Breaking Through to Dou Emperor!

Night fell, and Desert Rock City was shrouded in darkness.

In the rear courtyard of the Desert Iron Mercenary Group, two secret chambers stood side by side.

Xiao Ding and Xiao Li sat cross-legged in their respective chambers, with the Purple Heart Profound Dragon Pills Xiao Yan had given them placed before them.

Xiao Li picked up the pill and examined it for a moment.

The seventh-grade pill was perfectly round, its surface gleaming with a faint light. Just one breath of its fragrance was enough to make his whole body feel refreshed.

"Third Brother really can pull out all kinds of treasures."

Xiao Li murmured to himself.

He put the pill in his mouth and closed his eyes.

As soon as the pill entered his stomach, an immense medicinal power exploded inside him.

Xiao Li's expression changed instantly.

The medicinal power was so fierce it seemed ready to burst his meridians.

He hurriedly circulated his Dou Qi, guiding the medicinal power through his body.

Wherever it passed, his meridians continually widened, and his Dou Qi surged wildly.

One-Star Dou Wang, Two-Star Dou Wang, Three-Star Dou Wang.

His aura climbed faster and faster.

Fine beads of sweat formed on Xiao Li's forehead, and the veins stood out on his face.

In the secret chamber next door, Xiao Ding was going through the same ordeal.

After taking the pill, the Dou Qi in his body began surging wildly.

The medicinal power rampaged through his meridians, reshaping his body.

One-Star Dou Wang, Two-Star Dou Wang, Three-Star Dou Wang.

Their auras rose in tandem, neither one lagging behind the other.

Time passed second by second.

After who knew how long, the medicinal power within Xiao Li finally began to subside.

His aura stalled for a moment, then surged again.

Nine-Star Dou Wang, Peak Dou Wang.

He clenched his teeth and circulated the Dou Qi in his body at full force.

The medicinal power erupted one last time.

A formidable aura burst forth from him.

One-Star Dou Emperor.

Xiao Li opened his eyes, a flash of brilliance passing through them.

He took a deep breath, feeling the abundant power within him.

Dou Emperor. He had broken through to Dou Emperor. He had never imagined that he could reach the strength of a Dou Emperor.

"So this is the power of a Dou Emperor."

Xiao Li murmured, his voice trembling.

He raised his hand and gathered a ball of Dou Qi in his palm.

Its density and purity were countless times greater than when he had been a Dou Wang.

"So strong."

He clenched his fist, his heart brimming with excitement.

In the secret chamber next door, Xiao Ding opened his eyes as well.

One-Star Dou Emperor. He had also broken through to Dou Emperor.

Xiao Ding stood up and pushed open the door.

Xiao Li happened to emerge from his secret chamber at the same time.

The brothers looked at each other, seeing shock and excitement in one another's eyes.

"Big Brother, you broke through too?"

Xiao Ding nodded. "One-Star Dou Emperor."

"Me too," Xiao Li said. "Third Brother's pill is incredible."

Xiao Ding smiled. "Third Brother keeps getting harder and harder to figure out. He actually found a way to raise us to Dou Emperor in an instant."

"Yeah," Xiao Li said. "He just pulled out a seventh-grade pill like it was nothing. Before, I never even dared dream that I might become a Dou Emperor one day."

Xiao Ding patted his shoulder. "There's still a long road ahead. If we follow Third Brother, maybe we can climb even higher."

Xiao Li nodded emphatically.

At the other end of the courtyard.

Xiao Yan sat cross-legged in his room, eyes closed as he cultivated.

Suddenly, the system's voice rang out in his mind.

[The host helped Xiao Yan's elder brothers advance to One-Star Dou Emperor and received a return reward. Strength increased: Peak Nine-Star Dou Emperor.

A warm current welled up inside him, circulated once through his meridians, then settled.

Xiao Yan opened his eyes, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly.

Peak Nine-Star Dou Emperor. He was only half a step away from Dou Zong.

He savored the delight in his heart.

"Third Brother."

Xiao Ding's voice came from outside.

Xiao Yan stood up, walked over, and opened the door.

Xiao Ding and Xiao Li stood at the entrance, both wearing smiles.

"You broke through?"

"We did," Xiao Li said. "One-Star Dou Emperor."

"Thank you, Third Brother," Xiao Ding said solemnly.

"We're family. No need to thank me." Xiao Yan waved his hand, not making much of it.

"Third Brother, you don't know. I never even dared hope to become a Dou Ling before," Xiao Li said. "Now I've jumped straight to Dou Emperor. It feels like a dream."

"It's not a dream," Xiao Yan said. "You'll grow even stronger."

Xiao Li nodded emphatically. "Third Brother, I believe anything you say now."

Xiao Ding looked at Xiao Yan, his heart full of emotion.

His younger brother truly had changed.

The brother he once had to protect had now grown to a height he could only look up to.

"Third Brother, what do you plan to do next?"

"Rest for a few days first," Xiao Yan said. "The Misty Cloud Sect won't let this go."

Xiao Ding nodded. "We let that disciple go today. The Misty Cloud Sect will probably send people here before long."

"Let them come," Xiao Yan said coolly. "I'll settle everything in one go."

Xiao Ding and Xiao Li exchanged a glance but said nothing.

The Misty Cloud Sect.

The atmosphere in the main hall was oppressive.

Yun Yun sat in the Sect Master's seat, her expression utterly grim.

Several elders stood below, each of them looking grim as well.

Nalan Yanran stood to one side, her eyes red-rimmed.

"Sect Master, the First Elder..." The Second Elder's voice trembled.

"He's dead," Yun Yun said coldly.

The main hall fell utterly silent.

The elders exchanged glances, their eyes filled with shock and fury.

The Fourth Elder was dead, and so was the First Elder.

Two Dou Emperor elders of the Misty Cloud Sect had both died at Xiao Yan's hands.

"Sect Master, Xiao Yan is far too arrogant," an elder said angrily. "We must make him pay."

"Elder Yun Luo is right," several inner sect elders chimed in. "If we don't kill Xiao Yan, how can the Misty Cloud Sect hold its head up?"

"Please give the order, Sect Master. We're willing to go to Desert Rock City and execute Xiao Yan," the Fifth Elder said.

Several elders all volunteered to fight.

Yun Yun raised a hand, signaling for them to quiet down.

"The First Elder's death cannot go unavenged," Yun Yun said. "But Xiao Yan was able to kill him, which means his strength is far beyond what we estimated."

"What do you mean, Sect Master?" the Second Elder asked.

"I'll go to Desert Rock City myself," Yun Yun said.

The elders froze.

"The Sect Master herself?" several elders asked in disbelief.

"The First Elder was a powerful late-stage Dou Wang, yet even he was no match for Xiao Yan," Yun Yun said. "What difference would it make if you went, other than throwing your lives away?"

The elders fell silent.

They were unwilling to accept it, but Yun Yun was telling the truth.

The First Elder was stronger than they were. If even he couldn't defeat Xiao Yan, they would only be walking into their deaths.

"Teacher, I'm going too," Nalan Yanran said.

Yun Yun glanced at her. "What would you go for?"

"I want to see Xiao Yan die with my own eyes," Nalan Yanran said through clenched teeth. "He killed an elder of the Misty Cloud Sect and humiliated me. I must make him answer for it. Besides, what he did was clearly a provocation against the Misty Cloud Sect. As your disciple, I absolutely won't allow someone like him to remain alive in this world another day."

Yun Yun was silent for a moment, then nodded.

"Make your preparations. We leave tomorrow."

Nalan Yanran nodded emphatically, hatred flashing in her eyes.

Xiao Yan, you're dead for sure.