouse in the future. Even Dou Sheng may not be his endpoint. If you wish to stand by his side, your own strength cannot be too lacking, can it?"

"Father, I understand." Xun'er knew that Gu Yuan was right. The gap between her and Xiao Jin was already immense, and there were many times when she could not help him at all.

Just like Xiao Jin's trip this time. If she possessed Dou Ling strength, Xiao Jin would probably have taken her with him.

"Also, once that boy breaks through to Dou Zun, remember to bring him to the Ancient Realm."

"Why is that?"

"Of course, so that the boy can formally ask for your hand. Does he think he can take my precious daughter away without giving anything in return?"

Xun'er's little face reddened, and she said somewhat dejectedly, "Father, Brother Xiao Jin has never even said that he likes me."

"That little bastard has some nerve! My daughter is so wonderful—why would he not like her?!" Gu Yuan flew into a rage. Especially when he saw his daughter acting so utterly smitten, the anger in his heart burned even hotter.

Even Xun'er herself was not certain whether what she had sensed last time had been real.

She did not know whether Brother Xiao Jin had truly realized his feelings. If he had not, would she have to wait several more years?

Fortunately, Father had said they would go to the Ancient Realm only after Brother Xiao Jin broke through to Dou Zun. Even with Brother Xiao Jin's talent, that should take at least several years, right?